3. Communicating as a Manager
According to the American Management Association, a communication skills set is one of the six
core competencies a manager needs to develop. One reason is that effective communication
between managers and employees is essential for an organization to succeed. Managers
communicate so that their employees know what is expected of them, understand what it is that
they’re doing correctly, and identify where they might need to improve. Clear communication
also helps to increase employees’ motivation and commitment.
The results of unclear communication can be costly: poor performance and work quality,
inefficiency, inability to achieve goals, misunderstandings, frustration, disappointment, anger,
reduced job satisfaction, and increased turnover. Learning to communicate effectively with
employees helps you in several ways. You will have better relationships with your employees,
encounter fewer problems, and achieve your goals more easily, making you more valuable to
your organization. The ability to communicate clearly is an essential management skill that can
make your job more fulfilling and improve your career prospects.
Introduction
4. Communicating as a Manager
Reasons for communicating with your employees fall into these broad categories:
• Share information
• Convey expectations and set performance objectives
• Explain, teach, guide, and coach
• Provide performance feedback
• Identify and resolve problems
• Encourage and influence
Why Managers Communicate with Employees
5. Communicating as a Manager
Many of your communications undoubtedly go smoothly. But some can be unproductive, and
others can be difficult. Below are some of the obstacles that can make it difficult to communicate
clearly.
• Lack of time (real or perceived)
• Distractions (mental and physical)
• Inability or unwillingness to see another person’s point of view
• Assumptions about the facts, the other person’s intentions or feelings, or how the person is
likely to respond
• Unclear, vague, inconsistent, or competing goals and expectations
• Fear of hurting someone’s feelings or being seen as unknowledgeable
• Hidden agendas
• Lack of rapport and trust
• Gender, culture, age, and status differences
Obstacles to Clear Communication
6. Communicating as a Manager
Managers are more likely to communicate clearly with their employees when they:
• Have a purpose
• Leave enough time
• Listen actively
• Speak clearly and use positive language
• Avoid assumptions
• Keep an open mind
• Respect the other party
• Choose the right place, time, and communication medium
What It Takes for Managers to Communicate Clearly
7. Communicating as a Manager
Module 1:
Hearing and Understanding Your
Employees
8. Communicating as a Manager
According to the Business Dictionary Online, active listening means:
“Listening carefully with the intention of hearing and understanding what another person is
saying, and letting that person know that he or she has been heard.”
Active listening is vital for clear communication because it helps you:
• Understand what employees are thinking and feeling
• Establish rapport and build trust
• Identify questions employees need answered
• Avoid misunderstanding and frustration
• Let employees know you have heard and understand
their feelings, ideas, and concerns
The Essential Skill: Active Listening
9. Communicating as a Manager
We’re so busy these days that it can be hard to focus while someone is speaking, so active
listening takes time, effort, and attention. Here are some suggestions.
• Have a reason for listening. Knowing why you are listening helps you pay attention and avoid
distractions. Reasons might include being interested in what the person has to say, needing
the information, giving the person a chance to express ideas and feelings, or understanding
the facts of situation.
• Leave enough time, and be patient. It’s almost impossible to listen actively when you are
rushed, and it is hard for employees to express themselves when they sense that you are
impatient. When you know about a conversation in advance, block out enough time. If an
employee wants to talk when you are too busy, explain why you can’t and arrange another
time.
• Keep your attention on the speaker. Let the employee know you’re listening by avoiding
distracting behaviors, such as checking your cell phone or doodling, disinterested behaviors,
such as slumping in your chair, and mental behaviors such as “rehearsing” your response.
Instead, focus on the speaker, sit up straight, keep your body position open and relaxed, and
make eye contact.
Tips for Active Listening
10. Communicating as a Manager
• Clarify and paraphrase. Let employees know you have heard and understood them. Ask
questions to clarify: “Do you mean that…Are you saying that…?” Paraphrase what they have
said: “If I understand correctly, you think we should…So what you are saying is that…?” Make
sure you understand the employee’s message before responding.
• Keep an open mind. Assumptions about the employee’s intentions or what he or she is trying
to say make it difficult or impossible to really hear the message. Keeping an open mind makes
it easier to focus and allows you to hear things you haven’t anticipated.
