More Than Words. - Mission Partners

“I’m not very good with words.”

Over my 20+ years in social impact communications, I’ve heard this little phrase vocalized more than any other: from the leaders of global nonprofits to the founders of successful, venture-backed startups. I’ve heard some of the best public communicators out there tell me, discreetly, that they struggle to communicate.

Here’s the important nuance: Very rarely do I hear leaders express challenges about how to communicate technically: about their work, their product, or their business model. The challenge often lies squarely in one place: interpersonal communications.

When I started in the field of social impact communications in the early 2000s, I didn’t yet understand how deeply connected the personal communications skills of a leader would be to an organization’s overall impact. When I reflect though, I realize that among the hundreds of organizations I’ve worked with over these past 20 years, one factor can determine if an organization will be effective at moving its mission forward: the human factor.

I connected these dots in early 2020, as employers were grappling with the pandemic and renewed calls for racial justice. The global workforce put its gaze on leadership, taking notice of leaders who prioritized people, first. And I took notice of something, too: Some leaders rose to the moment while many others struggled, mightily. When I looked closer, the ones who struggled to find their words were often the same ones getting harsh pushback from their employees and seeing greater numbers of “unexplained” resignations.”

Ouch.

I don’t doubt the well-placed intentions of these organizations to advance equitable policies and procedures. Truly, I believe many organizations want to build workplaces that work for everyone. But when it comes to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, there remains a near-daily stream of examples of when those intentions go awry. Sometimes, these commitments are performative, and those efforts are doomed from the start. But other times, it’s because the intention gets lost in the delivery. How we communicate gets in the way of what we’re trying to communicate, which makes any well-intentioned communications go wrong.

The truth is, leaders and managers know exactly what’s at stake when it comes to building a more inclusive and equitable workplace. In an era when personal identities are complicated by nuanced expressions of gender, race, religion, nationality, language and much more, organizational leaders are attempting to become even more sensitive. But they feel ill-equipped to communicate through these moments as they’re expected to do, effortlessly.

Case in point: According to a recent Catalyst survey, 68% of employees believe their organization’s coronavirus-related policies for the care and safety of their workers were not genuine. In White-majority countries, three-quarters of employees also reported that their organization’s racial equity policies were not genuine.

If you’re caught up in the words, connecting genuinely can feel even more daunting.

Earlier this summer, Harvard Business Review released a report detailing the C-Suite skills that matter most. On top of the list, no surprise, was empathy. More important than technical prowess, superior administrative skills, or a track record of effective management are people skills—and even more specifically, interpersonal communications skills. “The ability to listen, relate, and understand what employees are experiencing—that has separated good leaders from great ones during the pandemic, and may hold the key to keeping employees engaged during what’s been termed the “Great Resignation,” said the authors. This finding was replicated in the Catalyst survey mentioned above, where a key determinant in whether employees perceived Covid-related and racial equity policies positively was, once again, leader empathy.

Turns out, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. It matters to your employees, to your teams, and to your long-term organizational impact.

So, the next time you struggle to find the words, pause and listen first. Understand what people are experiencing, and how they’re experiencing it. And use those insights to inform your words and your actions. You don’t need to have all the answers, and you don’t need to get all the words just right. But you do need to show you genuinely care.

This is week 35 of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.