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“Most bosses appreciate when their employees effectively communicate new ideas, innovations and better ways to get the work accomplished,” said Edward T. Reilly, president and CEO of American Management Association. “Communication skills are critical to succeed on the job and for career advancement. Many managers have room for improvement in this area and need to hone their skills,” Reilly said. He offers the following advice on how to better communicate with your boss and other senior executives:
Prepare for scheduled meetings. Anticipate what questions will be asked and make sure you can answer them. Run through possible scenarios in your mind. If you have documents that your executive might want to review, bring them along.
Take a moment to think before speaking. Be sure you know what you really want to say. Think about the attitude or emotions you want to express. Consider how your body language will help reinforce your message and your point of view.
Be concise in responding to questions. Answer directly and stay on point. If your executive wants more details, he/she will ask.
Be direct when the situation demands it. Say what you mean clearly. Be polite but decisive. Do not garble your message behind phrases that obscure or soften its impact.
Encourage a positive response by considering the executive’s perspective. This is particularly true if you expect opposition to your remarks. So, before an objection is raised, you might want to raise it yourself, then systematically and objectively disprove it, speaking calmly and objectively like a bystander, not as a defender.
Make sure you have all the information before making a statement. If you are unprepared for a specific question, it is better to postpone the discussion than provide inaccurate or incomplete information.
Be certain the time is appropriate for communicating. A quick update is usually welcome at any time, but avoid lengthy or complex discussions when an executive is pre-occupied, has one foot out the door or is leaving for a three-day business trip. Better to save your discussion for when the executive will be less distracted and can more fully focus on what you have to say.
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