Your executive team’s communication skills are holding you back. How can you improve them?

We'll implement a multifaceted approach to enhance our executive team's communication skills. This includes regular communication training sessions, fostering a culture of open dialogue, promoting active listening, and utilizing technology for seamless collaboration. Also, we'll encourage constructive feedback and provide ongoing support to improve our communication effectiveness.

Put them in a cage and tell them it’s a fight to the death situation. If there any questions about the scope of this exercise, watch Gladiator starring Russell Crowe.

Implement a tool for 360 degree feedback, anonymous, with one simple rule: each complaint, to be taked in account, must come with one or more solution proposal. Discuss the results periodically.

Often times, asking the right questions will get you the right answers, and so it all begins there, which is assessing the situation. 1. How you got there 2. What are the frequent gaps (could be a process issue if it is recurrent) 3. Is it a personal matter between the parties involved It is also helpful that the team sits often and in more relaxed environments like a meal for a chat. We also implemented a “safe keyword” to prevent unnecessary arguments, not dissimilar to when couples fight and call out a word for a proper time out to evaluate objectively. It really helps set the tone

Enhancing Individual Clarity: Provide the executive with tools and techniques to sharpen their personal communication skills. By focusing on individual clarity of objectives and outcomes, empowers executives to express their ideas, expectations, and goals more effectively. This, in turn, contributes to stronger team alignment, understanding and communication.

Start by defining specific communication objectives aligned with the organisation's needs, such as enhancing clarity in internal messaging or improving stakeholder engagement. For instance, if the goal is to improve transparency with employees, conduct workshops focused on open and effective communication techniques. Set measurable targets, like reducing misunderstandings in email communications or increasing employee engagement scores. Regularly review these goals, providing feedback and adjusting strategies as needed. By establishing clear targets and continuously evaluating progress, the team can systematically enhance their communication skills, positively impacting overall organisational effectiveness.

In addition to setting expectations, in my experience it is highly beneficial to facilitate a discussion with leaders and discuss their shared expectations for their communication as an executive team. Create a shared “constitution” with their rules of engagement such as what they should communicate, when they should engage 1:1 with each other, how often, and in which communication methods. Check in with the team periodically on how they perceive the communication is working, and facilitate subsequent conversations to amend the constitution as needed.

Executives are typically highly talented and driven individuals focused on attaining measurable goals (KPI, KSM). They already have excellent communication skills and have demonstrated such to get to their current level and role. The issue with the lack of communication across executives is not their skills or clear goals, but is usually due to having conflicting and silo focused goals relative to their peers and other divisions. A vital remedy to this situation is the establishment of mutually dependent goals across the executive team that will require communication and coordination in order to be successful. For instance, make sure the CRO has a KPI/KSM on attaining a Gross Margin assigned to the COO and vice versa Sales Revenue.

Improvement starts with setting clear, achievable goals for your executive team's communication. These objectives should be specific, measurable, and time-bound. For instance, you might aim to improve the clarity of internal communications within three months. Equally important is setting expectations for how team members communicate–considering transparency, respect, and responsiveness.

Sharing your communication style and asking for theirs is key, then expanding that to the greater team, but first understanding how they naturally show up is important. I normally use Clifton’s StrengthFinders text to assess the team on their unique abilities and to share mine. Once we know how we’re wired, the rest becomes very easy.

One thing that alsways work for me is get focus on who you are, and get confidence in yourself, on the value you know can add, and get concentrated on your instincts, experience and knowledge and with the right preparation, you will arrive confident, open, self estime and transparent, that always generate confidence on people that so around you, including your points of view on the top, even sometimes are not popular, people will value them.

Speed of trust is real. When stakeholders mistrust or are conflicted in each others' motivations, it brews misunderstanding. Is this person kingdom building? Do they have the team's best interest at heart? Is the other person trying to win brownie points? This is where I believe over communication and one on one communication can be tactics to mitigate these scenarios. Over communicate in specific and actionable terms on intent and context. Overshare on style and explain (especially in situations where there might be hurt or new leaders joining the team) desired outcomes. None of these will bring overnight results but extending trust to team members will also bring trust to leaders.

Trust is at the heart of all effective communication. Teams that don't trust each other will never be as efficient and productive as they could be. If your organization's executives are struggling to solve problems, trapped in dysfunction, or lost in miscommunication, trust is always the first place to start. Ask yourself whether trust is missing because it hasn't yet been built or because it has been broken. If the former, engage is some activities to help the group get to know each other on a deeper level and begin to understand one another. The latter will require a more intensive review of how the damage was caused, whether it can be repaired, and if so, how.

Building trust and rapport within an executive team is crucial. In my experience, fostering an environment of open communication and mutual respect can greatly enhance team dynamics. This not only improves decision-making processes but also promotes ethical business practices, which are vital in maintaining good relationships with tenants and clients.

Regular Informal Interactions: Encourage informal gatherings or casual meetings. These can be platforms for team members to interact without the pressure of formal settings, fostering trust and rapport through relaxed conversations.

One of the most powerful ways I’ve found to accelerate building skills for more effective communication is to use DiSC assessments. These assessments help build self awareness of one’s own communication priorities and go-to styles and bring awareness to what others need. Understanding this and actively flexing your style to communicate with others in the ways that meet their needs demonstrates empathy and that supports trust-building. The knowledge gained with DiSC can be applied across all kinds of communication - whether you’re communicating to influence change, inspire action, inform or improve performance.

