Calling all entrepreneurs and bosses. What would you do if you were surrounded by a team of Level 10 executors, decision makers, and strategists?
Trick question.
The answer is: Nothing!
You’d have the clarity and confidence to step back from micromanaging. You’d have the time and freedom to focus on what really matters in your business – growth and vision.
Can you imagine how smoothly and effortlessly your business would rise to the top if you had a team like this? Can you imagine how much stress you could kick to the curb?
The method of communication that I'm going to describe will bring you one step closer to that visionary status.
But first, let’s take stock of your current situation. Here’s an exercise to let you know exactly where you land so far.
Go through every single employee you lead and ask yourself this question: If I give this employee a project, how confident am I on a scale of 1-10 that he or she will deliver on time with great results?
Some employees might be an automatic 10 for you, and some might be down at a Level 5 or lower. If you want to be that top-level visionary, it’s crucial for you to have Level 10 team members around you.
So, now what?
The truth is, you can actually train your team to be Level 10’s every single time. And the way you can do it is through communication.
I did this with my own team, and I realized I have some Level 5's on my team.
So what’s causing this disconnect? How come some of my team members aren’t delivering?
I realized I had been using passive communication with them.
I would have a project they needed to complete with specific steps to get there. But I’d tell them, “What do you think about doing X? You should probably email Y.” And here’s the thing: If you’re wording directives as suggestions, you’re not going to get anywhere.
No matter how motivated an employee is, she can’t deliver if she doesn't know what your expectations are. So here’s the method: Direct communication.
I’ve started getting in the habit of saying what I want as clearly and directly as possible. And I’ve seen some major results.
Next time you catch yourself saying “maybe you should…," stop and reword. Set clear expectations by saying, “I want you to complete X, Y, and Z by this date.” When people hear that confidence in your voice, they’ll feel more confident about completing the task. When they know exactly what your expectations are, they can feel empowered to complete the job perfectly.
Try it for yourself and see how many Level 5 employees turn into 7’s or even 10's. It’s time to stop suggesting and start directing. Agree? You can get started on your office's communication journey now in less than 2 hours.
Are you in? Start my course, The Communication Code, now!