The Communication Trinity
How does the great Jack Donaghy interact with his direct reports?
Harsh and direct? Executing major decisions which affect the employees without their input or delivering snide quips:
I like you. You have the boldness of a much younger woman.
Or does Jack have a softer side with his directs? Encouraging Liz to take a personal day so that she can pursue a love interest.
Foundations of Communication
All communication relies on establishing a relationship, or building on an existing ones. For example, your manager may wish to speak with you in order to assign a task. At face value, this relationship is simple: manager → direct. However, the devil is in the detail and in this case the detail has to do with what type of relationship the interaction is built upon.
The Communication Trinity
We can readily deconstruct the dynamic of a relationship to rely on some combination of three foundations:
- Authority
One person might respect the other due to position or rank held within the organization. Think about the military: the officer’s orders are carried out by his/her soldiers due to the chain of command. - Competence
One person might respect the other because of the competence exhibited either through experience or via a universally accepted standard of qualification. In other words, if a career english teacher points out a flaw in my grammar, I do not question their command of the subject. - Personal (Social)
One person might respect the other on account of bonds that were forged through a social interaction. Perhaps you and Bill went for a beer after work where you discovered your mutual love of classic cars.
It is important to reflect on your own professional interactions using this framework. Each path has pros and cons associated with it (a discussion for another time). Effective communication is achieved by selecting the paths which are most appropriate for the situation, audience, and desired outcome.
The Power of Rapport
In my experience, the social aspect of communications is often undervalued and overlooked. This personal (or social) foundation taps in to human emotion and can therefore prove very powerful. Suppose in our earlier example, that Bill does not exhibit great teamwork behaviors, is reluctant to assist on a task, and you have no authority over his role. However, because of the personal rapport that you have developed with Bill, he is more willing to support you.
Finding the Balance
Ultimately, effective leaders must rely on authority and competence, as the situation calls for them (e.g. when high levels of traceability or accountability are necessary). Despite what seems to be an unorthodox style, Jack finds his communications balance, even if this involves acquiring intimate knowledge of his employee’s habits:
I heard you singing night cheese!