3 Tips for Clear Communication
Have you ever struggled with telling your peers, employees, or customers a truth that they needed to hear?
As leaders, we should become comfortable with telling people the truth. Whether that is a truth about their performance, setting appropriate professional boundaries, or setting realistic expectations. Some may find this hard to believe, but clarity actually equals kindness.
Clear Communication is Effective Communication
Being unclear on what success looks like can make people feel like they are walking on eggshells, or like the floor might give out on them at any moment. When we clearly communicate our expectations, it allows others to determine the actions they need to take to achieve success.
You can provide clarity to employees by ensuring they understand the mission and what success looks like. You can provide clarity with peers, by setting appropriate professional boundaries and by letting them know when you have capacity to help them (and when you do not). Providing clarity to customers is letting them know that you will do your best to support them, without giving them any unrealistic expectations.
Leaders should provide and operate with clear expectations in both positive and negative situations. This allows others to trust us more and it helps build our credibility.
3 Tips to Provide Clarity When Communicating
Tip #1 Provide clarity only if it will help improve the situation.
Check your motive first. Why do you want to speak to this person about this issue? What is the outcome that you hope to achieve? Once the problem has been identified, figure out how you will communicate it. Is a face to face meeting best? Should it be formal or informal? Is a written format better? Do you need to document a behavior trend?
Always assure that when you provide feedback, it is meant to help the other person to become better. We should not provide feedback if the sole purpose is to make us feel better.
Tip #2 Clarity provides safety.
People always feel safe when they know what to expect. Clarity shows that you care. When people know that you care about them, they will receive what you have to say to them.
Clarity also builds trust. People like to clearly know what it takes for them to succeed. Believe it or not, it puts them at ease when they know that you will tell them the truth. Clear expectations and communication lets them know when they are successful and when they are not. It also provides a safety and predictability which will help them feel secure. This allows people to feel safe and to feel like they clearly know what to expect.
Tip #3 Provide clarity with intentionality.
Pick the best opportunity and place to share the truth with them. Ensure that you are clear on what you want to communicate to the other party ahead of time. Ensure that the other person walks away with the same understanding of the situation as you. You can ask them to paraphrase what they have heard, to be sure that they have understood you correctly.
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