Be Consistent: Leadership Begins with Effective Communication.
How well does your team communicate?
It’s not easy for me to write. I mean, I obviously know how to write, but I’m much more comfortable editing other people’s words, thoughts, and opinions. The content is already in place. The piece just needs some wordsmithing, a couple of well-placed commas, and a few grammar adjustments before it’s published.
I like it like that, but sometimes you can’t hide behind other people’s keyboards.
As part of a new effort at buckets.co, I’ve been asked to start writing. Admittedly, it’s not my strong suit, but it is something I’ve always wanted to try. If you know my father, George Hofbauer, you’d think it’s in my blood. His masterful ability to convey complex thoughts woven through storytelling, theme-building, and rooted in religious principles is truly a highly-coveted skill that he’s perfected over decades of experience.
Reaching beyond your comfort zone is difficult for many. Why is that? I think it’s because people are afraid to be judged. Afraid to be “wrong” or say something that can’t be unsaid.
It’s one thing to offer your opinion to your friends and family, but it’s completely different when it comes to the internet. As they say, “the internet never forgets.”
One of the more challenging aspects of teamwork is just that — working together as a team. Everyone has different strengths, challenges, and personalities. Some are extraverts, others are introverts. Some want to be noticed, others are more comfortable in the background.
Some like their coworkers, others don’t. Some are organized, others are not. Some are self-sufficient, others need hand-holding. Some play by the rules, others play by their rules. With so many different forces influencing any given teammate, coworker, or organization — how does anything get done correctly?
One of the more powerful, and often overlooked, leadership tools is the power of consistency. Teammates value leaders who are consistent in their behavior, temperament, and judgment. It allows for some level of prediction, expectation, and comprehension. It adds stability to the base organization. In fact, it creates a more positive environment for creative expression and thoughtful discussion to thrive.
The same is true of teammates, coworkers, and clients. Accurately completing tasks, projects, and intended goals consistently show others that you are reliable, dependable, and knowledgeable. People appreciate working with others who “get it” and help get the job done. Identifying those who have these traits naturally is highly important for leaders.
However, carefully cultivating an environment of consistency is even more important.
Leading by example benefits the entire organization. Consistent actions and behaviors from team leaders help support effective communication. Simply put: people notice, people appreciate, and people respond. In Lincoln on Leadership, a book about President Abraham Lincoln’s leadership style, Donald T. Phillips explains that:
“Every leader must realize that the power to motivate followers resides almost solely in the ability to communicate effectively.”
There are several easy ways to increase accuracy and accountability through consistent, effective communication. As a leader or manager, be consistent in your actions. When requesting the completion of a task, be sure to provide all relevant details to avoid assumptions and gray areas.
- clearly describe the intended task, project, or goal
- outline the expected steps, methods, or processes to be taken
- provide relevant notes or details to enhance comprehension or aid in completion
Taking the time to communicate effectively naturally increases the chances of the intended task, project, or goal being completed accurately and successfully. Avoiding assumptions and gray areas helps increase confidence and maintain momentum. It saves time, money, and relationships in the long run.
The desire to consistently communicate effectively, collaborate with team members, and organize all relevant details in one place are some of the driving forces behind our desire to create buckets.co and open it up to the world. We are here to help you lead, manage, and organize.
Everyone benefits from increased communication, accountability, and transparency. While there are many tools out there, my preferred option is, of course, buckets.co. If you find yourself in need of a solution to your problem, give buckets.co a shot.
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For regular updates from the Buckets team, you can also catch us on Twitter @bucketsdotco.