Effective communication is one of the most challenging things we do as humans. Look at your communications with your kids. How many times have you said something, feeling you were 100% clear and they didn't get it! That is the challenge. We might feel we are clear but the listener hears something different. Skill development is crucial as well as the ability to be open to feedback. Don't assume that people understood you, check that they did. Teach your team to do the same and be open to it when they check with you. Communication is always a two way street, be a compassionate driver.

in Konfliktseminaren von Führungsteams habe ich immer wieder festgestellt, dass oft das Wissen darüber fehlt, wie m?chtig die Art der Kommunikation ist. Es mag für Kommunikationsprofis eine Binsenweisheit sein, dass man "nicht Nichtkommunizieren" kann. Für Menschen, die Ihren Job "in der Sache" begreifen, geht das Wissen über die Auswirkung von problematischer Kommunikation v?llig unter. Wenn sie auf Augenh?he und mit guten Kommunikationsskills darauf aufmerksam gemacht werden, sind sie oft überrascht, wie stark sich Kommunikationsprobleme verbessern, wenn einfache, in Workshops geübte Techniken authentisch verwendet werden.

Role-Playing Exercises: Implement role-playing scenarios that mimic challenging communication situations. This can help executives practice and refine their skills in a controlled, reflective environment.

Bringing a communication expert to facilitate communication in a team can be a wise move, depending on the situation. I have personally learned much from one of my communication mentors, Lola. She often said our brain is wired for connection, and learning how to best connect is a leaders’ top priority. Issues become like a puzzle, and when people don’t hear from us how the dots are connected, their brain will make up a connection, often the wrong connection, so they begin make stories about the issues. Consistent communication is key, bringing them in the journey with us, so they don’t make up their own story.

When communicating, it's important to understand the situation, why you're talking and what you want to achieve. Think about who you're talking to and what they like, and use the right way of speaking.

Effective communication: It is important to have the ability to communicate and convey the message clearly with each member of the team. It must be taken into account that each one of them is unique, so we must be able as leaders to find an effective communication strategy based on their interests and thinking. Consider the social and cultural factors that influence the collaborator in order to adapt your communication strategy. Establish instances of alignment in your team, giving space for communication between themselves, also strengthening their interaction and resolution capacity through collaborative work.

In an AI remote company, effective communication is vital to move quickly. Adapting our messaging to fit different contexts and audiences is crucial. Whether it’s a Slack message or a Teams discussion, understanding the purpose, goals, and audience needs is key. I like to make sure the team uses appropriate tone and style, ensuring clarity and coherence depending on audience. If we commit to thoughtful and precise communication that aligns with our values, the company and relationships are stronger. Trust is built. Finally, when in doubt, pick up the phone and call.

Cultural Sensitivity Training: Offer training in cultural sensitivity and diversity. Understanding the nuances of communicating across different cultures is vital in today's global business environment.

Communication is a crucial skill and should be developed well before you get to an executive position. There are two types of communication 1. 1-1 and in small groups - emotional intelligence is the most important thing here. Listening closely and with empathy to others can make a huge difference 2. Communicating with large groups/public speaking - many people struggle with this, but this is just a skill that can be honed through learning and practice. Study the speeches of known leaders. Read books, take a class, and ask for feedback. You can join a toastmaster club—where you learn and practice together with others like you.

Teach them! Communication skills - from empathy, to poise, to facial expression, to dealing with difficult situations - all are not natural to most people, so teach them! I have attended short courses on presentation skills, communicating with empathy, active listening, as well as wider programs on leadership development...all have helped build a communication approach that I try and use eveyday...

I have found that going directly to the source, after builting trust, is key to effective communication. Humility, vulnerability and innocent curiosity are key to building trust, which in turn, sets the stage for effective communication.

Utilize Peer Groups: Join or create peer advisory groups where executives can learn from and support each other. Such groups provide a platform to share experiences and learn from peers in similar roles across different industries.

There's no shame in seeking external help to improve communication skills. Professional coaches or communication experts can offer personalized guidance and strategies. They can identify blind spots and provide unbiased feedback. Additionally, executive retreats focused on team-building and communication can be a transformative experience.

??9 Tips for Improvement: 1. Active Listening: Truly hear your team's concerns and ideas. 2. Plain Language: Ditch jargon and acronyms. Speak with clarity and conciseness. 3. Empathy-Driven: Tailor your message to your audience's needs and perspectives. 4. Two-Way Communication: Encourage questions and feedback. Foster an open-door policy. 5. Nonverbal Cues: Be mindful of body language and tone. They speak volumes. 6. Regular Updates: Keep your team informed, even during uncertainty. 8. Celebrate Successes: Share achievements to build morale and momentum. 7. Seek Feedback: Actively solicit and embrace constructive criticism. 8. Invest in Training: Provide opportunities for your team to hone their communication skills.

Of course it is important to improve how executive team communicates and have a clear communication strategy, which in the first case can be developed through training/coaching and in the second with support from communications department. What is often missed is the frequency of communication. Employees want to see and hear Executive team more often, and in a more informal/small settings where there is a possibility to ask questions and have a real discussion Creating those opportunities, like a coffee chat with a CFO for new joiners, will help the message come across more effectively in more formal settings as well

Listening to Learn and take action I often like to start with planning times just to listen to each team member in order to learn their perspective. I typically follows this up with team personality profiles combined with team builders. Its intentionality and thoughtfulness that makes communication begin to flow.

En mi experiencia directiva debe ser lo más preciso y enfocado al resultado, mirando el detalle fino de lo que quiere uno comunicar, los más grandes problemas es por la falta de claridad. Al igual de importante ser muy asertivo cuando y como hacerlo, a qué público o persona nos dirigimos, adaptar el lenguaje integral hará que tengamos más éxito.

Leverage Technology for Enhanced Communication: Explore advanced communication tools and platforms that foster better collaboration and clarity. Technologies like VR for virtual meetings or AI-powered communication analytics can provide innovative ways to enhance interaction and understanding.