As leaders, we are the carriers of the vision. It’s crystal clear to us. Often, because of this, we under-communicate either because we feel it should be equally as clear to everyone else or out of fear of repeating ourselves to the point of being annoying. However, as a leader, you really can’t over-communicate. Here’s why:
3 Reasons A Leader Should “Over-Communicate”
- They Will Forget – As the leader, you live and breathe the vision. It makes up who you are. The people around you are simply following you. They will never be as clear on the vision as you are, so it’s your job to continually keep it in front of them. Otherwise, they’ll forget what’s most important.
- They Will Get Distracted and Veer Off Course – It’s quite easy to veer off course when the vision and goal is lost. Even if they’ve bought into the vision, they still need to be reminded of what matters most. Your continual communication is what guides them along and helps them to stay the course.
- They Aren’t Mind Readers – A boss of mine once told me, “It’s your job to read my mind.” Though that might sound outlandish, he was right. For what I was doing, my job really was to anticipate what he wanted to do next. However, that is not something that can happen in a short amount of time. Being able to understand your leader that well takes a whole lot of communication and a solid relationship. For now, don’t expect anyone to be able to read your mind. Communicate, communicate, communicate.
In conclusion, you really cannot over-communicate to your team. Even if some of them really do get it and feel tired of hearing a certain statement or piece of information, it doesn’t hurt them to hear it again and it significantly helps those that really do need to hear it again. Communication is key to being on the same page and moving forward in unity of purpose and vision. Don’t neglect it.