Team Communications
Communicating At Work: Have You Connected The Dots?
By Heidi Croot
Mar 4, 2007 - 1:30:05 PM

Question: "I have to make a presentation tomorrow concerning the organization's new direction, vision and strategy and I really don't know how to handle some of the tough questions that might arise regarding the changes that might ensue. Everything seems to be up in the air. What approach should I take?"

Answer: The short answer to your question? Tell the truth.

The long answer? I don't know.

I mean it. The long answer may literally be, "I don't know."

It's the long answer because there's a winding staircase of fears and assumptions to be vanquished, values to be explored, and, yes, dots to be connected before one can be leader enough to say, "Hey-you know what? At this juncture, we just don't know."

First, Vanquish Fear
When you say you don't know how to handle some of the tough questions and everything seems to be up in the air, I'm hearing, "Uh-oh. I don't have all the answers. That means I'm in trouble. What on earth will I tell them?"

Fact is, not having all the answers does not mean you're in trouble. Quite the opposite. Consider these five reasons why "I don't know" has Pied Piper appeal:

1. It's a myth that leaders have all the answers. Good leaders know that. And oh my, make no mistake: employees do, too.
2. Employees have many of the answers. Good leaders know that, and use "presentations" to share a little, and listen a lot.
3. Not having all the answers humanizes leaders. People tend to open their hearts and minds to humans.
4. "I don't know" implies "I need help." Absolutely irresistible. People burn to be needed.
5. The opposite of "I don't know" is "I do know…but I'm not telling," or, "Yep, I know, but you wouldn't understand." A sure path to loss of credibility and trust.

Here's what you might say in addition to, "I don't know":

What do you think?
Who would like to share their insight to that question?
I'm open to your ideas.
Anyone?

I hope that lowers your anxiety a few notches. Now let's look at other contributing factors to your successful presentation.

Manage the Ooze Effect
Who you are, what you do and what you say oozes irrepressibly out of what you believe. Lay a solid foundation for a successful presentation by embracing values that foster positive, trusting relationships. Here are four to start:

Leadership. Definitions abound. Brian Ward has anchored the concept with five compelling characteristics: focus, authenticity, courage, empathy, timing. Check it out.
Respect. Choose to perceive employees as informed business partners with opinions and feelings. Communicate early and often with business partners about changes that will affect them. (Note: perceptions can be a precursor to reality.)
Listening. Build trust by encouraging employees to ask questions and share their thoughts. Develop a rich and varied program of empathic, two-way communication.
Honesty. Make the constancy of truth your touchstone. If the news is bad, remember that the agony of not knowing is far worse than the pain of knowing. Protect people from the truth? Not possible. For one thing, never underestimate the power and efficiency of your organization's subterranean network. More on that another time.

So much for the fear factor and your belief system. Now for the nuts and bolts.

How to Connect the Dots
Presumably the outcome you hope to achieve with your presentation, and with subsequent communications strategies, is to move employees from awareness of your company's new direction all the way to buy-in…and with buy-in, to a change of attitude and behaviour that will propel you toward your goals.

About right? All right then. One fast path to buy-in is to connect five dots for your audience-five levels of information people want and need before they can move forward. Cherish this template (adapted from Jim Shaffer's The Leadership Solution). I've used it over and over, as have others-it's tried and true. It works for presentations, memos, reports-whenever you need to communicate change.

1. Big Picture. What is driving this announcement or change? New trends, economic factors, competitive pressures, productivity issues? Make it real.
2. Vision. Show people the picture on the front of the jigsaw puzzle box. Where are we headed, and what will it look like?
3. WIIFM. Address "What's in it for me?" where me is not you, but your employees. Specifically, how will they benefit from this change? What can they feel good about?
4. Role. Explain what people need to do differently. What are their new responsibilities or accountabilities? Spell it out.
5. Support. What basic information will you provide? What tools, equipment, technology, training?

Bon Voyage
Good leaders understand that change begins at the bottom step; i.e. with them. To encapsulate:

• Have the humility and courage to say 'I don't know.'
• Build opportunities for listening into your presentation, and into all your communications strategies.
• Revisit your values. Reshape your paradigms. Expose your assumptions. Manage the ooze effect.
• Use your presentation to connect the five dots. Continue connecting them over time, relentlessly and repeatedly.
• Be authentic. Be real. Be enthusiastic. Be yourself. Have fun, darn it!

Best of luck with your presentation!

© Heidi Croot.