Chapter 5

Talk to Me! The Importance of Communication

In This Chapter

Identifying the “great communication fissure”

Establishing two-way communication

Developing a communication protocol

Maximizing communication tools

Resolving conflict

Communicating change

Broadcasting your engagement efforts

Being aware of some communication don'ts

Saying communication is “important to engagement” is a little like saying Mardi Gras is “kind of exciting.” It's an understatement. Indeed, communication is so important, I often call it the cornerstone of an engaged culture. There's no doubt about it: Communication helps drive most successful new company initiatives, ideas, and ventures. Unfortunately, it's also at the root of many organizational failures, boss–employee issues, and problems with disengagement.

This chapter focuses on the importance of communication both generally and in your engagement efforts, and the obstacles to achieving excellent communication. It also provides simple, practical methods for cascading the company message from upper management down through the ranks in ways that are clear, concise, and compelling — and that will result in higher engagement, and therefore higher discretionary effort, on the part of staff.

Mind the Gap: The Great Organizational Communication Fissure

In many organizations, there is a disconnect between leaders and employees. This fissure is at the root of many communication problems in organizations today. For management, the disconnect centers around the question “Why aren't employees onboard?” For employees, the question is, “What are those idiots doing now?” This disconnect is often a key factor in disengagement.

A few years back, while at the start of a 5K running race, I was reminded of this organizational fissure. Given my running prowess (or lack thereof ), I was slated to start near the tail end of the field of 12,000 runners. I never heard the starting gun; I was too far back. I only learned we were off and running by rumor. Whereas the runners at the front of the pack hit the ground running (so to speak), those of us in the back merely shuffled forward.

It reminded me a lot of how information is communicated in some organizations. The CEO and other executives hear the starting gun — or, in many cases, are the ones firing it. Just like the elite runners at the front of the pack, leadership is at the front of the communication pipeline. When an important change is communicated, leadership has time to weigh alternatives, debate options, and digest the decision.

The rank and file employees, relegated to the back of the field, are not afforded the same depth of background, and may be unaware of how much time leadership has invested in the decision. When communication about a decision or change finally reaches them, employees inevitably wonder, “What are they thinking?!” They don't hit the ground running; they merely shuffle forward. Then, when employees are hesitant to jump onboard, leaders lose patience. They ask, “Why don't they get it?!”

Unfortunately, this communication pattern results in a lack of alignment. After all, if a company neglects to articulate a clear vision, it can hardly expect its employees to invest more than the bare minimum. In one oft-quoted study, conducted by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton in 2001, a mere 7 percent of employees reported that they fully understood their company's business strategies and what was expected of them in order to help achieve the company's goals.

Companies that successfully engage their employees don't allow this to happen. Employers or leaders who articulate a clear vision and strategy will find that employees will help them reach their goals quickly and efficiently. Indeed, according to recent research by Dale Carnegie Training, employees indicated that working in a company that encourages open communication with senior leadership has a significant impact on their level of engagement. To cultivate an engaged culture, open and consistent communication must become part of the air your employees breathe.

Two-Way Street: Establishing Two-Way Communication

Communication starts at the top, with the CEO, president, or other appropriate executive. But in order for clear communication to become part of your corporate culture — and make no mistake, this is absolutely critical for engagement to take hold — there must be a process by which the message is cascaded down and reinforced by every level of management. The goal is to align what the CEO or other executives say with what line managers tell their direct reports. This takes time, repetition, and leveraging of available communication options.

In a cascade communications strategy (sometimes known as a waterfall communications strategy), the buck stops (or, more precisely, the message starts) with upper management. But the responsibility for communication is shared across every level, from the region to the district to the office to the line manager. No one individual, committee, or department should be placed in charge of disseminating information throughout the company (although there are many professionals who are highly skilled at greasing the gears of communication and finding creative ways to broadcast and publicize individual messages). The key is to make every leader a message ambassador, and every management level responsible for informing the next.

Eventually, this will happen as effortlessly as water pouring over a waterfall. But it will require some initial effort on your part, and ongoing vigilance. Keep these points in mind:

• Identify your communications ambassadors. Your initial recruits will be employees with management responsibility, and their duties will include transmitting company messages. Let them know that their performance in this arena will be evaluated — and follow up on that promise.
• Enlist other engaged employees. Provide a forum for their input and give them well-defined communications tasks within their peer groups (and beyond, if appropriate).
• Supply direct channels and appropriate tools. Every important message from the top should be accompanied, at minimum, by general talking points for managers at all levels, an (anticipated) FAQ, and a means by which unanticipated questions will be answered and publicized.
• Scale your tools to fit the task at hand. If a large-scale announcement or rollout needs to be communicated, look closely at the available vehicles and explore new options if necessary. Engage your communications ambassadors to find the most appropriate communication methods for your staff. And don't overlook the need to customize your communication approach depending on the audience. Your Gen Y staff members require a very different communication approach than your Boomers.