• Avoid interrupting unnecessarily. Employees may need time to express themselves clearly.
Allow them to finish speaking before interjecting with your own thoughts. In particular, do not
interrupt to disagree with what an employee is saying. If the person seems to need help, wait
for a pause and ask encouraging, clarifying questions, such as, “Could you tell me more
about…?” and “Do you mean …?”
• “Listen” to nonverbal communication. A person’s posture, facial expression, and tone of
voice can convey as much information as their words, reinforcing or contradicting what he or
she is saying. Be alert for body language that is inconsistent with what the person is saying. If
appropriate, ask questions to clarify your impression: “I sense that you would like to say more
about…” “I have the impression that you feel upset by….”
Tips for Active Listening (continued)
11. Communicating as a Manager
Read the question, then click on the answer.
Which is essential for active listening?
Test Your Knowledge
A. Showing you are paying attention by staring into the speaker’s eyes.
B. Closing the door to your office to keep the conversation private.
C. Focusing on the speaker and avoiding distractions.
D. Interrupting the speaker as needed to clarify your understanding.
13. Communicating as a Manager
So far in this course, we’ve focused on one very important part of communication: listening. A
conversation, however, has two parts. Let’s examine the other key part: getting your message
across.
When managers do not convey their messages clearly, employees may not be able to do their
jobs successfully. Getting your message across clearly helps you in these ways:
• Ensures that employees understand what to do and have the information they need
• Helps to avoid misunderstandings that can damage relationships, interfere with job
performance, and reduce job satisfaction
• Increases employees’ motivation and commitment
Getting Your Message Across
14. Communicating as a Manager
Simply saying something doesn’t necessarily mean that the other person has received and
understood your message. When someone is not performing or responding as you expected, one
of the first questions to ask yourself is, “Did I convey my message clearly enough?” Let’s examine
how to make sure that the messages you send are clear.
• Choose the right medium for the message. If employees need only straightforward
information, you might be able to communicate by email or text message. But use face-to-
face or phone conversations for any messages are on sensitive topics and/or require a
dialogue.
• Choose the right time and place. Like listening, conveying clear messages takes time. Set up a
time that’s convenient for both you and the employee. Then pick the best place for the
conversation – your office, the employee’s workstation, the cafeteria, a conference room – or
a nearby park for a walk together.
• Think about your audience. Your employees are not all the same. When deciding how best to
convey your message, focus on the individual you’ll be talking to. How much does that person
already know about the situation? What kind of relationship do you have with that employee?
Are there any age, gender, or cultural differences you need to take into account?
Tips for Conveying Clear Messages
15. Communicating as a Manager
• Know what you want to say. Your messages will be far more focused and helpful if you do a
little planning. Make sure you know why you’re communicating and what you want to say. Is
the purpose to give the employee information about a task or project, a schedule change, or a
new policy? To discuss his or her goals? Provide performance feedback? Explain an upcoming
organization-wide change? If the message is complicated or difficult, it will help to write down
the key points you hope to get across.
• Be specific and to the point. Vague, rambling messages leave employees confused and
uncertain about what you were trying to say. To avoid missed information and
misunderstandings, use specific language, focus on the facts, and provide examples to
illustrate your points.
• Be accurate and honest. You may be tempted to tell employees only what you think they
should know. But leaving out or distorting key information damages trust and may leave
crucial gaps in the employee’s knowledge. Be truthful when conveying messages, and if there
is essential information you cannot share, say why. Keep your words and body language
consistent. Discrepancies between what you say and your facial expressions, posture, or tone
of voice may imply that you are not telling the truth, leaving out something important, or
have a hidden agenda.
Tips for Conveying Clear Messages (continued)
16. Communicating as a Manager
• Speak clearly and make eye contact. If you mumble, speak too quickly, or speak too softly,
your employees may not be able to understand you or may miss important details. Making
eye contact as you speak lets you know whether the employee is following your points.
• Use positive language when possible. Even when you need to convey a difficult message, try
to use positive language. Instead of saying, “You did a terrible job on that report,” say, “The
report had some problems that I would like to discuss.” Instead of, “No, you can’t take Friday
off,” say, “I wish I could give you Friday off, but I need you to cover the reception desk. Let’s
see what other day might work.”
