I once worked with a guy who referred to slackers and other ineffective employees as “slugs”: he was a good ole boy and so we knew what he meant. Over the years, terms like that become far less tolerated as businesses came to understand and appreciate that words matter. Today, we watch what we say very carefully as we seek to create the right impressions and tone. But there still are things that have to be said so learning and practicing effective communications is an absolute necessity. Meet with your employees regularly, let them know what’s what, and listen to what they have to say: speak to and about them the way you want them to speak to and about you. Today, as we call employees back to a significantly changed work environment with different rules, it’s really important to practice good communications, carefully saying what you mean, using simple and respectful terms, allowing time for questions, and providing straight-forward answers. Don’t use slang, or words that can be misconstrued, and take extra time to re-cap what’s expected. Your words – once spoken – are a reflection of you. Words, like potions, can be magical: use them appropriately to get everyone going in the right direction today.
William Peter Hamill Jr (1935 – 2020): American journalist, novelist, essayist and editor.
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