In my work with nurse managers who want to improve employee engagement, one of the most common questions I get is, “How can I possibly connect with all of my staff when I have so many people reporting to me?”
This is the second in a series of three articles about the 3 C’s of Connecting.
1. Consciously Connect
2. Consistently Communicate
3. Curiously Care
If you missed Part 1 – Consciously Connect – you can access it HERE.
Our focus today is on the importance of and tools to consistently communicate.
Consistently Communicate
Leadership communication can be a catch-as-catch-can endeavor. Unfortunately, there are so many distractions that it’s hard to consistently communicate. The most engaged teams have leaders who have mastered the art and science of regular communication. This in turn leads to employees who feel informed and knowledgeable.
Please remember that the term communication implies a 2-way street. You are part of the communication puzzle and of course your direct reports are the other part. Consistent communication allows staff to communicate with you as well so they feel like their opinions are heard. This is one of the consistent challenge areas I see in my work with healthcare organizations related to engagement.
Here are 3 ways you can work on connecting through consistent communication.
Create Communication Routines
Routines provide predictability and predictability improves trust. Routines also save you time and energy. You don’t have to build in reminders and wonder if you did something or not...it’s just part of the way you roll. When you have built in routines that ensure communication, it makes the work easier for you and your team. Many nursing leaders use huddles to communicate on a shift by shift basis. This is very helpful. Staff come to rely on receiving the information they need and you get to have face time with direct reports.
Using a framework for the huddles helps as well. One idea is to create your agenda based on your core commitments, pillars, values or strategic priorities. Use a format that focuses on what you want to reinforce. Things like engagement, safety, fiscal responsibility and patient satisfaction are a good place to start.
Allow space for the team to communicate back to you. Use an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) model for asking questions. According to David Cooperrider, “AI focuses on leveraging an organization's core strengths, rather than seeking to overcome or minimize its weaknesses.” Try steering communication efforts towards what’s working well and how you can replicate that instead of getting stuck talking about what’s broken. This works in huddles, rounding and one-on-one meetings and it saves valuable time.
Be Direct & Assertive
It may seem counter-intuitive, but most members of your team appreciate direct and assertive communication. Assertive communication includes positive body language and voice tone; however, the message itself might be positive or negative. If something is going well, you talk about it. If something isn’t going well, you talk about that too. Assertive communication takes the emotion out of the conversation so that you share your expectations and provide feedback. When your direct reports see consistent assertive communication, it decreases fear and uncertainty and increases trust and respect. It also saves you time because you are clearly communicating and everyone is on the same page.
I recently chaired a conference with human resource executives from healthcare organizations. One of the core competencies that a VP of Talent Development shared was “Giving and accepting feedback”. She made a point of saying they purposefully used the word “accepting” instead of “receiving” because those are two different things and they wanted the former. It can be tough to accept feedback if the delivery of it is punitive or condescending.
When it comes to being direct with team members, many leaders bring along baggage related to fear of conflict. If you equate being direct with uncomfortable conversations including “constructive criticism” (doesn’t that sound like an oxymoron), then it can be challenging to consistently communicate.
In The Nurse Managers Guide to Hiring, Firing & Inspiring, I introduced the DATA Driven Discussion Model™. This model drives the emotion out of feedback conversations. Give it a try today when you need to talk with someone about a desired behavior change.
Describe the situation
Be as factual as possible. Share observations not judgements. Say what you mean and avoid sarcasm. “This is the 3rd time you are late this week” versus “Nice of you to show up.”
Ask questions and listen
You want to hear the person’s version of events before you jump in with your feedback. You can’t determine what needs work if you don’t seek first to understand. Problems can stem from a lack of ability, motivation or opportunity. Ask questions first and you’ll be able to figure out which of these to focus on. Depending on the origin of the problem, the conversation will be different. “What’s going on?” is a simple question to learn more.
Talk through solutions
Avoid the temptation to fix the person or problem. I am guilty of jumping in to offer solutions to problems before I ask if someone wants my help. In this case, you could ask “What have you tried in the past to get here on time?” or “What’s a reasonable solution in your eyes?” Then talk through what works for you and the organization.
Agree on next steps
It’s easy to have a conversation and drop the ball in someone else’s lap for follow up. Don’t miss this opportunity to create an accountability loop so that you both know what the next check –in looks like.
Being direct and assertive takes practice and sometimes courage. It’s time to recognize that team members would rather have a leader who is consistent and fair and communicates assertively than someone who is passive and lets things go by without getting involved.
Communicate What, Why & How
Imagine a 3-legged stool. The stool itself represents on-the-job performance. The 3 legs are 1) what, 2) why & 3) how. When thinking about “what” – communicate the desired outcome you seek (or get the team to define that). An example might be 100% compliance with bedside shift report.
Next comes sharing why you want something done. Much has been shared related to Simon Sinek’s work related to finding the why in situations. Check out his famous TEDx talk (over 39 million views) that sparked all those conversations. When you share the why, be sure to focus on the why for the team member first. “Bedside report sets you (the caregiver) up for an easier day because you have a fuller understanding of the patient’s current circumstances and future needs.” Feel free to share other “whys” – for the patient or organization next if applicable.
Finally, focus on the how. Sometimes you can let this go. Avoid the temptation to micro-manage the how component. If someone has the motivation, skills and opportunity to master a task, then let go of how they do it. Autonomy is a key driver of engagement so this is a great place to step back and let others shine. If, on the other hand, you are unsure about the competency of the team member, don’t leave the how to chance.
Connecting with all team members takes time and effort. You can improve your current level of communication by creating routines, being direct and assertive and communicating the what, why & how. In the next article, I’ll cover how to sustain engagement with a large span of control by curiously caring.
Vicki Hess, RN, is your go-to resource for transforming employee engagement at the individual, department or organization-wide level. As the author of four books, creator of the Engagement Excelerator Virtual Coaching Program, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), trainer and consultant; Vicki inspires healthcare leaders and staff to take action in a real-world, relatable way. Organizations that implement Vicki's ideas experience increased engagement, productivity, safety, quality, retention, patient satisfaction, creativity and more. Access free tools and resources when you visit www.HealthcareEmployeeEngagement.com.