Why Managers are Afraid of Talking to their Teams

Zillable
Zillable
Aug 24, 2017 · 4 min read

So, you’re a manager. The position that you have been entrusted with doesn’t automatically mean that you are an inherently skilled communicator. You have to be able to play the part to the best of your abilities if you want to be an effective manager. Part of being an effective manager is being able to impart constructive feedback — whether positive or negative — to one’s team in an honest and direct manner. And it’s never as easy as it sounds.

A recent survey shows that a vast majority of managers (69%) have difficulties communicating their ideas and feedback to their assigned team. These difficulties can stem from a sheer discomfort with critiquing or chastising their employees. This is especially true when these managers know that their employees don’t respond well to negative feedback.

“69% of managers have difficulties communicating their ideas and feedback to their team.”

Another survey seems to affirm the trend of managers just being reluctant to speak out. Consequently, a whopping 85% of employees are just downright discontented with the state of the culture of communication in their offices. And that is an important statistic to take note of because it has been shown that around 81% of the workforce will always prioritize working for a company that values “open communication” within its offices.

“81% of the workforce prioritize working for a company that values “open communication”.”

So it begs to ask the question, given that employees are all for open communication, why do so many managers fail to rise to the challenge?

There are a multitude of possible reasons as to why managers are uncomfortable with engaging in open dialogues with their teams. Some of these may include:

  • They don’t want to hurt the feelings of their team with negative feedback.
  • They are afraid of facing the probable tension and drama that arises from criticisms.
  • They don’t understand that part of being a manager is being able to build connections.
  • They don’t see the long-term benefits that a culture of open communication can bring to a team.

“Managers build connections among the team members.”

These are only a few of the many probable reasons as to why managers shy away from communicating with their teams. In any case, a lack of proper communication is an issue that needs to be addressed within any competitive organization. The companies that offer the best practices when it comes to communication are those that always utilize all the proper tools and resources at their disposal. Communication and productivity apps like Zillable offer managers and employees alike a conducive platform for engaging in free and open real-time dialogue. Whether it’s one-on-one conversations between a manager and team member or full-on team collaborations for a single project, Zillable is able to offer teams exactly what they need. It’s an all-in-one communication tool that allows for the seamless sharing of files and exchange of ideas between multiple users on various channels. It’s important for managers to always take advantage of whatever tools they can get their hands on to create a nurturing environment that welcomes open discussion.

“Bring all your communications in one place.”

Building a strong culture of communication in a company isn’t a small feat, but it doesn’t always have to be so complicated. Here are a few tips that managers could take advantage of to foster a more conducive environment for open communication with their teams:

  • Practice professionalism with a personal flair. Remember that while you are a person of power and influence, you are still dealing with fellow human beings. Be direct with your points, but also understand that you have to consider taking a personal approach as well.
  • Make sure to always make yourself available for feedback as well. Part of being able to be a good communicator is being a good listener. You can’t expect your team to want to listen to what you have to say if you yourself don’t offer them the same kind of respect.
  • Be consistent with your presence. When you do have some important chats or discussions with your team, make sure that you are able to diffuse any tension or pressure by maintaining your presence. You have to be able to be consistent with your communication efforts so that you can normalize this kind of culture.
  • Emphasize the importance of paying attention to the details while being mindful of the bigger picture. Lastly, always make sure that your team sees the value in what they are doing every single day. Make sure that they understand the importance of all the work that they do and how everything ties into the bigger picture.

Now while it’s important to have the proper tools and resources in place to establish a strong culture of communication, managers must also understand the proper approach in the usage and implementation of communication technologies. There are no limits to a team or organization’s potential for innovation, effectiveness, and efficiency when you pair the wisdom of a skilled manager with the right set of tools to get the job done.

About Zillable:

Zillable™ is the world’s first team collaboration network for innovation-on-demand. Zillable is a secured communication and collaboration hub that provides teams with an awesome, intelligent network that bridges minds and workflows by putting all the right tools in one place. With Zillable, you can chat, get more done and remember everything. Native features to the platform include chat, note-taking, document collaboration, boards, mindmapping and much more. We help you and your team get all of your work and communication into one place, eliminating information silos created by today’s “an-app-for-that” culture. By putting everything in one place, on one platform, and making it easier to share, we make collaborating — and, ultimately, innovation — possible.

via [Zillabe Blog]

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Zillable

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Zillable

Zillable is the world’s first intelligent social and collaboration network that brings innovation-on-demand around the world. https://www.zillable.com

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