A leader’s job is a highly demanding profession that requires flexibility, the ability to motivate and correctly distribute tasks. Communication is a crucial skill, as it is at the very core of leadership. With its help, the manager communicates to employees their goals and objectives and helps in difficult situations. The success of the entire organization directly depends on how well the communication between managers and employees of the company is established.
Advantages of Effective Communication
One of the most essential qualities of a leader is diligence. The leader achieves the set goals and thereby sets an example for his employees. On this “said – done” basis, trust is built between subordinates and the leader. Communication built on trust and confidence in each other is the hallmark of effective leader communication. What is more, nowadays, large streams of information pass through all people every minute: from news feed to work tasks. It often takes time for employees to delve into and immerse themselves in their subject matter. To save subordinates’ precious time and effort, the manager communicates complex thoughts and algorithms to them in simple language. For this, the leader must not only have high intellectual abilities but also be a subtle psychologist to accurately capture the moment of understanding on the faces of his employees.
Communication outside the topics of the workflow is an equally important advantage of the leader. Emotional contact established between a leader and employees increases the trust and performance of subordinates (Stacho et al., 2019). They, in turn, clearly understanding and knowing which vector they adhere to and who, in case of a problematic situation, will provide first aid, are confident in their abilities, and show more positive results. Leader initiative will allow employees not to be afraid of their mistakes and work better to correct them, despite the risks.
Despite all its positive qualities, the leader needs partners. Multiple points of view on a problem can change a leader’s decision. Ideas shared in a general council can lead to unexpected and more correct strategies. Therefore, effective communication built by a leader is a bridge between him and his partners. A leader must be able to not only speak effectively but also listen attentively and carefully.
Disadvantages of Ineffective Communication
If the manager does not follow the “said-done” principle by his actions and does not know how to deftly correct mistakes, then this situation leads to doubts about the employees. They have the right to question the leader’s competence and, accordingly, the entire enterprise for which they work. Procrastination of problems motivated by fear of risks is highly contagious and can affect partners as a bad example.
Without establishing personal, informal communication with his subordinates, the leader runs the risk of being in the form of a formidable leader, who will be feared no less than the decisions he makes. This lack of flexibility does not lead to effective communication, as employees will try to contact the manager as little as possible (Thompson, 2018). Consequently, such a development of events can lead to a more significant number of mistakes made due to uncoordinated actions.
Conclusion
Effective communication is a necessary component of any organization striving for growth. To a large extent, it depends on the leader’s abilities: contacts employees, how he identifies problems and solves them, and what kind of example he sets. The lack of such skills can lead to irreparable consequences – from a drop in employee performance indicators to a complete team breakdown. Although a leader must possess a host of abilities such as initiative, high intelligence, and competent knowledge of his field, communication is essential.
References
Stacho, Z., Stachová, K., Papula, J., Papulová, Z., & Kohnová, L. (2019). Effective communication in organisations increases their competitiveness. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 19(1), 391-403. Web.
Thompson, N. (2018). Effective communication: A guide for the people professions. Macmillan International Higher Education.