That's Not What I Meant by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

A recent RoperASW survey found that 55% of employers called themselves “good communicators.” The problem is that only 35% of those who worked for these employers agreed. The RoperASW survey also found that only 8% of employers said they were “poor communicators,” while 31% of their employees said their employers “lacked communication skills.” Eighty-three percent of these employers said that they communicated a “clear vision of the coming year” while only 68% of employees agreed. You get the idea.

Employers think that they are much better communicators than they actually are. Communication is a funny thing. You can’t simply say, “I’m a good communicator,” even if those on your team disagree. The definition of effective communication is that the intended message is the one that is received. Therefore, if that’s not happening, the responsibility is on the message sender to improve his or her efforts. But the question is, how?

Q—How could so many employers be so off the mark as to how they are perceived by their employees?

A—The biggest reason is that there is a lack of a meaningful, open and honest feedback mechanism. Think about it. It’s because employers sometimes don’t give their people an opportunity to tell them and only find out when employees were promised anonymity by the RoperASW poll. Other reasons include being a poor listener (therefore ignoring clear signals that miscommunication is taking place) as well as a stubbornness and insecurity that refuses to admit when communication efforts must be improved.

Q—What are some “feedback mechanisms” that can help get employers and employees on the same communication page?

A—Look at how your meetings are run. Are your meetings one-way monologues in which the team leader simply drones on without allowing for candid give and take? If so, an employer may be saying things that he or she believes are critically important, but their people may be tuning them out because they are not part of the conversation.

At your next meeting, instead of simply stating what you believe is a fact, ask a question of a particular person; “Joe, what do you see as our biggest challenge over the next six months?” Give Joe a chance to share his views and then turn to another meeting participant and ask; “Jane, how do you see the situation?” If people aren’t engaged and involved, they are not likely to see their employer as a good communicator.

But it goes beyond meetings. Are you spending quality one on one time with your people? Are you coaching and mentoring them and giving clear direction while at the same time giving them an opportunity to express their concerns, hopes and thoughts? Many managers make assumptions about what their people are thinking. Those assumptions are usually off base or incomplete.

Q—What about e-mail? Isn’t this a more efficient way of communicating organizational policies, goals and changes to the workforce?

A—Sometimes, but again, if it is a one-way communication mechanism that doesn’t allow for people to offer feedback without reprisal, then e-mail can serve as one more barrier between employers and employees. E-mail can be very impersonal and allow managers to avoid direct contact with their people around sensitive issues. Just because you think you’ve sent a message via e-mail, there is little reason to believe that it has been received as you’ve intended. Great communicators combine e-mail with face to face meetings and are aware that the most effective communication is often very informal. It is that cup of coffee or lunch in the company cafeteria. Like I said, just because you think you’ve said it, doesn’t mean they understand.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.