If you're worried that communication will add to the workload of already-harried line managers, the answer is to communicate effectively with them. Equip them with the information and tools they need to be effective message ambassadors, and let them know precisely what is expected: alignment with, and wide and frequent distribution of, the top-line message.

The bottom line? According to recent research by Dale Carnegie Training, employees are more highly engaged when their immediate manager communicates openly with them, recognizes their contribution, and gives feedback and encouragement that enhance their job performance.

In addition to communication waterfalls, for top-down communication, you also need communication fountains — that is, vehicles to propel communication from the bottom up. For engagement to truly take hold, employees must feel comfortable communicating upward.

Generally, this type of communication will come in one of two forms:

• Questions: Managers at all levels must answer questions in such a way that the overarching message is reinforced. If the answer is beyond a manager's knowledge, he must push the question to the next level while assuring the questioner that an answer is forthcoming. (Of course, it's important to deliver on this promise. The responsibility lies with the manager who has posed the question to his superiors.)
• Feedback: Whether it's positive or negative, managers must be provided a means by which to funnel employee input to the people responsible for processing and, if warranted, incorporating it. Employee engagement surveys, conducted biannually, with a pulse survey in the alternative years, are one mechanism to ensure that this happens. Communicating those results back is the way to complete the loop. Companies that establish a continuous feedback loop between themselves and their employees virtually guarantee alignment.

Communication cannot be one way, and calls for feedback must be genuine. A company where employees feel comfortable participating in a dialogue with anyone, anytime, however senior, is a company well on its way to an engaged culture. If individuals are afraid to approach higher-ups with questions or feedback, or if they sense that their questions and feedback are not being addressed at the appropriate level, engagement will suffer. Moreover, having good feedback mechanisms in place is the only way to ensure that any engagement initiatives you've undertaken are the right ones, are progressing, and are embraced and supported by management and staff.

Bob the Builder: Building a Communication Protocol

I've never met a manager who says they shouldn't communicate openly and frequently with their employees — but often they don't. See, for many managers, communication falls in the category of “should do” rather than “must do.” And when we're busy, “must do” trumps “should do” every time.

That's where a communication protocol comes in. A communication protocol is a formal process that outlines the types of information to be communicated to an organization, as well as identifying the person(s) responsible for communicating particular topics. The protocol also outlines the audience, frequency, and suggested communication vehicles.

A communication protocol, which should be displayed in all common areas such as lobbies and conference rooms and distributed to all new hires, ensures that communications align with the company's key strategic priorities, whether they be related to engagement or some other initiative. As importantly, the protocol represents a set of company commitments to employees. These include the following:

• Leaders will be held accountable for fulfilling their communication responsibilities, and will be assessed on the effectiveness and timeliness of their communication.
• Employees will receive regular updates about the progress, initiatives, and changes that affect them.
• Most important from an engagement perspective, each communication milestone provides opportunities for employees to ask questions, contribute ideas, and give or receive feedback.

In turn, the expectations for employees are clear. All employees are responsible for sharing information and giving feedback to help the company reach its goals, thereby reinforcing the desire for employees to communicate “up” and bolstering the mutual commitment shared by employer and employee.

There are several benefits to implementing a communication protocol. A communication protocol does all the following:

• Defines communication expectations for both employees and leaders.
• Builds consistency in communicating the firm's mission, vision, values, and strategy.
• Creates alignment with employees at all levels.
• Builds in circular communication. Circular communication includes communication between those in a traditional hierarchy, such as the boss and subordinate, as well as communication between business units and departments and communication that leverages task teams and focus groups. In a healthy circular communication culture, you're also including 360 feedback assessments (discussed in Chapter 16), customer feedback, and feedback within the matrix relationship.
• Ensures shared accountability, from top to bottom.
• Helps ensure that messages are communicated 13 times, which is the number of times some experts believe an employee needs to hear something to absorb it.
• Helps to leverage different communication venues and tools — for example, town hall meetings, e-mails, vlogs (video blogs), department meetings, and so on. (You can find out more about these venues and tools later in this chapter.)
• Helps connect all levels of your organization with your brand.

To build a communication protocol, you need a cross-sectional team of executives (preferably including the “top dog”) along with a cross-sectional group of key influencers, or connectors. The first thing this team should do is assemble a draft of the communication protocol. ( This will take the group anywhere from two to eight hours.) Figure 5-1 shows a template for teams in this phase to help guide them in their efforts.

