But now, not only must you continue to do that with your superiors, but you must communicate effectively with those who report to you. In many ways, that can be more difficult.
Poor communication is at the heart of countless failures in business life. You have undoubtedly worked for a supervisor who had poor communication skills and whose instructions were often vague and contradictory, making it difficult for you and your co-workers to get the job done. That's a situation you want to avoid with your employees. Many supervisors seem to go through their days assuming that an entire department can read their mind, and they become upset when a job isn't done to their specifications, never recognizing and admitting that they did a terrible job of explaining what they wanted.
Become comfortable with the written word. Putting instructions in writing is preferable to giving verbal instructions, for two reasons. First, the employee has the paper to refer to, instead of trying to remember what you said. Second, it establishes a written record of what you wanted done, something you can turn to in the event that it isn't accomplished and there is a claim on the part of an employee that "You didn't tell me that."
Of course, there is always a certain risk in putting things in writing. If you're not sure what it is you want-and your memo reflects it-the document can end up being used against you by your own boss, who may be unhappy with your department's failure. But to avoid written communication for that reason represents the sort of defensive management that everyone finds offensive. Think out what you wish to convey to an employee, and write it down with clarity and conciseness. Don't churn out memos without taking the time to read them over before they reach their destination. Professional writers often say, "All good writing is rewriting." Put your thoughts down on paper quickly, but then scrutinize the way you expressed them. Spell things out. Be clear. Don't be a lazy writer. Recognize that a set of clear instructions saves time down the line, because the project gets done right the first time.
Keep written communications short and to the point. Just as you wish to avoid verbal rambling in a meeting, you don't want to bore people with long, pointless memos that could have said the same thing in a paragraph or two. Take the space to get your point across, but don't pad or reach for complicated words when simple ones will do.
Just as good writing is basically an exercise in clear thinking, so is verbal presentation. Before calling in one of your staff to complain about a project, or to give instructions about a new one, take a few minutes to think it out, particularly how you wish to express your thoughts to the individual.
Learn how to best apply the "good news-bad news" approach to criticism. If a good employee has done something wrong, set a less-severe tone by beginning the conversation with an anecdote about when you fouled up at some point in your career. This attitude goes hand-in-hand with a general management philosophy of bossing by motivation, not fear.
Praise good work as often as possible, rather than communicating only displeasure at failed projects. If you have to penalize an employee for something, try to make the penalty less severe than the employee expected.
Look for compromise; always try to correct a situation rather than complain about it.
It's always amazing to me how, in this world of imperfect people (which includes every one of us), a large percentage of imperfect people look to hire perfect people and to have their departments staffed by nothing but perfect people. Accept the imperfect nature of our world, celebrate it, smile often at its foibles, and strive to be a manager who motivates and inspires those around you, whose performance will reflect on none other than ... you.
Three final thoughts:
If you have trouble smiling, try this little technique. When you want to smile, think of the word "smile." Your face will reflect the thought, just as if you think of the word "grouch," it will mirror that, too.
Be committed to developing in yourself one of the most important traits in every successful manager and executive I've ever known, and that is reflecting on the glory of the people who work for you. If a project has gone especially well, heap praise on your people. Don't reserve it for yourself. Top management respects people who function this way, and who have hired the right people, trained them, and been able to nurture and keep them. Conversely, don't blame your staff when a project fails. "The buck stops here" should be your operative philosophy.
Finally, on the general subject of communication, learn to listen. Encourage ideas from your staff, and really think about them; don't simply make it an exercise to give your employees the impression that they have influence on you and the department. Along the same lines, if you decide to institute a suggestion box, don't turn it into a coffin by burying what's in it. If you are going to encourage suggestions, at least read them all and consider them carefully.
Good ideas for managing people have been developed over many years, and they are available to you in books, tapes, and magazine articles, if you take the time and effort to explore them. The results can be spectacular.
