Do You Have a Powerful Presence?

Getting in touch with your people

In my consulting practice, I am continually reminded that leaders often have no idea how much they influence, and are restricted by, what they are allowed to hear.  Being “in touch” with what is going on in your organization and the activities of your key people is critical to your decision making.  As a leader in a powerful position you always need to be careful with your time.  As a result you are continually putting out messages about what you are willing to listen to and what those around you are better off not bringing up.  The problem comes in knowing what is being filtered.  What patterns have people around you developed in communicating with you?  What do your people tell you and what do they withhold that you need to know? 

I recently spent some time with a business owner who would give his staff assignments; they would go off and work hard on them and bring back something very different from what the leader was expecting.  This has been a repeating issue for some time. 

I brought his key people together with him and we started talking about the most recent situation where the product did not meet expectation.  As I watched the discussion it became clear the leader was being allowed to totally dominate the discussion.  When he would give direction people listened, but no one asked questions or challenged what he was saying.  In addition, when a thought came to him about an entirely unrelated topic, he would go off in that direction without being brought back to finish the original discussion.  As a result each person scrambled to put together, in their own head, what they thought the message was from their bits and pieces of information.

Allow for open communication

This leader’s staff has a lot of respect for him and cares about him.  In addition, they have gotten some sharp responses in the past and are not eager to be seen as not knowing what they are doing.  He had no idea about the pattern that had been built up -- that he was restricting information that was essential for people to be able to do their jobs.  The leader was unconsciously only allowing one way communication.

In the meeting I identified the pattern and pointed out examples during the discussion.   Once I had called attention to the pattern and legitimized different responses to the leader’s behavior, the staff understood and were willing to speak up.  I am not naïve enough to believe this one meeting is going to change an established pattern; this is a step in the right direction.  We do have an ongoing coaching relationship, however, and I’ll keep tabs on progress.

If you have a powerful presence here are questions to ask yourself.  How often do I get the result I have in mind?  Do I frequently feel frustrated with my staff?  What kinds of communication do I encourage?  Would it be helpful to have an outsider help me sort out my communication patterns?

Open and focused communication is essential for any business. You can make changes that improve information flow in your organization. 

About the Author: Ken Kasner is president of Positive Options, Inc. Dr. Kasner specializes in helping organizations with hiring and pre-employment selection systems, executive coaching, organizational change, team building and planning.  For comments or questions, his phone number is 602-357-4399 or his e-mail address is: ken.kasner@gmail

Being “in touch” with what is going on in your organization and the activities of your key people is critical to your decision making.