What do you do if your executive communication is failing to engage your team?

What's in it for the team? Does the team understand what they are doing, why they are doing it and why it's important to be doing it/the difference their efforts make? Effective communication will engage on all relevant levels and create positive engagement, interest and buy-in. Many techniques can be used to capture the audience's interest but ultimately the message needs to resonate and be meaningful to the audience to create engagement.

Effective communication is an integral part for business success. Poor communication can lead to errors, missed deadlines, and bad decisions. Open communication fosters engagement and improves operations. Creating a positive work environment starts with leaders being open and clear about their vision. Encourage open conversations where employees can share their thoughts. Use technology that everyone can easily access to improve communication. Recognize and support employees to build a strong community. Inspire and energize your team with meaningful messages and stories from employees themselves.

I would like to mention here that once during training the trainees were slightly off during the training. Just then I shared something to rejuvenate their mindset and it worked wonders. Afterwards one is more capable of absorbing the inputs and deliver results.

Beyond gathering feedback, analyze data such as engagement metrics and productivity levels to gauge the effectiveness of communication. Look for patterns or trends that indicate areas needing improvement. Utilize tools like surveys, pulse checks, and performance reviews to gain comprehensive insights into how communication impacts team dynamics and outcomes.

I think the core point of attraction in communication is that you must bring value and benefits to the participants. That benefit could be emotional, or a more favorable solution. Maintaining positive emotions at work is a daily activity a manager must handle with their team. Share the team's vision and purpose. Create a favorable environment to encourage creativity and innovation. Respect and recognize the contributions of individuals in the team. So, if my executive communication isn't engaging the team, I'll take a look at the core problem and where there are problems in my implementation methods to address.

The message becomes effective when we use the "IMPACT model" developed by @Patrick Donadio I- Intention (identify the goal and purpose) M- Message & Method (Use the right words, body language, and the mode of communication) P- Personalise the message A- Activate (Engage the receiver/team) C- Clarify (Check understanding) T- Transform (Getting the team to act)

Ensure communication aligns with overarching organizational objectives. Clearly articulate the purpose and intended outcomes of each message to provide context and relevance for your team. Consider holding regular alignment sessions to discuss goals, address any ambiguities, and ensure everyone understands how their contributions contribute to the larger mission.

Understanding of the " Role" is equally important as "Goal". Role can be defined as "What is reasonably expected of each one in the team by his/her significant people". So undestanding who are one's significant people and what are their reasonable expectation have to be ensured. For example in a film or drama an actor identifies the script/dialoge writer, director, Cameraman, co-actors as his significant people and strive to satisfy their reasonable expectation he is said to have performed his role. When he exceeds this he is said to be living the role rather than enacting. When the "role clarity" and "role entering" along with goal clarity is ensured, it is possible that success rate of executive communication can be enhanced.

Along with the above points mentioned, Leaders should actively listen to the team members and engage with their team. The words and the state of mind with which a team member comes to you must be identified. This helps the leaders understand the team members and empathize with them in a true sense.

Recognize the power of storytelling and empathy in communication. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that resonate with your team's values and aspirations. Acknowledge their emotions and validate their experiences to foster a sense of connection and understanding. Authenticity and vulnerability can strengthen bonds and inspire greater engagement and commitment.

It's no secret to anyone that people actually learn through emotions. Through the good ones, and especially through the bad ones. But I only like to talk about the good ones in these cases. I realized that whenever I mentioned or made an analogy to a movie, a song, a tale, a metaphor in training or mentoring, the training and mentoring gained a life of their own and became the client's (internal or external) as well. Today, I try to conduct a pre-training questionnaire to find out about the significant arts in their lives (the 7 arts) and an example of each... My training is now alive, completely alive and kicking! :)

As discussed under 7 What else to consider "undestanding personal values" plays an important role here. Personal values operate both +vely and -vely. It is not only the predominance/dormancy of per. value but the surfacing of value appropriate to the situation and consequent response/choice/ opinion is what matters. Therefore understanding the personal values improves self awareness as well as awareness of others emotions. It reduces the common desperation "I can't simply understand him/her" and enhances the scope for accommodation even if full acceptance not achieved immediately and paves way for further mending because of its impact in self and relationship mgmt. Relevant in areas of Team playing, Decision Making & Conflict Resolution.

Explore innovative communication platforms and methods to reach diverse preferences within your team. Experiment with video messages, podcasts, or interactive forums to cater to different learning styles and communication preferences. Regularly solicit feedback on preferred communication channels and adapt strategies accordingly to ensure maximum engagement and accessibility.

In my view, as leaders, we should ask more of "what" questions than "Why". Staying present during the conversation is the key.

