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mandy.thatcher@melcrum.comMarch 26, 2008
Dear Source Reader
The topic of employee engagement is certainly one that can accurately be termed "evergreen".
Here at Melcrum we understand that it's a challenge trying to ensure you're delivering the best possible employee experience, so that your employees in turn deliver to your clients. Our Employee Engagement conference, being held in London in May, offers the latest trends and techniques to help delegates get to grips with this essential area.
One of the presenters at the conference, David Littlechild, head of employee engagement for the wholesale and international banking division at Lloyds TSB, will be speaking about how they develop front-line managers as key influencers of engagement.
Managers are integral to a successful engagement program, but what happens when leaders aren't the great communicators they think they are? The manager and leader communication expert for The Internal Comms Hub, Andy Szpekman, was posed exactly this question. It's a tough call, he says, as no one likes to criticize their leader, and changing their communication style can be easier said than done, but there are subtle steps you can take.
Szpekman advises you to take the softly-softly approach. Rather than confronting the offending leader straight away, make a note each time he or she does something that grates and try to analyze exactly why you find it so troublesome. To eliminate the fact that this could just be a personality clash, casually mention your concerns to a few trusted colleagues. Do they agree with you? If so, you're probably justified in your concern.
How you confront your leader, says Szpekman, depends on the relationship you have with him or her and you have to judge this for yourself. But there are five categories, shown below, into which your leader may fall and some corresponding tips to subtly remedy the situation.
1. The leader who is tone deaf to symbolism
This is the leader who says one thing but whose actions suggest the opposite. For example, a leader who mentions the importance of work-life balance as the penultimate topic of a two-hour long meeting at 5.20 pm on a Friday afternoon. As a remedy, Szpekman suggests that the leader needs help to understand that both her words and her actions communicate what's important. These types of inconsistencies don't go unnoticed by employees.
2. The enamored-of-jargon leader
Those who love the latest jargon but who, as a result, often end up saying nothing at all, or at least nothing that actually makes sense to employees. The key here, says Szpekman, is to break down the message in to plain English. People can't be expected to act on suggestions that they don't understand.
3. The easily distracted leader
This is someone whose attention seems to be elsewhere when you're speaking to him or her and who always seems to have somewhere more important to be. Remedy this by making eye contact whenever you speak to the leader in question, ask clarifying questions and paraphrase his or her words (which can be pleasing for the leader to hear!)
4. The "I am fascinating" leader
These characters enjoy talking about themselves and believe everyone shares their self-absorption. This can be corrected by conveying to them, in the kindest way you can, that employees look to them for guidance and insight on the business, not discussions about their private life. They should try to focus their attention on the thoughts and feelings of employees and take themselves out of the spotlight.
5. The leader who is "on" all the time
You feel that this leader is good at his job, yet you can't connect with him and you can't help but question his motives. He has a firm handshake but a far-away look in his eye. Try to get him to loosen up. Encourage him to use self-deprecating humor and speak candidly. People feel loyalty towards a leader who comes across as sincere.
Also speaking at the Employee Engagement conference will be Paul Middleton from Yellow Communications. Yellow played a big part in helping property company Knight Frank transform their intranet into the lifeblood of the organization and a vital engagement tool.
Social media is still big news for many internal communicators, as the latest report from industry specialists Lee Hopkins and Trevor Cook highlights. Read more.
See you next week!
Black Belt sees big focus on change
The Internal Comms Hub, March 20, 2008
The latest black belt course in the UK helps delegates prepare for possible organizational change.
New social media report from Australian consultants
The Internal Comms Hub, March 25, 2008
Australian business communicators Lee Hopkins and Trevor Cook have published the third edition of their widely read and referenced Social Media Report.
You've got to love the romance of transparency
The Melcrum Blog, March 20, 2008
Some thoughts on the diminishing levels of corporate transparency, as well as corporate responsibility, from Melcrum editor Alex Manchester.
ABC and Telstra survive a virtual year
The Internal Comms Hub, March 25, 2008
Telco discusses achievements while broadcaster hosts virtual party.
The Source
for Communicators is a free resource for corporate communicators
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