When drafting the protocol, the team should consider the following:

• How can we build in the communication of metrics that are key to our strategic plan (for example, growth, profit, employee engagement, customer service, quality, and so on)?
• How can we ensure that staff are given an opportunity to communicate up?
• How can we build in redundancy in messaging between each level?

When the draft is complete, it should be sent to those who report up through the CEO (and perhaps their direct reports as well) to obtain additional input. This key step will also help you get buy-in. Once the input has been received and appropriated, the protocol can be finalized (see Figure 5-2).

With a finalized protocol in hand, the team's next move is to build a plan to roll out the protocol. This rollout should involve significant fanfare to generate excitement. Remember: The launch of a communication protocol is great news, and will be embraced by employees as, to quote Martha Stewart, “a good thing.” That being said, you'll likely meet resistance from middle management, who will likely view the protocol as “one more thing to do that takes time.” To overcome this roadblock, educate them on the protocol's benefits as well as on how to be an engaged participant in the protocol. Over time, they'll see that the administrative effort involved in maintaining a robust communication protocol will be offset by the gain in their employees’ alignment and engagement.

Tool Time: Maximizing the Various Communication Tools

Never before in the course of human history have we had more communication tools available to us. Where before we were limited to grunting and sharing our thoughts via cave paintings, now we have any number of ways to express ourselves. This section covers the myriad communication vehicles available to you, and helps you determine which vehicle is most likely to engage your employees.

Face to face

At the end of the day, nothing beats good, old-fashioned, face-to-face communication. Why? Because face time eliminates assumptions, allows for body language, and enables real-time give and take.

This medium is almost always the most effective way to communicate. It's especially important for receiving feedback, performing annual employee reviews, and resolving conflicts. And it's the only way to communicate when delivering bad news. (I've heard plenty of horror stories of managers firing employees via a voice mail or e-mail. Ouch!) Face-to-face communication is also a wonderful way to share good news. Once, I received a bonus check accompanied only by a yellow sticky note on the envelope with the word Thanks on it. Talk about an opportunity lost!

Engaged managers can leverage face-to-face communication by implementing an open-door policy, engaging in drop-bys, having face-to-face meetings with direct reports, and planning periodic face-to-face meetings with remote or telecommuting employees. Face-to-face meetings can be one-on-one, with the entire team, or in a town-hall format, and can be ad hoc, formal, scheduled, and/or unscheduled.

One-on-one meetings

One-on-one meetings are a time for you to focus on an employee and his or her needs. As such, you should follow the 80/20 rule: Listen 80 percent of the time, and talk 20 percent of the time. To ensure the employee doesn't feel she's being given short shrift, schedule more time than expected. For example, if you think the meeting will take 30 minutes, put 45 minutes on your calendar. And of course, make sure there are no distractions. Meet in a private room (an office or a meeting room with a door), and turn off your phone and computer. If time and logistics allow, perhaps meet for lunch offsite.

For best results, prepare an agenda beforehand, with objectives for the meeting. Key topics may include the employees’ roles and responsibilities on the team, performance goals, strengths and challenges, concerns and issues, and professional development and opportunities.

Team and department meetings

For many organizations, weekly or bi-weekly team and department meetings are the communication bloodline for employees. They help establish department expectations and goals, and provide an opportunity to celebrate good news and recognize staff.

If possible, these meetings should be face to face. If you have remote employees, make sure they participate, even if only virtually. If possible, schedule time for remote employees to occasionally attend in person.

On the topic of virtual meetings, be aware that these lack the visual cues found in face-to-face meetings, even when conducted using such visual services as Skype. (Sure, people may be able to see your face, but your body language may be hidden.) As such, they require more concentration when listening, more care when speaking, and more rules for structure.

A great way to boost engagement at department meetings is to rotate the meeting “chair” among department employees. The meeting chair establishes the agenda (with guidelines from the boss, of course), runs the meeting, and captures minutes and actions. In addition to boosting engagement, this is a great way to evaluate the leadership capabilities of staff and to foster innovation.

Town hall meetings

Whenever a manager needs to deliver a consistent message to a large number of employees, town hall meetings are a great way to go. That being said, the town hall format often discourages employees from participating in any sort of Q& A. Indeed, in large town hall–type settings, I'm hard-pressed to think of a circumstance in which honest, insightful questions are likely to result.

To avoid hearing crickets when you open up the floor for questions, try soliciting questions in advance. That way, if they aren't brought up during the course of the meeting, you can address them anyway. Also, before you show up, do what you can to learn about the specific concerns of your audience.

One more thing: Consider leaving your executive entourage behind. A CEO by herself in a folksy town hall venue can more effectively convey to staff that she's “one of us,” and thereby increase their engagement.

