The trap of good communication

Before you can make the leap from good to great communication, you’ll need to survive the “trap of good communication”.

The “trap of good communication” lurks where a leader is highly skilled at persuading and motivating their team to follow a certain direction or execute a plan. The trap lies in the leader’s ability to persuade so effectively that it overshadows the team’s opportunity to offer input, raise concerns, or suggest alternatives. The team’s voices become silent, not because they have nothing to say, but because the leader’s compelling communication doesn’t leave space for dialogue or dissent.

The team may carry out tasks efficiently and without question, but this dynamic can stifle innovation and critical thinking. The leader, while good at getting the team to “get it,” may miss out on the team’s collective intelligence and the creative problem-solving that arises from open, two-way communication.

It basically drowns the team’s creativity in the leader’s eloquence.

The trap, therefore, is in the illusion of unanimity and the false sense of security that comes from smooth execution, which may ultimately lead to suboptimal results or failure to identify and correct course when necessary.

Great speakers don’t persuade, but resonate. They listen not just out of politeness, but because they genuinely care for what others have to say. They don’t silence the team, but give them a voice.