Leaders often fail to realize the transformation they aspire to in their organizations. It can be challenging to create the shifts and change we see as needed and possible with large organizations and small teams. How we message can be critical to creating transformation for better tomorrows. Two simple reminders are key to effective leadership for transformation.
Why: Too Much Noise
One of the primary reasons transformational change is so hard for leaders, is all the noise. This isn’t the leader’s fault, but they have to recognize the noise to cut through it. A leader might have messaged the same things a dozen times this past month. However, I was only in the room for two of those times. And the first time, I wasn’t really listening because I was texting about my kid making it to the orthodontist on time (insert your own legitimate real life conundrum here). We also are being messaged to constantly from co-workers, social media, family text messages, email, slack, and the meeting we are currently in. This is why being explicit and repetitive are key to cutting through the noise.
Be Explicit
Leaders cannot be explicit enough. Transformational change requires clarity of thought and clear messaging. If you are unsure what it is exactly you are aiming for, you won’t be able to rally your team around it. Take time to bring your vision into precise clarity with vivid detail for you and them. This is best done in collaboration with those you are leading. Once you have precision in your thought, get absolutely clear about your message. What is the most concrete, specific, and widely shared language you can collectively rally around? If your message is about a shift to more ethical leadership and you are using terms like “ethics,” “moral,” “do the right thing,” “aspirational,” and more, few in your intended audience will connect those dots. However, if you consistently use “ethical,” your message will gain clarity, traction, and become spoken when you are not around. This is where it really starts to sing.
Be Repetitive
Nothing a leader says once will move the needle of transformational change. A single directive or comment might result in a transactional shift, not transformation. Nothing the organization’s Vice President says once shifts conversations and how we have them. However, that thing the Vice President is “always talking about” or “always saying,” can move the needle. For many leaders, they feel redundant and repetitive and boring doing this. This is understandable because they are messaging 12 times a week, plus all the time they put into prepping for that messaging. They have “heard” it two dozen times. However, as in our example above, I may have only been in the room twice and the first time I wasn’t really paying attention. It’s not about how often you say it. It is about how often they hear it.
Leaders who are explicit and repetitive in their messaging can shift cultures and create transformational change. What change would you like to be more explicit and repetitive about?