Phone

If meeting face to face is not an option, and a video service such as Skype is not available, then a phone is the way to go. Communicating via phone is also great for answering questions, gathering information, and having discussions not involving the whole team.

When using the phone, be sure to turn your entire attention to the caller. Don't multitask! Also, answer the phone only if you have time to talk. Otherwise, let calls go to voicemail.

Speaking of voicemail, be sure you check yours regularly, and return calls promptly. If you're going to be out, consider recording an outgoing message to communicate this. And when it comes to leaving messages on other people's voicemail, keep things brief.

E-mail

Although my Millennial daughter insists that “E-mail is so yesterday,” it remains the communication form of choice for many businesses today. E-mail is particularly well suited for information-only communication that must be conveyed to a group — for example, to schedule meetings and phone calls, to distribute materials for meetings, and to gather input between meetings. E-mail is also a great tool for maintaining a written record of key points.

E-mail is not great for everything, however. For example, you should never use e-mail to communicate bad news or to relay sensitive or confidential information. It leaves too much unsaid. Also, never send an e-mail when your emotions are running high. The 24-hour rule is a great check and balance; save the e-mail as a draft and wait 24 hours before you send it.

If you wouldn't want an e-mail message to be posted on a public bulletin board, don't send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist, or racially discriminating comments in e-mails, even if meant as a joke.

Social media

With the assimilation of Generation Y into the workplace, adding social media to your communication toolkit is moving from a “nice to have” to a “must have.” This generation — which will soon be the dominant generation at work (if it isn't already), and which by 2025 will comprise half the workforce — depends heavily on technology to communicate. It's incumbent upon you to “speak their language,” so to speak. That means getting hip to such communication platforms as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs.

Baby Boomers, members of Generation X, and members of Generation Y communicate very differently. To engage members of Generation Y, leaders must communicate using their tools: tweets, blogs, vlogs, and related social and mobile tools, such as texting. A message that you text or tweet to one of your Gen Y employees will almost certainly be read right away. But a message sent via e-mail? Maybe, maybe not.

Don't commit to maintaining a blog, a YouTube channel, or a Twitter feed and then fail to follow up. You must have the staff and resources to handle any new communications program. The popularity or “sexiness” of a new vehicle is not, in and of itself, sufficient justification for utilizing it.

Putting it all together

Not sure what communication format to use when? Table 5-1 should help. It contains at-a-glance info on each form of communication.

Table 5-1 Forms of Communication

He Said, She Said: Resolving Conflict

Is there such a thing as a workplace that's free from conflict? Yes. It's called a “one-man shop.” The minute you introduce a second person into the mix, conflict is inevitable. It's also natural (see Chapter 9). The key with conflict is to recognize your own conflict-management style, and to resolve the conflict before it becomes personal.

Resolving conflict is important to maintaining engagement. If you've ever played team sports, you know that dealing with teammates who are in constant conflict can really affect team morale, not to mention the team's ability to work. The same goes in business. If Mary and John are always in conflict, it will ultimately erode everyone else's level of engagement. Yes, conflict is a normal part of life. But prolonged conflict is bad karma . . . and bad karma is like kryptonite when it comes to building engagement.

Identifying your conflict-management style

To determine your own conflict-management style, complete the following questionnaire. To fill it out, read each statement, and then circle the answer that applies most to you. Remember: There are no wrong answers!

1. When I have a difference of opinion with other people, I usually:
   1. Try to convince others of the merit of my positions
   2. Try to find a solution that will benefit everyone involved
   3. Try to be sure that others get what they want
   4. Try to smooth over the differences quickly
2. When my goals are different from another team member's goals, I usually:
   1. Stand firm in pursuing my goal
   2. Try to negotiate common goals
   3. Sacrifice my goal for the goals of others
   4. Ignore the problem
3. When I'm involved in an emotional, interpersonal dispute, I usually:
   1. Press hard to get exactly what I want
   2. Consider both my concerns and the concerns of others
   3. Try not to hurt anyone's feelings
   4. Leave as quickly as possible
4. When a group of people are trying to solve a problem, I usually:
   1. Firmly demonstrate the benefits of my solution
   2. Listen to all and propose a middle-ground solution
   3. Support other people's solutions
   4. Stay quiet and let others solve the problem
5. When my views are different from another person's views, I usually:
   1. Firmly stick to my viewpoint
   2. Try to see the value in all views
   3. Support others’ views to keep them happy
   4. Don't express my views at all
6. When tension develops between another person and me, I usually:
   1. Confront the tension directly
   2. Work with the person to reduce the tension
   3. Give the person what he or she wants to reduce the tension
   4. Try to avoid all tension
7. When negotiating a position on an issue different from others, I usually:
   1. Try to get my position accepted immediately
   2. Work with others to find a middle-ground position
   3. Give in quickly to the other's position
   4. Try to postpone dealing with the issue
8. When my wishes conflict with the wishes of others, I usually:
   1. Assert my wishes very clearly
   2. Try to satisfy all our wishes
   3. Sacrifice my wishes so others can have their wishes
   4. Don't express (or even know) my wishes
9. When someone is actively hostile toward me (yelling and so on), I usually:
   1. Respond with equal hostility
   2. Listen, try to understand, and try to calm the other person down
   3. Do all I can to placate the other person so he or she will calm down
   4. Shut down and/or walk away
10. The feedback I get about how I cope with conflict is that I usually:
    1. Find it challenging and actively try to influence others
    2. Find it creative and try to work out differences cooperatively
    3. Find it quite uncomfortable and tend to give in easily to others
    4. Find it very difficult and avoid at all costs

