Have you ever showed up to a scheduled meeting only to be informed that it was canceled?

We’ve probably all experienced the frustration and disappointment that comes from a lack of communication by those we trust.

Setting a high standard for prioritizing communications with clarity and urgency always starts with ourselves. Professional reputations can be damaged very quickly if you aren’t committed to understanding the modern communication imperatives.

Why Is Effective Communication Important?

Understand that leading well goes hand-in-hand with communicating well. Leading and communicating effectively is how you build an amazing company culture and great leaders bring their team members together, motivating them with strong and effective communication that:

• Sets clear expectations

• Makes sure everyone has the direction and information they need to do their job

• Focuses on the ‘why’ of their work

• Knowing how to ‘meet people where they are’

• Urgency is a priority

Three Prompt Questions That Changed How I Communicate

I was fortunate to work for U.S. Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mattis when he was the commanding general for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton from 2005 to 2007. Under his leadership, he consistently reminded everyone across the command, approximately 35,000 people, to always be communicating up, down and across the chain of command.

During this timeframe, our command was supporting combat operations in Iraq at the height of the insurgency and General Mattis was feeling that key information wasn’t flowing as well as it could. Without placing blame on anyone, he challenged everyone across the enterprise to ask themselves to use these three prompt questions on a daily or hourly basis, if needed. These three questions were meant to help people focus on prioritizing what needed to be shared, to whom and when:

• What do I know?

• Who else needs to know?

• Have I told them?

Internal Mental Checklist

Leaders at all levels were experiencing an overload of information that was coming from all directions and these prompt questions were designed to keep people focused and vigilant. These three questions were asked and integrated into every meeting. We also had signs posted throughout our workspaces as reminders. It also helped to reduce feelings of alienation and distrust that often comes from feeling not informed or included.

In 2023, these prompt questions are more relevant than ever to ensure every member of the team uses these as initial action steps to ensure information is being shared. For those who can be forgetful, like myself as of late, it could be the mental checklist needed as a reminder to send an email or text to inform people of schedule changes, etc.

Reach People Where They Are

Our diverse workforces are composed of people from different cultures and span several generations, so messages are going to be received in a variety of ways. Reaching people is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ model any longer. Communication, whether non-verbal, verbal, written or otherwise, it’s important to have self-awareness of how to reach others and ‘meet people where they are.’

Good Communication Will Pay Off in the Long Run

The best way to ensure you’re remembering to share key information up, down and across your teams is to understand the best way to reach people. Is it email, chat, SMS text, phone calls, or a different method? Why call someone when you can text if that’s the preferred method? In today’s fast-paced 24/7 work-day cycles, tailoring your mode of communication is often just as important as the message itself.

Prioritizing communications increases the likelihood of positive professional outcomes and helps ensure your efforts bear fruit. Like all professional skills, it requires practice, commitment, and consistency to master. The outcome of these efforts is a professional reputation as a polished professional and trusted leader who can communicate effectively using multiple methods.

These three questions are forever imprinted in my head and my heart because it is my highest priority to live up to the Golden Rule and respect others’ time and efforts.

Authored By: Amy Forsythe, Managing Director