Steve Cohn, CSP, is an international speaker and office communications expert who as consulted with such businesses as IBM, Delta Air Lines, Federal Express International, E. On Energy (UK), Atmos Energy adn the University of Louisville Health System.
Steven: Let’s talk about the communication gap between managers and employees. What is the number one cause for miscommunication?
Steve Cohn: Miscommunication of expectations should be number one on any list of communication breakdowns. Employees don’t know or misunderstand expectations because managers tend not to clearly state what they expect, or state it in a general way that leaves expectations open to interpretation.
Steven: How can managers better communicate their expectations to their employees?
Steve Cohn: First, the manager needs to know what his or her expectations are. The manager must clearly know what he expects or else he can’t communicate those expectations to their employees. Once the manager knows, she needs to explain the expectations clearly and anticipate the questions that the employee wants to ask but won’t.
An employee in one of my classes told me that her manager had given her three big assignments in a two-day period. The manager seemed to give each project the same priority. I asked her if she had asked the manager which one was most important and which one she wanted taken care of first. The employee looked at me like I had two heads. “If I do that, he’ll think I don’t want to do the work. I DO want to do the work. It’s just I don’t know how,” she said. I told her, “Go to your manager. Say, ‘You’ve given me three projects during the past two days and it seems as if they all have the same priority. I really want to do a good job on each of these. Could you tell me, which one is most important and needs to be finished first? Or, can you help me plan out the best way to get these done to your expectations?”
Employees are afraid to ask such questions, thinking the boss will think less of them. Managers must clearly communicate their expectations and create a non-critical atmosphere when employees need help.
Steven: Are there any guidelines that can be set up to minimize this communication gap?
Steve Cohn: Yes. Don’t mistake employee agreement as meaning he or she understands or gets what you’re trying to say. Explain simply and clearly and then ask, “Is there anything I’ve not covered? or “Is there anything I’ve left out?” or “do you have any questions?” Hopefully, the manager has created an environment where questions are valued. Take the time. Just because the manager is super-busy (and we know they are) doesn’t mean he or she can skimp on the details in the explanation.
Steven: When a miscommunication occurs what is the best way to resolve the situation? Is there a formula to follow?
Steve Cohn: In any miscommunication situation, always put the onus on you – “Oh, I’m sorry. I must not have explained my expectations well. Let me try again …” of “I’m sorry, did I lead you to believe I wanted it that way? That wasn’t my intention. Let’s start again to fix this.”
When it comes to miscommunication, we must always be thinking, “What’s my goal?” If the miscommunication affected the outcome, the goal is to fix the problem, not blame anybody. You may get personal satisfaction from blaming the other person, but that’s not going to fix the problem.
Managers need employees on their side. If employees feel like the manager does not have their backs, they’ll be less likely to work together as a team.
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