Leadership Communication

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Chapter 9

• Leadership Communication

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Chapter Objectives

• Act as a communication champion rather than just
  as an information processor.
• Use key elements of effective listening and
  understand why listening is important to
  leadership communication.
• Recognize and apply the difference between
  dialogue and discussion.
• Select an appropriate communication channel for
  your leadership message.
• Use communication to influence and persuade
  others.
• Effectively communicate during times of stress or
  crisis.

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Communication
A process by which information and understanding
are transferred between a sender and a receiver
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Ex. 9.1 A Basic Model of the Communication Process
Potential noise and distortion
Leader encodes message
Receiver decodes message
Channel
Return message encoded and sent
Feedback Loop
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Ex. 9.2 The Leader as Communication Champion
Purpose Directed Direct attention to
vision/values, desired outcomes use persuasion
Leader as Communication Champion
Strategic Conversation Open climate
Listening Discernment Dialogue
Internal and external sources
Methods Use rich channels Stories and
metaphors Informal communication
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Ex. 9.3 Why Open the Communication Channels?

• An open climate is essential for cascading
  vision, and
• cascading is essential because
• Natural Law 1 You Get What You talk about
• A vision must have ample air time in an
  organization. A vision must be shared and
  practiced by leaders at every opportunity.
• Natural Law 2 The Climate of an Organization is
  a
• Reflection of the Leader
• A leader who doesnt embody the vision and values
  doesnt have an organization that does.
• Natural Law 3 You Cant Walk Faster Than One
  Step at a
• Time
• A vision is neither understood nor accepted
  overnight. Communicating must be built into
  continuous, daily interaction so that over time
  followers will internalize it.

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Ex. 9.4 Ten Keys to Effective Listening
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Ex. 9.4 (contd.)
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Ex. 9.5 Dialogue and Discussion The Differences
Conversation
Lack of understanding, disagreement, divergent
points of view, evaluate others
Dialogue
Discussion
Reveal feelings Explore assumptions Suspend
convictions Build common ground
State positions Advocate convictions Convince
others Build oppositions
Result
Result
Short-term resolution Agreement by
logic Opposition beaten down Mind-sets held onto
Long-term, innovative solutions Unified
group Shared meaning Transformed mind-sets
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Ex. 9.6 A Continuum of Channel Richness
Electronic mail, IM, Web, intranet
Face-to-face verbal
Formal report
Disadvantages Impersonal One-way Slow feedback
Advantages Personal Two-way Fast feedback
High channel richness
Low channel richness
Disadvantages No record Spontaneous Dissemination
hard
Advantages Provides record Premeditated Easily
disseminated
Memos, letters
Telephone
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Ex. 9.7 Dos and Donts of Electronic Mail
(abridged)

• Do
• Use e-mail to set up meetings, to recap spoken
  conversations, or to follow up on information
  already discussed face-to-face.
• Keep e-mail messages short and to-the-point.
  Many people read e-mail on handheld devices,
  which have small screens.
• Use e-mail to prepare a group of people for a
  meeting. For example, it is convenient to send
  the same documents to a number of people and ask
  them to review the materials before the meeting.
• Use e-mail to transmit standard reports.
• Act like a newspaper reporter. Use the subject
  line to quickly grab the readers attention.

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Ex. 9.7 (contd.)

• Dont
• Use e-mail to discuss something with a colleague
  who sits across the aisle or down the hall from
  you. Take the old-fashioned approach of speaking
  to each other.
• Lambaste a friend or colleague via e-mail and
  especially dont copy others on the message.
• Use e-mail to start or perpetuate a feud.
• Write anything in an e-mail you wouldnt want
  published in a newspaper. E-mail with sensitive
  or potentially embarrassing information has an
  uncanny way of leaking out.