• Ask questions to make sure you have been heard and understood. Managers often assume
employees have gotten their messages, only to discover later that the person has missed
important information or misunderstood what they meant to say. To make sure you have
conveyed your message clearly, you can ask questions that let you know whether the
employee heard you correctly. You can also ask the person to summarize what you said so you
can spot and correct anything he or she might have missed or misunderstood.
Tips for Conveying Clear Messages (continued)
17. Communicating as a Manager
Read the question, then click on the answer.
Which is a recommended way to make sure that you get your message across?
Test Your Knowledge
A. Ask yourself, “Are there any age, gender, or cultural differences to consider?”
B. Write a detailed “script” and study it in advance.
C. Whenever possible, use e-mail so the employee can study it.
D. Ask the employee to give you a written summary of your key points.
18. Communicating as a Manager
Module 3:
Using Communication to Manage
Performance
19. Communicating as a Manager
We’ve explored the two essential communication skills, active listening and clearly conveying
your message. In this module, you’ll learn how to use those skills to manage your employees’
performance.
Employees want to do a good job. But they can only meet performance expectations when they
know what those expectations are and have clear performance goals. To make sure that
employees understand what results, actions, and behaviors you expect from them:
• Be complete and specific. Describe and explain the essential functions, tasks, and
responsibilities of the job. Be thorough and detailed—vague statements and leaving out
essential information can set employees up for failure. Instead of, “I expect you to be prompt
and reliable,” say, “You need to be at your desk by 8:30 every morning.” Instead of, “You will
be responsible for preparing reports for production,” say, “Your tasks include proofreading
team’s reports….”
• Check the employee’s understanding. Managers sometimes tell employees what they are
expected to do, give them a pat on the back, and walk away. Before ending the conversation,
ask the employee to restate or summarize the essential points so you can clarify as needed.
Tips for Conveying Performance Expectations
20. Communicating as a Manager
• Encourage employees to ask questions. Employees, especially those who are new to the job,
may hesitate to ask questions because they are concerned about appearing
unknowledgeable. Encourage questions by saying something like, “I may have left something
important out—what questions do you have?”
• Make sure the employee knows how to do the job. Employees may need very clear
instructions and explanations to be able to meet expectations. Provide those instructions and
explanations, and check to make sure the employee understands them.
Tips for Conveying Performance Expectations (continued)
21. Communicating as a Manager
In addition to helping employees understand what they are expected to do, you will use your
communication skills to work with them to set performance goals. Those goals help employees
do the right work by focusing on the expected outcome or results. They also provide a way to
measure the employee’s success. Setting performance goals is a collaborative process involving a
great deal of communication between managers and their employees. Here are some tips for
helping employees develop their goals.
• Leave enough time for the goal-setting conversations. It may take several meetings for you
and the employee to settle on effective, relevant, realistic goals. Rushing the process may
result in wasted time and effort, so block out the necessary time.
• Help employees set their own goals by asking lots of questions. Involving the employee in
the goal-setting process increases motivation and the likelihood of success. Your job is to help
the employee focus on where he or she is going and how to get there. That means asking the
right kinds of questions, such as, “What results or outcome are you aiming for?” “How will
you know when you have succeeded?” “What will it take for you to...?”
Tips for Setting Performance Goals
22. Communicating as a Manager
• When you and the employee have agreed on a set of goals, write them down. Writing the
agreed-upon goals down together helps to ensure that you and the employee have the same
understanding of what those goals are. When putting goals in writing, also check to see that
they include a timeline and are specific, relevant, achievable, and measurable.
• Meet regularly with the employee to review progress. The conversation is not over when the
goals have been put in writing. Set up regular times to discuss progress, including any issues
or changes that might affect the employee’s ability to achieve goals. Just as you did when
helping the employee set goals, focus these meetings on questions: “What’s going well?”
“What issues have come up?” “Are there any additional resources you need?”
