Communicating change to your teams as a leader
Leadership communication is not something that comes naturally to most people - it’s something we need to learn and keep working at over time. And it’s tough, because we’re often asked to communicate about hard things with our people, but not given the training or support. Well, we’re here to help you improve your communication with your teams to make it more effective. We recently chatted with Prina Shah, a leadership and culture coach and host of the Ways to Change the Workplace podcast. Prina shared her framework for leadership communication, which is a practical tool comprising five levels of leadership comms:
Tell
The "Tell" approach involves straightforward communication, leaving no room for ambiguity. You’re there to tell your teams what the change is, how it’s happening and what you expect from them. You’re directing with clarity and as we know, clarity is kindness!
Sell
There may be scenarios where a leader will need to gain their teams’ support through persuasion, which requires the "Sell" approach. This is where a leader may present an idea and outline its benefits to gain the buy-in of their team members. This involves inviting team members to consider the proposal and express their thoughts, fostering a sense of involvement and ownership of the solution at hand.
Test
Leadership is not a solo endeavour, and the "Test" approach underscores the importance of collaboration and collaborative brainstorming. After securing initial buy-in, leaders should encourage team members to contribute ideas, question assumptions, and collectively brainstorm. This step takes every perspective into account and makes sure the proposed plan is robust and resilient, drawing on the collective intelligence of the team. They may know flaws or insider knowledge that could aid or disrupt your plan!
Consult
Specifically for decisions with broader implications, leaders more often than not need to adopt the "Consult" approach. This means they involve stakeholders in the decision-making process to make sure diverse perspectives are considered. By seeking input from relevant parties, leaders enhance the quality of decisions and strengthen the overall strategy alongside the buy-in from varying parts of the business.
Co-create
At the pinnacle of the communication ladder is "Co-create”, because it involves collaborative creation with all stakeholders and the team at hand. After getting approval from stakeholders, leaders empower their team to contribute to the development and execution of strategies while reporting back on it. This not only secures buy-in across the business but it also fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment among team members.
As communication professionals and change agents, understanding the nuances of each communication style is crucial to projects, and the success of change overall. In fact, leaders can use this framework to identify when it’s best to tell, sell, test, consult, or co-create in nearly every change across the business. Either way, making sure you bridge the communication gap and avoid a broken communication cascade is paramount to any leader. Make sure your team gets communication in a way that makes sense to them!
Nail your change comms
If you’d like to learn more (a lot more) on everything change and everything change comms, leadership and more - you can grab a copy of Mel’s book “Change Isn’t Hard!” right here. Fresh off the press, this book is new and ready to order right here.
