Every organization, at some point in its existence, faces uncertainty and challenging times, whether it's a new technology that threatens a product line, increased competition, or general economic conditions that necessitate a total rethink of the entire business and its sustainability. For many organizations, this is a reality today. The global economic crisis will leave few untouched and already we are seeing how the effects of a tighter credit market, a slowing in consumer spending, and a general malaise in the local and national economy are affecting business. As business leaders we need to expect and understand that tough times are a reality of the natural cycle of business. While there are many things we can control in the normal course of business, outside factors like those we are dealing with today, pose a particularly difficult challenge.

So, it's times like this that demand strong leadership. We have the opportunity to step up and demonstrate to our employees, our shareholders and our customers a focus and vision that will sustain the organization in the short term, and make it a viable, stronger entity as we inevitably emerge from this part of the cycle. At the heart of every organization are the people and they are looking to you for leadership now, like never before. Mostly they are looking at leadership to be able to provide some tangible degree of vision, direction, and a plan that will bring the team together on a unified mission. Your people are also looking for leadership to manage the anxiety of uncertainty, to motivate them and to establish and maintain a sense of calm.

In many cases, business leaders default to an authoritative style of management in tough times, thinking that someone who can dictate or provide a more "command-and-control" style of behaviour will be more effective. In fact a leader who can effectively communicate, energize his team, and articulate a concise vision and roadmap is far more effective in times like these. When you are evaluating the style of leadership in your own organization, think of these six building blocks;

Articulate the Vision and Values

- Employees need a roadmap. They need to understand where the organization is going and to have an idea of how they are going to get there. An executive needs to explain the end game, how the company will navigate tough times and get people excited about how they will win in the marketplace.

-

Provide Focus

- While a long-term vision is critical to portray the end state, employees must also understand what's important over the next 12-18 months. One of the most common concerns in organizations today is that as they get leaner and meaner, workloads are becoming greater than many individuals can handle. Therefore, employees are prioritizing and making choices on their jobs daily. If they don't understand the four or five things that are critical to success, they may not select work priorities that will have the greatest impact.

-

Develop Line of Sight

- As employees perform their jobs, do they understand how the work they are doing contributes to the organization's success and survival? At a hockey game, the score is always visible, so everyone understands what they have to do to win. No matter where employees are in the organization, they want (and should) see the score, and know that what they are doing is helping their team win.

Walk the Talk

- This is a phrase that we hear a lot, but how often do we really get serious about making sure we are in fact walking the talk? When you determine key messages for employees, do you ensure that leaders have a plan to walk each one of them? Are leaders making the same sacrifices? Do you have the commitment to eliminate a particular message if you can't tell leadership how to walk the talk to support it? Employees need to understand that leadership will back up their words with actions. This is how trust is built in an organization.

Listen

- As leaders move higher and higher in an organization, their communication often begins to rely more on making speeches and sending out formal memos. It is important to remember that no matter where someone is in an organization, he or she must take the time to listen to what employees are saying. Communication should be 60 per cent listening and 40 per cent talking. There are a number of ways to improve executive listening, including e-chats, teleconferences, walk-arounds, informal meetings with small groups of people, etc. Be visible, listen with genuine concern, be authentic and you'll be amazed at the impact it will have on moral.

Recognize

- Recognizing people who are contributing to the organization's success is one of the most powerful, inexpensive and quick things an executive can do. This doesn't mean an employee-of-the-month program or a competition for trips to Hawaii. The most powerful form of recognition occurs when a leader simply walks up to a person who has done a good job and says, "thank you."

There's no better time than now to evaluate your leadership and management communication style. Using these six building blocks will help you better understand your role as a leader in communicating and engaging employees to deliver on the business strategy and to help guide them through uncertainty. It's about more than survival. You have the opportunity now to set the stage for an organization that emerges stronger, better aligned and ready to win in the future.

Jeff Moffatt, Vice-President, Client Services

Right Management

To contact Jeff, e-mail jeff.moffatt@right.com or call 613-230-1311 ext. 234

Right Management is the leading global provider of integrated human capital consulting solutions. We offer much more than advice. We partner with our clients to help them achieve sustainable business results. Our four areas of expertise include talent attraction and assessment; leadership development; employee engagement and alignment; and career transition. Right Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Manpower Inc.

To read more Business Matter articles from Right Management, click on:

http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/businessmatters4.php