Leader as Key Communicator: The Ultimate Responsibility

Dulye Noted
Leader as Key Communicator: The Ultimate Responsibility

Last month, we saw an event that has occurred only 64 times in the history of the United States: The inauguration of a new president. Collectively, we experienced change and a transition to a new “boss.” We likely didn’t view it that way, but think about it for a second; isn’t the installation of a new president the ultimate organization change? Aren’t we sitting back and watching what President Obama will do and won’t we judge him on his ability to help us understand where he is going and how we can help?

Now, more than ever, leaders need to realize their #1 job: key communicator with their organization.

The velocity, frequency and intensity of changes in the marketplace—and global business arena—have raised to new heights the level of uncertainty, confusion and concern in the workplace.

Communication and Human Resource Departments can’t do the talking. They can do the coaching of leaders at all levels to step up, understand their role and responsibilities as key communicator, and follow-through.

From my experience, however, clearly defined roles and responsibilities of leaders as key communicators are Missing in Action. Somehow, the act of holding a meeting has equated with communications excellence. Getting the job done.

Indeed, meetings are important. When done right, they are a tremendous forum for information exchanges on all kinds of topics and for teambuilding and camaraderie to grow. But far too few meetings earn four-star ratings. And meetings don’t transform managers into effective communicators. The experience of wasting 60 minutes trapped in a meandering, monologue guised as a “team meeting” validates that point.

In our Dulye & Co. Training and Skills Development Programs, we focus leaders on 4 core responsibilities to support their role of key communicator. Those responsibilities are:

1. Learn, understand and reinforce key messages about their department and overall company. This will help them to tell a consistent and compelling story about the organization.

2. Provide context and examples for change, decisions, and initiatives. To be successful, leaders need to equip themselves with the question “Why” in their communications. Answering the why, not merely the what, behind changes and decisions will help employees to understand goals and priorities, and how they align.
3. Facilitate dialogue through 2-way communications practices. That means listening as much or even more than speaking and cultivating an atmosphere where different views and voices are respected, not rejected.
4. Encourage and share direct feedback with all team members. Receiving feedback is a gift, sharing it makes the gift truly priceless since you enable others to learn from it. Successful leaders use feedback to constantly calibrate their words and actions. True, unfiltered, timely feedback enables them to stay real and relevant. It's one of the reasons behind President Barak Obama's insistence on keeping his Blackberry.

If you are working in an organization that hasn’t provided formal guidelines to your role as key communicator, then consider using these from our Dulye & Co. program. If your organization does provide guidelines, review them again for clarity and relevancy. Be sure they promote interactivity and inclusiveness. The bottom line is that communications is what leaders do most. A roadmap of key responsibilities will help make any communication practice, whether it be a staff meeting or email message or phone call, time well spent for all involved. And in these days of cost containment, time efficiencies are a very big matter.