It’s been a while since I was on a group tour, so when I signed up for one, I expected the guide to shout information to the group like always. But in Detroit, I was pleasantly surprised to receive my own headset, which allowed me to hear the guide without straining and even let me control my volume. It made the tour much more enjoyable—and informative—since I could actually hear what was being said.
There is no need to (metaphorically) shout to your team either. Think of what tools will allow your message to actually be heard: technology, visuals, analogies, props, one-on-one, and repetition. Communication is only effective if people can receive it.
At one of my “nothing” lunches with friends this week, the conversation started with youth sports and morphed into a discussion of baseball bats. To me, a bat is a bat is a bat. Maybe I knew about the distinction between wood and aluminum, but at lunch I learned that there is oh so much more to them. Different lengths, weights, inner cores, and more. And the price! I had no idea that even youth bats could cost several hundred dollars!
But what surprised me the most is that bats die. After so much use, bats are considered dead and no longer suitable for use in a game. They may look normal, but players know that the bat no longer hits as it should.
Consider whether you have tools that should be declared dead. They may still be around and in use, but no longer perform at their peak. If kids see the value in upgrading a bat, maybe it’s time to consider replacing something you use to increase your effectiveness.
Consistency is a key element of establishing both your personal and professional reputation.
If you want to be known as someone who is on top of things, you not only meet the report deadline, but you also show up on time for the parent-teacher conference. Those trying to be seen as innovative provide creative suggestions in a meeting and also experiment with fashion choices. The little things integrate to form a holistic picture of your “brand.”
A big fail in this department is the sign (below) in a fine jewelry store. Instead of being consistently high-end and image-conscious, this store negated that impression with a handwritten sign on a piece of bent cardboard. I’ve seen flea markets that give more attention to their signs.
If you send signals that you are “this” or “that,” the overriding takeaway is that you are the least desirable trait. To earn a solid reputation, you need to be “this” consistently.
A sign at the Minute Man National Historical Park is a master class in obtaining actionable feedback. Instead of just asking for comments, the park provided a QR code for visitors to easily make submissions in three areas. The sign reads:
Minute Man National Historical Park belongs to the American people, and the National Park Service wants your feedback. Please let us know if you have identified (1) any areas that need repair; (2) any services that need improvement; or (3) any signs or other information that are negative about either past or living Americans, or that fail to emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes and other natural features.
How’s that for specific?
In a similar example, the school district task force I’m on is currently wrestling with wording for an online feedback form about proposed scenarios for facility use. The process has helped the group consider what it needs to learn, rather than just gathering opinions. It would be so much easier to say “give us your comments,” but asking about specific elements can hopefully provide insights that can advance the work.
It’s worth the time to consider what you actually want to know — and what you’ll do with information once you receive it — before deploying a generic form. Invest in the front end by articulating your questions, and you’ll save time by not having to weed through mere opinions on the back end.
While it’s important for the leader to have a long-range vision for the organization, it’s also necessary for them to translate it into short-term next steps for those who must implement it.
Think of it as going on a trip. The leader must know the destination and the planned route to get there, but the front-line driver just wants to know whether to turn right or left at the next intersection. Progress is made, and rewards are gained, by aligning those next 2 miles in service of the larger vision.
If your staff is inexperienced, they are (metaphorically) in the driveway and don’t have the capacity to internalize the entire trip. Help them to help you achieve your end goal by giving them strategic guidance in smaller chunks that they can absorb. Allow them to focus on going in the right direction today, while you concentrate on the endgame of tomorrow.
I have been very surprised by the number of people who applauded my decision to write dots only on weekdays instead of every.single.day. I really hesitated to do that—feeling like I was letting myself down more than others—but the positive commentary was unforeseen.
I think there is something to learn there—that often, we impose more burden on ourselves than necessary. Sure, you can’t tell your boss that you are no longer going to fulfill a major responsibility, but I’ll bet there are tasks or steps along the way that you put there. At home, there are likely duties you take on that others would not care if you stopped doing or did less frequently.
Everyone is so busy. It has become the chorus of our lives, recounting all the things we did and how frantic our pace is. Take a lesson from the dots and step back on something. Maybe that’s biweekly meetings instead of weekly. Ordering in every Friday instead of cooking. Quarterly reports rather than monthly. Quality doesn’t have to suffer if the cadence changes.
One of the speakers in my global communications class advised that the first thing to do when working with an international client or colleague is to add their country’s holidays to your calendar. In addition to showing respect for their culture, it helps you be mindful of times when they will likely be off and predict delivery delays due to the holiday season.
The same principle applies for internal and domestic clients. Know when board meetings and other key events occur in the organization. Understand cyclical deadlines—don’t propose something new to tax accountants in April or school teachers in August. Pay attention to filing and reporting deadlines for grants or other projects. Consider religious and cultural holidays of diverse members of your team.
The more inclusive you can make your calendar, the more likely you are to avoid missteps and surprises caused by others’ unavailability. Let your calendar reflect the world in which you operate, not just your own events.
One way to build confidence and get over the fear of rejection is to more intentionally track when you propose something and receive a “yes.”
You probably receive more approvals than you realize and focus only on the “no” answers. Instead, consider all these communications that could be denied, but when they aren’t, it’s a win.
Requesting help from a colleague.
Offering a suggestion at a meeting.
Giving feedback on an assignment.
Suggesting a revised timeline for a project.
Pitching an idea about where to go on vacation.
Requesting a variation from a policy.
Asking your housemate if they want to try a new restaurant.
Every idea or ask is an opportunity for rejection—but on the whole, I believe we receive many more agreements than denials. Don’t let your mind track only the negative responses.
In my Global Business Communication class, I required students to interview someone who had international experience. One student recounted the story his subject shared about villagers he encountered in Uganda who routinely eat with their hands. He summed it up this way: “First you have Culture Shock, then you have Judgment, and finally you reach Acceptance.”
It’s a useful framework for cross-cultural communication, but I believe it has broader implications for all types of change. People often have an initial shock reaction when they first learn of the action, and their immediate response may be negative as they dismiss the idea purely because it is a change. Once the new way settles in and people learn more about the idea, there is often acceptance (or at least not overt pushback).
There is so much change happening that it may be beneficial to work on derailing the above pattern to minimize the Shock and Judgment stages. Instead of being surprised when you encounter something new, come to expect it and approach the differences with curiosity. Just because something is not the way you would do it does not make it wrong.
It’s a temptation for high-performing people to say “yes” to the many requests sure to come their way. Others know these ambitious folks will get it done, and the performers know that, somehow, they will make it happen. To say “no” can feel like admitting that they aren’t as much of an achiever as the achiever identity they own.
But there is a difference between “can” and “should.” Maybe the high-performer can work late, be stressed, and put other priorities aside to accomplish the request, but the additional project is not the right one for the organization. Saying “no” doesn’t imply that you can’t; rather, it means you could but strategically choose not to.
There is also a distinction between “yes” and “when.” Perhaps the new request is valid, but it is not a priority. Before automatically agreeing, ask if there is flexibility in the timeline that better corresponds with the current workload and strategy. There may be no need to drop everything to accomplish it, just because the request is recent or from someone of importance.
Another option is to consider “who” before agreeing to a new assignment. Maybe your area is the right one to handle a project, but someone else in the area would be better suited. Consider whether you personally need to accomplish the work before automatically saying “yes” to the request.
Being a high performer allows you to feel good about producing an abundance of top-quality work, but instead of continually taking on more, learn to become more strategic in what you accept. Just because you can do it doesn’t mean it has to be now or by you. Ask “whether, when, and who” before automatically saying yes to preserve your energy and talents for the right projects.
