You probably already know the importance of communication in your workplace. But did you know that over-communicating is actually the key to success? An old saying suggests that if you say something enough times, people will start to believe it. They will also start to repeat it.
Of course, it’s incredibly important to be honest, and you need to be careful not to sound robotic or inauthentic. But your employees are busy, and they have their own issues on their minds, so it’s important to repeat key messages until they become second nature to everyone on your team.
Here’s what you need to know.
Focus on Alignment
You have a diverse workforce with a lot of different perspectives, and you need to keep it that way. Rather than trying to create a singular hive mind, focus your messaging on aligning everyone around a common vision and direction.
Stick to a Framework
Messaging needs to be simple in order to sink in. Develop a framework, learn to speak in sound bites and elevator pitches, and avoid rambling. Keep it short and to the point. Remember, you don’t need to communicate everything, only the most important things.
Encourage Everyone to Over-Communicate
Over-communication should not only come from the top down. It also needs to come from the bottom up. Teach your team to share both problems and good news early and often. If you have multiple shifts, use shift change meetings for the outgoing shift to brief the incoming shift on whatever has happened throughout the day. Create a framework for communicating issues across teams as well as to leadership as they occur. Encourage speaking up by providing multiple channels for communication.
Remember That Surprises Are Inevitable
Over-communicating can help keep everyone moving in the right direction. But people are not automatons, and life happens. Surprises, both positive and negative, will occur. When they happen, remember the golden rules of over-communicating. Be honest, create simple messaging around the situation, and then repeat it as many times as necessary. With over-communication, surprises need not turn into long-term setbacks.
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