Count the number of A's you circled, the number of B's you circled, the number of C's you circled, and the number of D's you circled. If you circled the most A's, your conflict style is “confronting.” If you circled the most B's, your conflict style is “cooperating.” If you circled the most C's, your conflict style is “adapting.” Finally, if you circled the most D's, your conflict style is “avoiding.”

For more on these styles, read on:

• Confronting (win-lose): This style is based on the belief that “might makes right.” It's power-oriented, focused on controlling situations and people, and involves competing in order to win. This conflict style is appropriate when you're facing a crisis, when the issue is very important to you, if you're an expert, and if the enforcement of guidelines is essential. A high score here indicates you have a tendency toward fighting for your own concerns, sometimes without considering other needs. A low score indicates a feeling of powerlessness, and that you may never get what you want.
• Cooperating (win-win): This style is based on the belief that two heads are better than one. It tries to reach a solution that satisfies each person's needs and addresses issues directly. For this style to be effective, a commitment of time and energy is required. This style is appropriate when the needs of each person are important, when the best solution is needed, when a high level of commitment to the solution is needed, when no one person has the best answer, and when there is sufficient time. A high score here indicates a tendency to both stand up for yourself and consider others’ needs. A low score indicates you may not get other people's ideas and support, and that you may not reach the best solution.
• Adapting ( lose-win): This style is based on the belief in “killing your enemies with kindness.” It may take the form of giving in to others’ wants. It tends to be self-sacrificing and overly cooperative, requiring you to back down on issues. This style is appropriate when the outcome is not important to you, when it's very important to preserve harmony, when the other person's position is right, when the other person has all the power, and when adapting to another's needs now will increase your chances of getting what you want later. A high score here indicates a tendency to consider the needs of other people above your own. A low score indicates that you may frustrate others, and may find it difficult to get along with people because you aren't willing to let them have what they need. You may seem either overpowering or unconcerned.
• Avoiding ( lose-lose): This style is based on the belief in “leaving well enough alone.” It takes the form of diplomatically sidestepping an issue. Often, this style merely postpones the inevitable. Suppressed feelings and desires are common with this style. This style is appropriate when the issue is trivial, when people need to calm down, when no one actually wants a resolution, when others believe they can resolve the conflict better than you can, when there is no way to win, and when there is not enough time to resolve the issue. A high score here indicates a tendency toward withdrawing in a conflict situation and avoiding conflict. A low score indicates that you may find yourself overwhelmed with conflict, hurting others’ feelings, and feeling emotionally drained from not choosing which issues are worth fighting over.

There is no right or wrong style. In fact, effective leaders incorporate a blend of all four. Like a mechanic selecting the appropriate wrench, savvy leaders deploy the conflict style that best fits the situation. For instance, using a confronting style with an employee who is about to commit a safety violation is entirely appropriate. In contrast, someone working with senior leaders in conflict would be wise to leverage a cooperating conflict style. A leader who is asked to arbitrate a disagreement between employees he doesn't lead or within a task team may opt for an adapting style. Finally, although avoidance is usually the least appealing style, it would be appropriate if you're dealing with such a minor infraction that addressing it would be worse than avoiding it. (Don't sweat the small stuff.) Avoidance is also appropriate when dealing with a hot-headed employee in the moment, because confrontation may worsen an already-heated situation. In this scenario, you're often better off revisiting the situation when tempers have abated.

Resolving conflict with ease

When faced with conflict, remember this acronym: EASE. It stands for the following:

• Empathy: Identify and understand the emotions of the person with whom you're in conflict. You don't have to agree with his or her position, but you do need to respect his or her right to have an opinion that is different from yours.
• Appreciation: Recognize and appreciate that the other person is coming from a position of good intentions.
• Search for solutions: Think of alternative positions that may represent a compromise.
• Explore: If conflict is still present, explore ways to have a productive discussion.

