Leaders need to attend to very specific communication skills to improve their leadership. Communication takes effort and attention to detail.

1. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION;
IMPROVE YOUR EFFECTIVENESS.
“A CLASSIC IS SOMETHING EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE READ, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO READ.”
~ MARK TWAIN
BOHN’S COROLLARY: COMMUNICATION IS SOMETHING EVERY ORGANIZATION WANTS, BUT FEW
WANT TO DO.
~ DR. JIM BOHN

2. Leadership Communication
seems so vague (“fuzzy”, “soft
skill”, “non-financial”) one is
hard pressed to measure it’s
organizational (and financial)
impact.

3. Organizational Communication is
something everyone believes is
happening, simply because
people talk and share ideas.

4. The linear look …
Ineffective
Communications
Ineffective
processing Ineffective action
Ineffective
output
Ineffective
delivery
Lower customer
satisfaction
Loss of profit
Loss of
reputation
Loss of market
share

5. How effective is your leadership communication?
Are your team members more effective because of
your communication?
How has your communication made your
organization more effective?
Hard Questions for Leaders
Rate yourself … 10 is excellent; 1 = poor

6. You are ineffective in your communication style 5.55
Other leaders are ineffective when communicating 6.08
“What are the greatest challenges facing your
organization today?”
Research conducted by Pro/Axios – 50 global respondents
Scale: 10 – Deeply Concerned to 1- Not at All Concerned
Most leaders think they communicate better than
other people!

7. Your communication style as
a leader sets the tone for
communication throughout the
entire organization.
It impacts your most precious
organizational resource.

8. What is your most
precious
organizational
resource?

9. The motivation of your
people is the single
most precious resource in your
company.
Employee motivation
is the energy source powering
organizational success.
Why would you waste it?

10. Precious organizational
energy is lost when poor
communication creates
friction and employee inertia.

11. Friction occurs when two
objects are occupying the same
space. That applies to employee
relationships too!

12. People fear for their jobs.
Rumors and gossip.
People assume things that are not
true.
Ineffective communication
causes friction:

13. Ineffective communication
causes friction when people don’t
know their role or responsibility
They become frustrated with
one another, and thus …
Point fingers
Lay blame
Argue

14. Lack of information causes friction …
People will fill
__ the blanks.

15. Employee Inertia
occurs when they’re not sure what to
do.

16. Employee Inertia
happens when there is:
1. Obtuse visioning

17. Employee Inertia
happens when there is:
1. Obtuse visioning
2. Ineffective direction setting

18. Employee Inertia
happens when there is:
1. Obtuse visioning
2. Ineffective direction setting
3. Incomplete decision making

19. Employee Inertia happens when
there is:
1. Obtuse visioning
2. Ineffective direction setting
3. Incomplete decision making
4. Mis-coordinated action
Leaders drop the ball!
People get reassigned – without a successor!
Now
what do
I do?

20. Employee Inertia happens
when there is:
1. Obtuse visioning
2. Ineffective direction setting
3. Incomplete decision making
4. Mis-coordinated action
5. Incomplete follow-through

21.  Ineffective communication:
1. stifles energy and
2. leads to low productivity –
3. more time spent on people struggles than
output.
 Ineffective communication ultimately leads to
uncertainty and then fear.
 Fear of failure, fear of incompetence, fear of making
a mistake.
 Costly rework!
The Effects of Employee Inertia

22. Ineffective communication
causes the loss of
precious
organizational
energy.

23. How can you reduce Employee
Inertia?
Your communications provides a
context for decision making, allow
people to sort things out among
competing priorities.
Allows people to answer this question:
“What do I need to do to support the
organization?”

24. How can you reduce
Employee Inertia?
Your communication provides a context for
prioritization.
“What do I need to do to do first??”
Danger if this isn’t done. People become
paralyzed and ineffective.
Reasons it isn't done.
As a leader, you need to develop effective ways
for prioritizing projects.

