When communication becomes an ejector seat for managers

Resignations have recently caused quite a stir: The head of Ruag, Brigitte Beck, had to step down from the management of the defence company after just under a year. This was due to controversies surrounding Beck’s public appearances at the beginning of the year.

There was also a scandal at the top of Lonza a few weeks ago. Lonza CEO Pierre-Alain Ruffieux unexpectedly left the pharmaceutical supplier at the end of September. He was accused of having inadequate leadership and communication skills.

The decline of Credit Suisse was accompanied by major communication failures. After decades of scandals, even the last management duo (CEO Ulrich Körner and Chairman Axel Lehmann) failed to win back the trust of clients and investors. This was not least due to failed communication. Before the presentation of the new strategy, the management of the big bank had gone into hiding for months. And when the plan was finally finalised, investors and customers no longer believed that Körner and Lehmann would succeed in achieving a turnaround.

When managers fail, there are usually other reasons than poor communication – inadequate performance, a lack of strategy, a weak share price or power struggles. But communication breakdowns are often the direct cause of a manager’s resignation.

Wow can they be prevented? And what characterises good communication? In my opinion, these are the key factors that managers should consider:

Recognise the central importance of communication: Communication requires sufficient resources, as it is the transmission belt par excellence for conveying the strategy credibly both internally and externally. It is the most effective way to strengthen trust in the company and its management. A coherent, targeted strategy that is comprehensible to outsiders is the be-all and end-all.

Surround yourself with people who also disagree with you. Many managers have lost the ability to listen and engage with other arguments, interests or sensitivities. They find it difficult to accept or even actively promote a constructively critical environment around them. This leads to a lack of impetus. There is a great danger that one’s own perception will be equated with reality. Reflection spaces with unfiltered and critical information for company management are key. Managers in particular should surround themselves with people who look at issues from a different perspective and dare to critically scrutinise their boss’s ideas.

Get your team on board: Today, communication is no longer a linear process and certainly not just a matter for the boss, as employees help to shape the image of the company on social media. You can capitalise on this by actively involving and motivating your team. Encourage them to overcome hurdles, surpass themselves and achieve the agreed goals together – and celebrate successes together.

Admit mistakes without glossing over them: There are difficult moments in every organisation. In such cases, openness is usually the best strategy to avert further reputational damage. Managers should rely less on the legal department or communications consultants if their aim is to soften communication and minimise possible legal consequences. It takes a lot of backbone to communicate honestly and admit mistakes. But in the long term, this is the only way to build trust. Managers should be able to credibly convey that the company’s interests always come before their own.

Say what you do and do what you say: the motto of former German President Johannes Rau also applies to business. Mario Draghi’s authentic and clear communication style was also exemplary. His “Whatever it takes”, with which he calmed the financial markets years ago at the height of the euro crisis as head of the European Central Bank, has gone down in history. Avoid raising expectations that you cannot fulfil. Predictability is a hard currency in communication.