Tips for Setting Performance Goals (continued)
23. Communicating as a Manager
One resource employees often need while they are working towards their goals is coaching. We
think of coaching mostly in relation to athletics. But coaches also help people on the job do their
best by:
• Providing feedback about what the person is doing right and what he or she needs to do
differently
• Making suggestions without telling people how to do things
• Helping to identify and resolve issues that hinder success
Coaching to Help Employees Succeed
24. Communicating as a Manager
Coaches continually communicate with the person they are coaching. For coaching to be
effective, those communications must be clear.
• Ask whether the employee wants coaching. Coaching will be successful only if the employee
agrees to be coached. Bring up the idea by saying something like, “I would like to help you
succeed. Would you like me to give you feedback on your performance and suggest ways of
achieving your goals?”
• Ask what level of coaching the employee wants. Some people welcome a high level of
coaching, while others would prefer that you only check in with them from time to time. Let
employees tell you what level of coaching they want, and respect their wishes.
• Focus on asking questions. Instead of telling employees what they should do, use questions
to help them make discoveries on their own. For example: “How did you think that
presentation went? Is there anything you would do differently the next time?”
• Make suggestions instead of giving advice. Suggestions guide employees, letting them decide
whether to do something or do it a certain way, while advice implies that you know the right
way to do it. It’s often a difference of wording. Advice might be a firm, “You should spend
more time preparing for client meetings,” while a suggestion might be, “One way to feel more
confident about client meetings might be to take an extra couple of hours to prepare.”
Tips for Coaching Employees
25. Communicating as a Manager
An important part of your job is to help employees succeed by giving them feedback on their
performance. Feedback helps employees in these ways:
• Lets them know what they are doing well and what they need to do differently
• Helps them identify and solve problems before they escalate
• Increases their motivation and commitment
• Helps them grow and develop
Giving Performance Feedback
26. Communicating as a Manager
Like all communications with employees, giving useful feedback takes time and attention. Follow
these suggestions to ensure that the feedback you give your employees is focused and helpful.
• Think of Feedback as a useful tool. We tend to think of feedback in terms of general
comments meant to praise or criticize employees. Instead, consider both positive and
negative feedback as useful because it helps employees stay motivated, keep on track, and
meet their goals.
• Choose the right time and place. Employees are generally uncomfortable receiving feedback
in public, even when that feedback is positive. They may have difficulty hearing what you say
if the feedback is given when they are very busy or distracted. Select a private place in which
both you and the employee will be comfortable, and choose a time when you can both focus
on the conversation.
Tips for Giving Useful Feedback
27. Communicating as a Manager
• Be specific. Using concrete language and including examples helps employees understand the
feedback. Instead of, “You did a great job,” say, “Your presentation was clear, specific, and
complete.” Instead of, “Your work is sloppy,” say, “Your last three reports were filled with
errors.”
• Focus on facts, behavior, and results, not on the person. Feedback is more useful when you
focus on what employees can change rather than on their personality or personal traits.
Instead of, “You have a bad attitude,” say, “The last three times Marcia asked for help, you
told her to find someone else.”
• Ask questions. It’s easy to assume an employee’s intentions. But assumptions are not facts,
and you can be wrong. Instead of saying, “I know that you hate the Friday meetings,” say,
“How do you feel about the Friday meetings?” Asking questions helps you understand what’s
really going on so that if there is a problem, you can work with the employee to address it.
• Encourage employees to respond. Employees need a chance to tell you how they feel about
the feedback, ask questions, and discuss issues and concerns that may be impacting their
performance. To encourage responses, say something like, “What do you think might be going
on?” or “What do you think you’d like to do about this?” or “What else can you tell me
about….?”
Tips for Giving Useful Feedback (continued)
28. Communicating as a Manager
To be successful, employees must not only know what they are expected to do, but how to do it
and also continue to develop new knowledge and to build new skills and abilities. Helping them
to learn requires time, patience, resources, support and clear communication. Explaining,
clarifying, and giving feedback are essential to the learning process. Follow these tips:
• Provide a context. Explain why what employees are learning is important, including how it
relates to their responsibilities and their goals.
• Involve the employee in the learning process. Although explanations and demonstrations are
necessary parts of the process, few employees learn simply by listening and watching. Ask
questions to help them think about what they are learning, let them practice, give them
feedback, and help them learn from their mistakes.
