The New Rules of Communication Every Business Leader Should Know

Business trends are always coming and going, but there’s one constant that leaders can rely on: communication is key to success. How this communication looks, however, is just as sure to change shape over time. Through building multiple businesses and leading teams throughout my career, I have many thoughts and insights on communication that works. Here are the latest communication trends I believe are worth your time, and how to make them a priority in order to help your team and business thrive. 

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 

One of the biggest changes to business communication in recent years is the embracing of vulnerability. Gone are the days where executives put on a brave face and kept employees in the dark about unpleasant situations. Instead, leaders are encouraged today to speak openly about their shortcomings, failures and struggles. This includes talking about their own mental health, and inviting team members to do the same. 

From my vantage point, this is one of the most valuable modern communication trends. Nobody wins when challenges are stigmatized or companies pretend they don’t exist at all. Being vulnerable and empowering employees to be so, on the flip side, increases authenticity, strengthens relationships and improves morale. 

Of course, there’s a fine line between leading with vulnerability and becoming an over-sharer, crossing that invisible boundary of what’s professional and what’s not. Letting your team know when you’re having a rough day, feeling down or botched a client pitch are examples of honest and productive communication. Taking up meeting time to talk about your romantic troubles or disclose sensitive health details are not. Use your judgment and strive to be vulnerable and honest, while maintaining professionalism. 

Recognize It’s A Worker’s World

Millennials have been said to have high expectations for their work conditions, often being painted in an entitled light. I’ve found that this group is actually incredibly hardworking, despite holding modern views about flexible hours, remote work and work/life balance. The best leaders are those that understand both can be true, and find a way to cater to team members’ wishes while still holding them accountable to business outcomes. 

The truth is that good talent is hard to come by these days. Plus, organizations everywhere are offering great perks and attractive benefits, making it a very competitive hiring landscape. You can hang onto your team by making their hopes your priority. Schedule regular meetings (perhaps quarterly) to help employees define their goals, and offer ways to help achieve them. For example, maybe your office manager loves writing and wants to move into the marketing & PR department. Let him shadow your copywriters once per week, give him assignments to try and create a plan for this eventual transition (if it’s a good fit). 

You may not be able to accommodate every team member’s career advancement goals or personal objectives, but you can communicate how much you appreciate them by trying. Simply asking them to share what success means to them, and where they want to be in five years – and then doing your best to support them on the journey – can make all the difference in how valued they feel. 

Embrace Minimalism

Minimalism as a movement has gained steam in recent years, and its applications are endless. Whether you subscribe to the entire concept or not, there’s a lot to learn from it – and put into your business communication. Here are two I’ve found to be especially useful:

• • Pare down interruptions by paring down tech – I love technology, and use numerous devices, platforms and apps every day of my life. But there’s a point of diminishing return with tools, and savvy business leaders need to know where that is. If you have people on your team who need to focus on projects for long periods of time, don’t force them to be always available on Slack. Think about whether you truly need to send an email before pressing send, or if you can wait to share the information at hand until you see the person next. Simply reducing the volume of tech-based communication can boost productivity and help make the conversations you do have more meaningful. 

• • Strip away unnecessary uses of time – Just as the current workforce likes their flexibility, they also value their time – and rightly so. Business leaders who get this, and do their part to give employees as much time back as possible, are the ones who have loyal teams and flourishing businesses. Can you limit your meetings to one per week? Send more concise instructions for the next project so your team can dive in faster? Use short videos to help expedite the onboarding process? Get creative with your communication in order to free up your employees’ time. 

So, what are your thoughts and insights on communication? Any key trends I missed? I’d love to hear from you.