Courageous Leadership Communication
6 April 2011
On Tuesday 5th April, we held our first breakfast session of the year.
In these extraordinary times, leaders are continuing to wrestle with delivering tough messages and during this session we heard how courageous communication calls for:
- Ownership of the message (even when it's not a decision made by you)
- Being able to give tough feedback
- Sharing bold decisions (being bold/making unpopular decisions)
- Going against your preferences (e.g., introverted leaders having to stand up and present)
- Overcoming fear or reaction (not letting what you think someone may think alter the giving of the message)
In high pressured environments with competing priorities, Natalie stressed the importance of leaders being able to take a step back and prepare for an effective message and be aware of the difference between the content you have to deliver and the message you want to convey.
We heard about the importance of balancing various communication channels, formal and informal, structured and unstructured and how leaders should take time to recognise where their preferences lie and the areas they need to pay more attention to - for example, the 'water cooler' conversations versus the formal townhall presentations.
Whatever the communication channel, leaders have to consistently display behavioural integrity and we heard how employees are very sensitive to, and critical of, any gap between a leaders' actions and their words.
Adrian went on to discuss how leaders can overcome the fear factor associated with delivering tough messages, and shared some of his experiences in overcoming fear of failure when performing as an Olympic swimmer.
The session, held at Kettner's Restaurant in central
If you are interested in finding out about Lane4 future events or would like any further information about this event please contact ania.dagostino@lane4.co.uk
2011-04-06