• Reinforce their efforts. It’s easy to get discouraged when learning something new. Encourage
employees to keep trying by empathizing with their frustration and demonstrating that you
are confident in their ability to succeed: “I know that it’s difficult to … you are doing great.”
Tips for Helping Employees Learn
29. Communicating as a Manager
• Give them enough time. We don’t become proficient at new skills overnight. It takes a certain
amount of time and patience. Make sure the employee has that time and understands that
you don’t expect results immediately .
• Break it down. Complicated tasks are much easier to learn when broken into manageable
chunks. Once you have helped the employee understand the objective of the learning
process, help him or her identify those segments or steps and tackle them one at a time.
• Allow mistakes. Mistakes are a crucial part of the learning process. Remember the old adage:
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Be careful not to expect mastery the first few
times employees try something new. And don’t step in right away to correct them—let them
try to figure it out on their own. If they come to you for help, you can say, “That was a good
try. What do you think you could do differently?
• Provide the necessary resources and support. In addition to time, employees may require
resources such as manuals, tutorials, or equipment on which they can practice. They may
need formal training, such as a workshop or course. Help them identify and obtain the
necessary resources. Then offer support by regularly checking in to see how things are going.
Tips for Helping Employees Learn (continued)
30. Communicating as a Manager
Read the question, then click on the answer.
Which statement conveys performance expectations clearly?
Test Your Knowledge
A. You need to be at your desk by 8:30 each morning.
B. Please keep an eye on your arrival time.
C. You should be here when the workday starts.
D. I expect you to be prompt and reliable.
31. Communicating as a Manager
Module 4:
Communicating in Times of Uncertainty
and Change
32. Communicating as a Manager
These days, one of a manager’s most difficult jobs is managing what can sometimes be constant
uncertainty and change. You can’t keep change from happening—it’s a fact of life. But by
communicating openly about it, you can help reduce its negative impacts.
In times of uncertainty and change, employees may feel uncomfortable, unsettled, anxious, and
even frightened. Their performance may suffer because It can be difficult for them to focus when
they don’t know what’s coming. Communicating openly about change can help to:
• Avoid surprises and uncertainty by keeping people informed
• Reduce the negative effects of the “rumor mill”
• Reduce the anxiety that can interfere with employees’ motivation and performance
• Reduce distractions and keep people focused on their work
The Role of Communication When Things are Changing
33. Communicating as a Manager
Like any other situation that necessitates communication, communicating in a time of change
requires being thoughtful, paying attention, and taking enough time. To communicate effectively
in times of change and uncertainty:
• Determine how to communicate. If a change is likely to affect all the members of your team,
communicate with them at the same time. If the change affects only certain individuals
and/or involves confidential or private information, communicate with individuals one-on-
one.
• Determine the best method of communication. Most changes should be communicated face-
to-face (possibly with accompanying information in writing) so that employees have an
opportunity to ask questions and express their concerns. It may be okay to use email to
communicate about changes that do not directly affect members of your team.
• Explain what is going to happen. Explain the change clearly, including the reasons for it and
how it will affect employees. Be truthful and as specific and complete as possible.
• Encourage employees to ask questions. After explaining the change, ask, “What questions do
you have?” Be patient and listen actively. Clarify misunderstandings. If you don’t know
something, say, “I can’t answer that now, but I’ll try to find out.” If you can’t share certain
information, explain why. Let them know you’ve heard and understood their concerns.
Using Communication to Manage Change
34. Communicating as a Manager
• Acknowledge and share your own feelings. Ask yourself, “How do I feel about this change?
How is it likely to affect me?” Letting employees know that you share their concerns can help
them deal with the change themselves.
• Keep employees updated. Provide additional information face-to-face or in writing as soon as
it is available.
• Make sure messages are consistent. Employees feel more uncomfortable with change when
they get conflicting messages from you and/or from you and other parts of the organization.
Make sure your actions are consistent with your words and your words are consistent with
those of others.
• Explain that you expect focus to remain on work. A drop in performance is a common
response to uncertainty and change. Let employees know that you expect them to continue
carrying out their tasks and responsibilities during the period of change. Make an extra effort
to support, acknowledge, and praise performance. Also be alert for performance problems
related to the change, and address them right away.