25. Take the time to clearly state
expectations, direction, and
the end goal.

26. It’s time to think about how your
leadership communication
impacts employee motivation.
5 minutes.

27. People
expect their
orders will
be obeyed
DICTATOR
People assume
communication has
occurred
DELEGATOR
Leaders often forget they been
discussing something for a long time,
yet expect others to adapt
immediately, as if they had been part
of the conversation.
BLIND SPOT
Barriers to communication effectiveness
Leader assumptions …
EXTREMES

28. CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE
COMMUNICATOR
Lack of patience
IMPATIENCE:
Managers don’t
take the time.
Clarity of sender
Not checking for
reception
LOGISTICS OF
COMMUNICATION
CRITICAL
MOMENTS
Barriers to communication effectiveness
Sound
Bites

29. CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE
COMMUNICATOR
Lack of patience
IMPATIENCE:
Managers don’t
take the time.
Clarity of sender
Not checking for
reception
LOGISTICS OF
COMMUNICATION
Timing of
communication
Doing things at the
last minute
Physical space of
communication
CRITICAL
MOMENTS
Barriers to communication effectiveness
Pay Attention to your
surroundings …

30. CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE
COMMUNICATOR
Lack of patience
IMPATIENCE:
Managers don’t
take the time.
Clarity of sender
Not checking for
reception
LOGISTICS OF
COMMUNICATION
Timing of
communication
Doing things at the
last minute
Physical space of
communication
CRITICAL
MOMENTS
Highest needs for
communication
often occur at the
lowest point in the
project.
Barriers to communication effectiveness
Take a moment
to be clear.

31. Barriers to communication
effectiveness … Fear of being
wrong – and loss of ego.
 IMPERFECTION: Managers fear loss of credibility if they
communicate something that could change.
Get over it.
 IMAGE: Managers may have concern about not
having all the answers.
Get over it.
 INSULATION: Managers are afraid to give up power,
hence the arcane phrase “need to know.”
Get over it.

32. Accelerationhappens
when a path is clear and safe.

33. SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO
INCREASE ACCELERATION.
Provide Knowledge of roles
(who’s on first?)

34. SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO
INCREASE ACCELERATION.
Provide Knowledge of the
future – “People expect
leaders in this business to know
where they’re going.”

35. •Momentumhappens when one
good project leads to another, and another and
another.

36. Provide Knowledge of what has
happened?
So people can feel a sense of
efficacy, achievement,
movement and momentum.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO
INCREASE MOMENTUM.

37. Provide Knowledge of victories - To
allow the emotional sense of
achievement and build efficacy
for the next project.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO
INCREASE MOMENTUM.

38. Efficiency happens when the
amount of output is greater than the
input.
Getting people to work
together takes effort,
clear focus, and focused
agendas.

39. Notification
• Why is this important?
• Alerts people to an upcoming event or change.
• Why does it work?
• Information focuses attention.
• How does it help?
• Motivates people to direct their energy in a
specific direction.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

40. Notification Preparation
• Why is this important?
• Advanced preparation alerts people to assess schedules and
necessary energy.
• Why does it work?
• Specific details remove uncertainty.
 Dates Times Impact
• How does it help?
• Locks in timing for many people who must work together.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

41. Notification Preparation Coordination
• Why is this important?
• Advanced coordination alerts people of key timing/date
commitments.
• Why does it work?
• Improves the likelihood that people will work together.
• How does it help?
• Ensures people act together when necessary for a successful
outcome.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

42. Notification Preparation ValidationCoordination
• Why is this important?
• Follow up or foul up!
• Why does it work?
• Feedback loops assess the effectiveness of communication. How do
you know your communication got through? Do something crazy –
pick up the phone and ask.
• How does it help?
• Repetition is essential for retention.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

43. Notification Preparation Validation AffirmationCoordination
• Why is this important?
• People need to know they‘ve made a difference.
• Why does it work?
• The motivational power of recognition is widely
known, but not widely practiced.
• How does it help?
• Recognition builds energy for the next challenge!
SPECIFIC ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

44. The motivation of your
people is the single most
precious resource in your
company.
Employee motivation
is the energy source powering
organizational success.
Preserve it, conserve it, manage it.

45. How effective is
your leadership
communication
right now?

46. Pro/Axios
We offer plainspoken guidance for those
who do the work.
 Check out the Rapid Diagnostic @ www.ProAxios.com
 info@proaxios.com
 651-302-1574
 Minneapolis, MN, USA
 @DrJimBohn
5/19/2014
Organizational Insight Leading to Organizational Transformation