The Power of Communication: How Business Leaders Connect with Their People

In the post-COVID era, the way business leaders communicate has become more critical than ever. We were once told that virtual communication had yet to find its most viable form, and in many ways, that remains true. Many leaders still struggle to effectively connect with their people, not because they cannot communicate but because they have not fully adapted to the evolving expectations of the workforce.

A 2021 McKinsey article titled "Help your employees find purpose; or watch them leave" noted that nearly two-thirds of U.S.-based employees surveyed said that COVID-19 caused them to reflect on their purpose in life.

This indicates a significant shift in employee priorities, emphasizing the importance for leaders to connect authentically with their teams, leading to a greater focus on personal well-being and job satisfaction. This shift has made employees more sensitive to how they are valued within an organization. Today, retention is no longer solely driven by salary and benefits but by the quality of relationships and alignment with company values. How a leader prioritizes their people directly influences attrition rates, engagement, and overall performance.

The Leadership Challenge: Communicating Beyond Instructions

Communication in leadership extends beyond issuing directives; it is about establishing a connection. Employees want to feel heard, valued, and part of something bigger. The Great Resignation may not have ended, as some suggest; it has merely evolved into a sustained workforce trend where employees continuously seek workplaces that align with their values. Organizations that fail to communicate this alignment will continue to face retention challenges.

Aligning Company Values with People’s Priorities

Leaders must intentionally bridge the gap between corporate objectives and employee aspirations. This requires:

• Active Listening – Employees need to feel that their voices matter. Open forums, feedback loops, and transparent leadership discussions foster trust.
• Consistent & Authentic Communication – People want clarity on where the company is headed and their role in that vision. Mixed signals create disengagement.
• Emphasizing Psychological Safety – Employees perform best when they feel secure. Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson work emphasizes that psychological safety allows team members to take risks and be creative without fear, leading to higher performance.

Balancing Relationships & Performance

Communication is often mistaken as a trade-off between maintaining relationships and driving performance. But the two are not mutually exclusive. Gallup's 2023 report indicates that employee engagement has declined, with only 31% of U.S. employees feeling engaged at work, down from 36% in 2020.

Effective leaders send consistent signals that their people matter, not just as workers but as integral parts of the business.

In a rapidly changing workplace, communication is not just a tool; it is the foundation for leadership. As leaders, we must do more than just inform; we must connect, inspire, and align. #GODSEAGLE