Healthy Communication in an Organization
Over the years I’ve seen, and I’m sure you have too, that the proximate cause of dysfunction, confusion, morale issues, and so much more comes down to effective communication in an organization. It has to be at all levels, of course. Good communication might happen at the top but not trickle down. Or supervisors and managers ensure people feel informed and know how they fit into the bigger picture. This action-level management helps line employees by distilling things into details they understand, bringing clarity to how they fit into the bigger picture.
One super simple litmus test is whether people feel free enough to crack jokes around, or about, their leader—or the collective leadership above them. In other words, if people feel comfortable enough to crack jokes in your presence, that’s a good sign. And even better is if they can make fun of you a bit. Both of those together are a field-craft way to gauge communications health.
How I like to state this is: “If the people who work for you make jokes in your presence, especially poking fun at you, then you probably have healthy communication going on. Regardless, they ARE talking about you, so if you aren’t hearing it in person, they are doing it behind your back.”
Another point: how you react immediately after hearing bad news will be a defining point others have about you. Do you regularly flip out, go “drama queen” mode? (The cliche “don’t kill the messenger” exists for a reason). You can have a rare insta-righteous-anger reaction, and folks may let it go because your usual response is reasonable. You accomplish this by taking a beat before responding.
All of this points to the idea of psychological safety. In lay terms, psychological safety is how comfortable people feel speaking freely around you. If they feel more psychologically safe to have an opinion, that’s healthy communication. This freedom to speak without reprisal is something leaders must cultivate. When it is established and cultivated, it will save heartache, prevent you from getting blindsided, and possibly save you from losing good leaders who work for you. It’s especially important to rely on during times of change and crisis.
These concepts, and their practical use, will be part of what we share via various means, so don’t think this morsel is the full meal.
