In my last blog post, part two of a three part series on leadership skills for a new and evolving workplace, I discussed conflict resolution as a contemporary leadership competency. In this final blog post of the series I will discuss the last of the three competencies, strategic communication.
As I think about the topic of strategic communication, I am drawn to the dark-side of leadership behavior where professionalism and neutrality give way to disparagement and adult tantrum. This happens when a leader reacts defensively by either lashing out or being passive aggressive with an employee or a peer who takes a challenging or conflicting tone with them. As a leadership coach, I see this behavior all too often when leaders take their eyes off the strategic target they really desire and allow themselves to get sucked into the muck and mire of emotional perceptions. What results is the opposite of strategic communication.
As Ron Heifetz states in his book, "Leadership Without Easy Answers," leaders must maintain the metaphorical "high ground" and not get emotionally embroiled in the day-to-day verbal spats and/or overly critical behavior common to the workplace. As the tendency is for people to take overtly critical behavior personally, this can be a challenge for any new leader to practice. However, when leaders don't remain strategic in their communication and do give up the high ground they also give up the trust and credibility essential to achieve their goals and jeopardize the strategic direction and mission of the organization they are leading."
Today's leader can prevent this fall from the high ground by remembering three simple axioms. First, most emotional statements are made from a place of conflict or discomfort within the other party. The realization that the person making the emotional statement is oftentimes feeling more discomfort than you are can prevent a leader from taking it personally. Second, provocative and challenging viewpoints are offered to a leader because the necessary trust or relationship exists. If neither of these two connections existed, the tendency for the other party to share their viewpoint would diminish. Lastly, conflict is a sign that both facilitative leadership and workforce engagement exist within an organization. These, both essential behaviors that effective leaders try to engender, are easily lost when giving up the higher ground.
Strategic communication is a mode that doesn't rely on inflammatory statements or emotional responses, but seeks to get at the real interests of all parties involved in the effort of achieving the goals of the organization. Today's leader should labor to perfect this competency.
Got something to share? Send me an e-mail, follow me on Twitter or join me on LinkedIn.
Comments