Archive for the ‘heart’ Category
Communication: Heart is more important than Mind
While talking about communication, usually we focus on the message, media, and noise.
In traditional command-and-control paradigm where authocratic leadership style is considered the best prescription, communication means flow of information from the top to the bottom to ensure orders are understood and implemented. In a cut-throat competitive environment, where decision should be make on the spot where problem happened, firm needs to leverage people’s mind (creativity, knowledge, etc) and their heart (commitment, passion) then command-and-control paradigm is no more appropriate. More democratic approach such as participation and delegation are considered more productive, then communication role is also changed.
Communication: from giving order to aligning mind and heart
In command-and-control environment, Leader’s objective is to make sure order is understood and implemented as is. Thus when employees do not agreed or in a doubtful, then Leader make a discussion to ‘enforce’ management idea, to provide reason and evident that management’s idea and decision are correct thus must be conducted.
In more participative environment, Leader wants gather people idea and make a commitment of vision, mission, goal and strategy. In this environment Leader make a dialogue to gather new idea and understand employees position, then make a commitment which accommodate every side of position into a vision, mission, goal and strategy. The aim of dialogue is not to define which idea is better but to gather more idea, to get understanding why other people have different point of view and what are their feelings. So Leader is not communicate in mind level but more on heart level.
Thus when Leader wants employees to have sense of belonging, participation and commitment then communication in term of securing flow of right information definitely is not enough. People will not follows someone who is right, but will follow someone who is care about them.
To make a dialogue, Leader must position himself in the same level with employees,.. and without prejudice.