If you're in the “explore” phase, which centers around discussion, try following these steps to resolve the conflict:

1. Open the conversation with a positive tone.
2. Express the desire to preserve the working relationship, and explain that you need the other person's help to solve a problem that threatens it.
3. State the facts as you see them, avoiding rumors or passing judgment.
4. Ask the other party for help in understanding his or her behavior.

   For example, say, “Can you help me understand why. . . .”

5. State the ideal behavior (from your perspective).
6. Let the other person know what he or she can do to restore the relationship.
7. State the consequences.

   What will happen if the conflict is not resolved?

8. Open negotiations.

   Be willing to listen, and to make a change yourself.

Of course, if you're in a leadership role, you may need to mediate others’ conflicts from time to time. In that case, you'll want to follow these steps:

1. Meet with both parties in a closed room.
2. Review the rules for the discussion.

   For example, one rule may be that only one person is allowed to talk at a time. Another may be that both parties will show respect by listening to what the other has to say. A third rule could be that the focus of the discussion will be issues, not personalities.

3. Identify the problem or conflict.
4. Ask each party to explain the conflict.

   As each party speaks, listen to his or her answer. Then ask the other party to repeat what the first party said.

5. Discuss solutions.
6. Agree on a solution and on actions to take.
7. Follow up.

As a leader, you should also take time to teach team members to resolve conflict among themselves. You can do this by coaching team members through conflicts and by acting as an observer. By actively dealing with conflict, you can help avoid disengaging employees.

Dealing with difficult people

Let's face it: Some people are just difficult. They're hard to deal with. Worse, over time, difficult people erode engagement among other employees. See, engagement is about creating a culture in which employees are motivated to perform their best. Any obstacle that prevents employees from doing their best will erode their engagement over time. And there's no doubt about it: Difficult people are obstacles.

If you find yourself dealing with a difficult person, keep these points in mind to minimize conflict and perhaps even engage them. (Hey, even schmucks can be engaged!)

• Help build their confidence. Try going out of your way to recognize a difficult person's expertise. (That person is good at something, right?) You may be surprised what a little stroking of egos will do to soften difficult employees.
• Establish parameters. When dealing with difficult employees, there must be non-negotiables. Establishing your non-negotiable boundaries early on will make everyone's life easier.
• Establish clear deadlines. The key word here is clear. It's amazing how many times I've had to arbitrate a meeting between a manager and an employee in conflict, only to discover that expectations with respect to deadlines were never clear. And it's usually the manager's fault!
• Partner them with peers to build skills. We often perceive people as difficult simply because we don't know them. Try partnering a difficult employee with someone who has complementary skills. More often than not, the difficult person will seem far less difficult when he or she starts working with someone else. Plus, if you select the right partner — someone who is friendly, kind, and patient — he or she may just rub off on your problem employee.
• Redirect conversations back to work. Often, people are described as “difficult” when really, a different word applies: whiny. In other words, they complain about everything — including things that can never be fixed or that are outside their control. Refocusing the conversation on things that can be fixed or that are within their control is a great first step to nipping all that whining in the bud.
• Establish a communication routine. Scheduling check-ins will often help you avoid more painful conversations. Although it sounds counterintuitive to suggest spending more time with a difficult employee, it's often the best fix.
• Don't take the bait. Some people are like alpha dogs, just waiting for someone to challenge them. Pick your moments, and remember: Avoidance is often the best approach when dealing with difficult people.
• Brainstorm new processes as needed. Difficult employees are often difficult because they believe they have more to offer than they're being asked to contribute — but no one will give them the chance. Soliciting their opinions can turn them from feeling frustrated (“No one listens to me around here!”) to empowered. . . and engaged.
• Go to them when you need help. President Lyndon Johnson was known for inviting difficult people into his inner circle. As he said, “I'd rather have them inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in.” Inviting difficult people into your inner circle will often make them less difficult. Remember: People are often difficult because they feel they have more to offer than they're being asked to contribute.
• Discuss ways to redistribute the work. Sometimes, employees are simply overwhelmed with work, and their way of coping is to lash out, making them difficult. To minimize this, try redistributing their workload.
• Invite 360 feedback. When a manager confronts a difficult employee, said difficult employee often thinks it's simply because the manager doesn't like her. Inviting others to chime in via 360 feedback — or better yet, a “more of/same as/less of” feedback session (both are discussed in Chapter 16) — will lend much-needed credibility to the manager's observations.
• Document issues. If all the aforementioned suggestions fail, and one of your direct reports continues to be so difficult that he's affecting the engagement levels of the entire team, it's time to start documenting the issues. The endgame may well be formal corrective action (see Chapter 18).

