February 2014: Leverage the power of symbolic acts.

Pope Francis insisted on paying for his hotel room himself and took the bus home because he wants to remain a man of the people.  Gannett CEO Gracia Martore gave up her $1.5 million bonus and took a 1-week unpaid furlough along with all the company’s employees because earnings were down and she wanted them to know they were in it together.  Tom Brady, the famous New England Patriots quarterback, took a pay cut because he wanted the franchise to have more money to invest in incoming talent.

There’s no denying that actions like these are far more impactful than any words that could be spoken or written.  Symbolic acts are things that we do to communicate, very powerfully, our values, priorities and intentions. 

As leaders, we often overlook the power of symbolic acts to reinforce that which is most important and to build trust with our constituencies.  We focus more on saying and less on doing.  As the adage goes, actions speak louder than words. Today, think about something you can do to signal your commitment to something important to your troops, customers or colleagues.  

May 2013: Nip Conflict in the Bud

Business is nothing but a mass of relationships: people working with people.  And whenever that happens, conflict naturally arises.  Sometimes it’s based on a tangible disagreement about a strategy or approach.  Other times, it comes from a simple unresolved misunderstanding.

Working in an increasingly flat and diverse environment means that there are infinite opportunities for stylistic and cultural misunderstandings. A direct, cut-to-the chase communication style might be interpreted as attacking; a less direct style might be considered sneaky. One might assume that because a person behaves a certain way, it means they’re being intentionally difficult or that their intentions are less than honorable.

Left unaddressed, these types of assumptions can turn into full-blown conflicts that can erode trust, teamwork, and performance.  As a leader, it is crucial that you step up to these situations and expect your people to do the same.  Demonstrate courageous conversations about the behavior you’re observing – and its impact. Seek to understand where the other person is coming from.  By having the right real conversation, you can turn the misunderstanding into a moment of enlightenment that strengthens the relationship and enhances teamwork.

March 2013: Make communication a priority.

This month’s insight might sound blindingly obvious, but it's astonishing how many leaders contend that they don't have time to communicate -- especially with their people.  Sometimes this is a symptom that they are spending too much time in the weeds -- doing versus leading.  Other times, it’s a troublesome indication that they don’t view this as a necessary task.  They believe that good employees will find a way to get the information they need.

Successful leaders put their people first, and they understand that communication is fundamental to keeping their teams productive, engaged, connected and headed in the right direction. You simply cannot rally people around a vision or strategy, keep them motivated and delivering strong results if you aren't communicating with them. This is a non-negotiable leadership responsibility.

Communication doesn’t have to be a complex or overwhelming task. Today, pause and consider whether you've made communication a priority. At you next staff meeting, ask: how can I do a better job communicating with you? What would you like to see more of, or less of?

February 2013: Go ugly early.

Let's face it: no one likes to be the bearer of bad news. Exposing mistakes and negative developments can be uncomfortable and make us feel vulnerable as leaders. That's why so many of us avoid disclosing issues early and instead wait until they become full-blown problems or even crises.

Whether in your professional or personal life, going ugly early is one of the best things you can do to strengthen relationships and protect your credibility. In fact, openly communicating unexpected changes and emerging issues actually builds trust, giving people a sense of comfort and confidence because they know that nothing is being hidden.  No one likes to be blindsided by a negative surprise, and by surfacing issues early, you enable those around you to think calmly and rationally (versus in panic mode) and manage through the issues more effectively, minimizing the downside risk or damage.  Further, you can build teamwork and esprit-du-corps by engaging others to work through the issue.

Today, think about how transparent you are in your communication, especially when it comes to the tough stuff.  Do you go ugly early?

April 2012: Find Your Own Voice

As leaders, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to sound like someone else. We ask speechwriters to make us sound good.  We have ghost-writers pen communications that might be eloquent but fail to reflect our natural speech patterns and language.  Or maybe we do our own communicating but we work diligently to project the expected (and dreaded) “corporate voice” instead of our own.  Remember that your style of communicating – your unique voice -- is a vital element of your authentic leadership.

Even more important than style is substance.  To find your leadership voice, you must also pinpoint the issues and aspirations that mean the most to you and ensure that those messages become an integral, consistent part of your communications platform. 

Remember that when it comes to communications, authenticity trumps eloquence every time.  This is particularly true in the context of building trust, which is the cornerstone of effective leadership.  It’s fine to have other people assist with your communications.  Just be sure they’re capturing the real you.