Using Communication to Manage Change (continued)
35. Communicating as a Manager
In this course, you have learned what it takes to communicate effectively with your employees.
But communication skills don’t improve overnight. To become a better communicator, you need
to keep learning. Here’s how:
• Practice, practice, practice. Knowing how to communicate effectively and actually being able
to do it are different. Whenever you communicate with employees, practice the skills you
learned in this course. Over time, you will become a better and better communicator.
• Learn from your experiences. Take some time each week to reflect on the communications
you have had with your employees. Think about what went well, and what you might have
done differently. Then let your reflections inform your practice.
• Get feedback. It can be difficult to recognize
what we are doing well and what we need to
improve. Ask employees and others for
feedback on how you are doing when
communicating.
• Take classes. You can never learn too much.
Courses on communication skills, like this
one, can help you hone your skills.
Tips for Continuing to Improve Your Communication
36. Communicating as a Manager
Read the question, then click on the answer.
You have just learned that your company is going to have a new CEO, who will take over in four
weeks. Which would be an effective way to communicate this change to your employees?
Test Your Knowledge
A. Talk to your employees one at a time, being careful to tell them only what you think they
need to know.
B. Send the information out in an email message so everyone gets it at once and there is no
chance of misunderstanding.
C. Call a meeting as soon as possible so you can explain what is going to happen and let the
employees ask questions.
D. Wait until management sends the information out so you don’t get anything wrong.
38. Communicating as a Manager
Read the case study and answer the question that follows in order to put your skills into practice.
The Organization
Rainbow Graphics, a medium-sized graphics design firm
The People
Alan, a newly hired consultant and Soon-Yi, his manager
The Situation
Alan is preparing for his first meeting with an important client. Wanting to do his best, he has set
up an appointment with Soon-Yi so he can learn as much as possible about the client. Soon-Yi
arrives nearly ten minutes late for the meeting.
CASE STUDY—Apply What You’ve Learned
39. Communicating as a Manager
“I’m so sorry,” she says. “Traffic was terrible.” She looks at her watch. “Let’s make this quick. I’ve
got another meeting at 9:30.” She turns on her computer and opens her email. What do you
need?”
Alan slumps a little in his chair. “I’m feeling a little anxious about meeting with the Stineman
Group. I’ve heard that there was some trouble with their previous project. I really want this first
client meeting to go well.”
There is a chime from Soon-Yi’s phone. She scowls as she reads the text message on the screen.
“Don’t worry about it,” she says, her eyes still on the screen. “You’ll do fine.”
“I’m sure I will,” Alan says with more confidence than he feels. “But it would help if I knew more
about Alex Stineman and the other work we’ve done for his group. And what happened on that
project….”
“It was nothing,” Soon-Yi says. “A little misunderstanding about deadlines. We straightened it
out.” She stands up. “Look, I’ve got to go. Why don’t you stop by after the meeting and let me
know how it went.”
CASE STUDY—Apply What You’ve Learned (continued)
40. Communicating as a Manager
1. What could Soon-Yi have done differently to be more helpful in this situation?
Review the suggested answer on the following slide.
CASE STUDY—Question to Consider
41. Communicating as a Manager
1. What could Soon-Yi have done differently to be more helpful in this situation?
Soon-Yi could have done the following to help address Alan’s concerns and help him prepare
for the meeting:
• Reserved enough time for the meeting
• Focused on Alan instead of letting herself be distracted by her computer and cell phone
• Listened actively to make sure that she heard and understood Alan’s questions and
concerns
• Acknowledged Alan’s concerns and assured him that she understood them
• Answered Alan’s questions clearly and encouraged him to ask any additional questions he
might have had
CASE STUDY—Suggested Answer
42. Communicating as a Manager
By now you should be able to:
• Recognize the situations in which it is most necessary for managers to communicate with
their employees.
• Understand the role of active listening in effective communication.
• Identify ways to clearly convey your message.
• Effectively communicate performance expectations and performance goals.
• Coach employees and provide useful feedback.
• Facilitate the learning processes for employees as they take on new tasks and responsibilities.
• Implement strategies for communicating in times of change and uncertainty.
Congratulations!
44. Communicating as a Manager
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