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Communicating Change

As you're no doubt aware, people resist change. Why? Lots of reasons. Often, it's simply fear of the unknown. Sometimes, it has to do with lack of trust. On occasion, it may simply be due to bad timing. In a work setting, people resist change because they're afraid of losing job security or control. And some people don't like change “just because” — even when it's a change for the better.

And yet, change is everywhere — and with good reason. If we didn't undergo change, we'd be at a considerable disadvantage. After all, “changing” often translates to “keeping up with the times.” We've all survived significant change in the past, and we'll survive it in the future as well.

Communication is never more important than during a period of change. That's because people tend to assume the worst during a change event. During times of change, employees tend to be less trusting and less direct. They're more careful when choosing their words. Often, they're fearful of disagreeing with management, whether said management is old or new. Fear also causes them to expend more energy looking after their own self-interests, and to be more open to messages that reach them via the rumor mill — especially in the absence of actual information.

To stave off anxiety among the troops, leaders must increase the level of communication during a change event such as a merger, reduction in force, reorganization, change in strategic direction, or change to the leadership team.

If you're facing a change event in your organization, keep these points in mind:

• As a leader, you go first! Make sure you fully embrace the change initiative and its implications before attempting to persuade others. Be cognizant of the influence you have on those around you.
• Talk the talk, and walk the walk. Be a positive role model and an ambassador for the change. Support it both publicly and privately, and demonstrate the behaviors that you expect from others in the face of change.
• Overcommunicate. Whether good news or bad, sharing information as often as you can and being forthright with the truth are critical. Communicating is the number-one way to maintain trust and employee engagement. As you do, assess your employees’ understanding of the change initiative. Do they grasp the change initiative's goals and pertinent details? If not, provide any missing information and clear up any misconceptions.
• Check in with your staff and encourage candid feedback. In your role as leader, you must check in with your people to see how they're doing — especially during times of change. Allow and encourage employees to candidly express their feelings. Get any resistance to change out in the open so it can be dealt with.
• Establish crystal-clear priorities. Going through change can be confusing and stressful. Be ultra-specific with regard to team priorities and staff expectations throughout the change initiative.
• Delegate. Move less important tasks off your plate so you can focus on leading through the change. When possible, delegate tasks to staff members to further their skills, knowledge, and abilities.
• Be there. Make yourself available to your people. You're undoubtedly busy, but don't close your door and stay in your office all day. Remember: These are the times when your staff needs you the most.
• Make your employees feel valued and give positive reinforcement. During times of change, motivating your employees and making them feel appreciated are especially important. Reward positive behaviors as often as possible, and celebrate accomplishments whenever you can. Pay extra attention to your top performers!
• Re-skill your employees (and yourself ) as needed. Determine what competencies will be required to work in the “new world” and provide relevant training and development opportunities for your team.
• Pass information up as well as down. Be sure to pass questions, issues, and feedback up to your manager or leadership team in addition to conveying information down to your team.
• Stay sharp! Leading change is hard work. Keep your change leadership skills finely tuned. Take advantage of the resources at your disposal to build your knowledge and abilities in this important competency.
• Get help. Don't underestimate your own need for assistance during change. Reach out to a peer or seek advice from your boss on how best to handle your own situation during change.

To help your employees through the change, advise them to keep the following points in mind:

• Adopt a proactive mind-set. You make things happen; things don't happen to you. Don't assume a victim mentality, in which you perceive your life to be controlled by others. Yes, some things will be out of your control during change. But your attitude is always entirely within your control.
• Think evolution, not revolution. It may not always feel like it, but change is never a conscious attempt to make our lives more hectic! Change is rarely introduced to tear everything down. Most changes are initiated to improve and build on results.
• Focus on what is not changing. Few change initiatives change everything. Let the stable aspects of the situation give you a sense of security as you adjust to what is changing.
• Ask questions. Get the facts about the change. Speak up and find out more about the things that aren't clear to you. Try not to fill in your own blanks; often, you'll be wrong.
• Keep doing your work. Chances are, many aspects of your job are not changing. Keep doing what you do best. Onward and upward!
• Use the change as a development opportunity. Change often brings new opportunities and prospects. Leverage the change to your advantage by identifying ways to improve your skills, knowledge, and abilities to help you meet your career goals.
• Be prepared for mental fatigue. Change can be challenging, unsettling, and exhausting, even for the most experienced employees. Don't be surprised if mental fatigue sets in — especially during larger change initiatives. Expect it, normalize it, and find ways to deal with it.
• Be forgiving and tolerant. Change is difficult, and people are bound to make mistakes. Be forgiving and lenient with others (and yourself) during times of change.
• Ask for help when needed. Nobody can read your mind. Be vocal about your needs and about how the company, your manager, and your co-workers can support you.