Encourage active participation and collaboration through open dialogue and inclusive discussions. Create opportunities for team members to share ideas, ask questions, and provide input on key decisions. Foster an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and constructive feedback is welcomed. By fostering dialogue, you empower your team to contribute meaningfully to the conversation and cultivate a culture of transparency and trust.

Be thoughtful that it's hard for many people to just share ideas or ask questions of an executive on the spot. Fix this with four steps: 1) Preview - let employees know there will be a chance to engage, 2) Warm-up - ask your employees questions using a polling software, and 3) Model - have someone ready to go with a question and have the leader thank them sincerely. Finally, do this consistently until dialogue is part of your culture. Offering them an opportunity to either type their question or ask it outloud let's employees pick what suits them.

Since becoming a coach, I've realized that it also made sense in training to change the active question to generate engagement from the participants: instead of the classic "why," I always change it to "for what purpose"? With what aim? To reach where? And it changed everything in the training. "Start with why" is important (it is, thank you #simonsinek) but to reach where and the process to get there is also important. At work, in life. I confess that in trainings with larger teams (more than 10 people), the scope is somewhat lost, and the message becomes more generic. But in trainings with up to 10 people, awakening the purpose of "for what purpose?" causes 10 people among them to find their purposes. It's wonderful.

One thing i have found useful is expanding the 'Open Area' quadrant of the Johari Window. That is "I know - Others also know". Many a times information is in " I know - Others dont know" or "Others know - I don't know". It can be seen that prior sharing of information with an earnestness prompts people to accept things which normally they are averse to. For example your revealing to your designated room mate that you have a problem of snoring and whether it would be a problem for him. Another aspect is rather than telling what to do and How to do conveying why it has to be done. Once they are convinced of the purpose, people are more oriented to strive for the goals and objectives.

I've never liked templates, clichés, or ready-made phrases. I don't use them. I love people and the soul they bring (even when they're in a bad mood) to work. I love the soul of the team that functions almost as if it were another "person," meaning the team is the alter ego of that department altogether. And we have teams whose alter ego is that grumpy aunt we all have, and we have other teams that together function like a good friend and bring joy to the company. We have individuals: unique. Unique communication. We have teams and their leaders, a different type of communication and another level of personalization. It's never about our communication, it's always about others'. Understanding is communicating in the best way possible.

Recognize the individuality of team members and tailor communication to their preferences and needs. Consider factors such as communication styles, personality traits, and work preferences when crafting messages or delivering feedback. Address team members by name, acknowledge their contributions, and provide opportunities for personalized interactions to strengthen rapport and connection.

Identify what communication methods and styles resonate best with your team members. Some may prefer face-to-face meetings, while others might respond better to emails or instant messaging.

In addition to the outlined strategies, prioritize continuous learning and improvement in communication skills. Offer training and development opportunities to enhance communication capabilities within your team. Encourage ongoing feedback and reflection on communication practices to identify areas for growth and refinement. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you can ensure that communication remains effective and impactful in driving team success.

???? This situation can be challenging if your executive communication isn't engaging your team, consider to make these 3 adjustments: 1. Personalize your messages: Tailor your communication to reflect the interests and concerns of your team. Share stories or examples that resonate with their experiences to make messages more relatable. 2. Encourage two-way dialogue: Shift from one-way broadcasts to interactive sessions. Invite questions, feedback, and ideas from the team to foster a sense of involvement and value. 3. Utilize various channels: Don't rely solely on emails or formal meetings. Mix in informal chats, video messages, and social platforms to reach your team in a more engaging and varied manner.

If I encounter a situation where executive communication fails to engage my team, I would start by asking my team if the current communication methods are working. If not, what would each of them consider? What are their “ways of working”? Once that is discussed, I would work with them and fine-tune the existing methods to make it more relevant and impactful. I will *always* advocate for two-way communication channels like a TEAMS group or a channel, where I can be available for them to ensure the team feels heard and valued. I have always believed that by actively involving team members in the communication process and tailoring the methods to their needs, we can create better engagement and alignment within the team.

When considering training and development in your company, don't just fulfill it as a legal or formal requirement that "has to be done." Fulfill it as the true engine of a company to change and achieve more results. Also, understand that passive learners, those who learn through online courses (even if they have gamification and interactivity), are few... We are all humans, and therefore, the training with the most results is the one that is present, synchronous, where we can question in real-time. After all, we are all in this world to learn, every day, always live. :)

Keep striving for success by seeking continuous feedback. Be open to accepting other's opinions and criticism, as they can help you grow. Utilize technology and updated channels to stay ahead of the game. With a focus on enhancing your leadership skills, you will inspire others to reach their full potential.