Mike Clark’s Business Bites: Are your instructions as clear as mud?

Much of the frustration in teams boils down to poor communication. Are your instructions clearer than mud? Photo / Paul Taylor

OPINION

“Clear as mud” is a delightful expression used when instructions are vague and the desired outcome is murky. While often quipped in jest, it is usually an attempt by the recipient to communicate they are not clear and therefore will do their best to achieve what they think is required.

This immediately propels people into the disastrous realms of assumption. As I was informed in my formative managerial training, when I defaulted to assuming I knew what was required rather than clarifying, I made an ass of you and me.

I was fortunate to train under men who were excellent communicators with a heart for people. Three of the most powerful lessons I learned from them I continue to share in my training.

Ensure clarity — communication is the understanding between two or more people. Ask people to repeat what they have heard and/or are about to go and do, to ensure what you think you said is actually what they heard.

Encourage ownership — If people cannot articulate the goals, vision and desired outcome, they have not bought into them or internalised them as their own. While they might do the work, they will often lack initiative and drive, being steered by circumstance rather than by conviction. Ideally, every team member should know the company goal and how their role and their daily key performance metrics fit into enabling the goal to be achieved.

Clarity is a personal requirement as well as a corporate need. The clarity of who you are as a person — how you see yourself — will permeate your perception. Your perception is your reality. If you see incidents happening to you, then your tendency is to adopt a victim mindset. People and teams stuck in this space need to keep working on adopting a positive mindset with an attitude of gratitude. Asking “how is this happening for me” rather than “why is this happening to me” creates a victor mindset over a victim mindset.

Clarity equals action. The clearer we are on what needs doing, the more inclined we are towards doing it. As a leader your job is to ensure you clearly communicate what is required and, ideally, why it is important. You need to ensure understanding and be available for clarification.

Much of the frustration in teams boils down to poor communication. Could you and your team leads benefit from taking a few more minutes at the beginning of assignments to ensure instructions are “clearer than mud”?

Mike Clark is director and lead trainer and facilitator at Think Right business training company.