Talking It Up: Communicating Your Engagement Efforts

Long ago, I worked for a company whose management decided it wanted to be an “employer of choice,” which would naturally involve improving employee engagement. Like many organizations, we knew we had a lot of work to do to get there.

A chief concern was how our employees would react to this goal. We worried that cynicism might trump our efforts. In fact, we were so concerned about this, we considered not even telling employees about our aspirations.

Thankfully, we came to our senses. We realized that we were embarking on a multi-year journey, and that if we were truly committed to being successful, we were going to have to communicate exactly what we were trying to do and why. We were going to have to report on milestones, regardless of whether we were proud of the results. In addition, we were going to have to make ourselves accountable. That was the only way we could command the respect and trust of the very people we needed to make our culture shift a success.

Yes, employees were skeptical. But this didn't take us by surprise or dampen our resolve. We stuck to the plan. Our CEO made employee engagement one of the eight key elements of his strategic plan and issued monthly progress reports. In addition, all ten members of the leadership team spoke continually about employee engagement. They became true ambassadors of an employee-focused culture.

Your senior leaders — up to and including the president, CEO, COO, and/or CFO — must communicate the business strategy every month, especially with regard to how engagement fits in. This communication can be via newsletter, e-mail, report, video, or presentation — just don't let it fall by the wayside. The communication protocol discussed earlier in this chapter (in the section “Bob the Builder: Building a Communication Protocol”) is a great first step!

Welcome criticism and deal with it transparently. This in and of itself helps to defuse the more vocal skeptics. It's hard to maintain a sour outlook when you're clearly being heard and when management is openly fessing up to missteps and seeking ways to correct the course. Even the most ardent skeptics will have to acknowledge the evident effort on the part of management. They won't be able to deny when gains, however small, are made. Again, the key is communication. Skeptics who continue to grumble in the face of clear progress will quickly find themselves without an audience.

How did the story end? Well, engagement became the foundation of our business culture, ultimately leading to best-in-class performance in profit, growth, client service, and yes, employee engagement survey scores. The company even promoted the head of engagement (yours truly), proof of the pudding that engagement drives business results!

Communication Don'ts

Throughout this chapter, we fill you in on communication “do's” — establishing two-way communication, developing a communication protocol, maximizing communication tools, resolving conflict, communicating change, and broadcasting your engagement efforts.

To ensure you don't put your foot in it, here are some communication don'ts:

• Don't underestimate the importance of communication. I said it earlier: Communication is the cornerstone of employee engagement. Communication should never be viewed as anything but essential in engaging your employees.
• Don't be afraid to overcommunicate. “Gee, I left that company because management just communicated too much,” said no one ever. Simply put, your employees want to know what is going on, and proactive communication is your way of keeping them in the loop. Key messages, especially those pertaining to progress or success, must be queued up and pushed out with the highest possible frequency using a variety of communication tools.
• Don't focus on the negative. The vast majority of the time, your employees are doing something right. But too many managers focus the majority of their time discussing the few times employees did something wrong. (And more often than not, the “something wrong” wasn't really “wrong” at all. It was just “different.”) Although it's certainly important to let employees know when they've made a mistake, you'll find that focusing on the positive will pay long-term engagement dividends.
• Don't be afraid to communicate setbacks or losses. Yes, I know I just said that focusing on the positive will pay long-term engagement dividends. But that doesn't mean you should refrain from sharing bad news. Many managers are hesitant to communicate news of setbacks or losses, fearing employees will grow demoralized. But for employees to feel invested in their work, they must know how the business is doing with respect to its goals. Simply put, you can't improve if you don't know you're underperforming.
• I once worked with a company in which one regional manager shielded employees from negative news about their performance in an effort to maintain morale. But by doing so, he failed to create any impetus for change or any channel for constructive input from the ranks. Fortunately, the company replaced this manager. The new boss kicked off his tenure with a frank conversation with his staff about their performance (or lack thereof). In doing so, he tapped into the staff's innate urge to be competitive and to excel. As a result, engagement scores, revenue growth, and profitability all improved. Indeed, the region went from losing $1 million per year to making $1 million per year — a $2 million swing!
• Don't shoot the messenger. Too often, I've seen top-level executives become angry in the face of unflattering feedback. This attitude, especially when displayed in a public forum, will effectively stifle any benefits that may arise from the sharing of employees’ opinions. In other words, if executives get mad at people who tell them things they don't want to hear, people will stop telling them things, period. When you create feedback mechanisms, you must accept the bad news with the good. That means creating an environment in which people are comfortable speaking truth to power. Otherwise, all you're doing is creating a culture in which people tell you what you want to hear — which is not a model for business excellence.