Senior leaders, do you step into your employee's world to communicate with them?
You switch on the news and hear a cabinet minister proudly talking about how GDP is up, inflation is down and how the economic prospects of the country are looking healthy...
GDP and inflation fluctuations might excite those whose job it is to move those numbers in the right direction, but does the average person care? I'm guessing they care more about the cost of their energy bills, weekly shopping receipt and the price at the petrol pump.
Does your message speak to your audience's lives?
Of course, GDP and inflation play a huge role in the financial health of a household, but have you ever heard a parent complaining about inflation or excitedly talking about GDP? I haven't. Its not their daily reality. Wise politicians know this and talk about its effect on people's lives.
Being out of touch creates a disconnect
In my school days, double maths was the low point of my week. All I remember thinking is "so what?". But if my maths teacher had presented it in terms of its practical advantages in my life such as buying a house, using a credit card or investing for my future, I might have been more engaged. He didn't.
Speak about what they care about not what you care about
In your mind as the leader the importance of quarterly results, efficiency and profitability is obvious. That's the world you inhabit. But to Dave in your call centre, if your profitability doesn't affect his shopping basket by affecting his wages and job security, he probably doesn't care.
The more you talk about things your audience doesn't care about the greater the disconnect you create between them and you. How can we relate to and feel connected to somebody who doesn't understand our values? If you did, you'd relate your messaging them.
Seek first to understand
Effective communication always starts with listening. You need to know what's important to your audience before you have a hope in hell of bringing them with you. To marry up what you want with what they want, you need to know what they want.
From surveys and forums to watercooler and canteen chat, pay attention to the how your workforce talks about issues. Ignoring this is credibility kryptonite. Politicians struggle to step outside of themselves and into their audience's worlds. Is it a coincidence they're among the least trusted of professions?
