"Louder for the people in the back!"

Clear and effective communication between managers and employees is fundamental to a team’s success.

Fundamental.

When team members understand the company's goals and believe in management's ideas and values, they will be more motivated and productive. 

Why is it Important for Managers to Reinforce their Message?

Reinforcing the message with team members is vital for ensuring everyone understands expectations and shared goals. The benefits extend to:

• Keeping employees informed 
• Avoiding misunderstandings and confusion 
• Completing projects on time and accurately
• Helping team members perform their best 
• Keeping peers engaged and motivated 
• Building respect and trust between management and their team 

Your tone, communication style, and language can help you deliver messages and ideas to your employees, whether verbally or through email. Using simple words instead of technical jargon is helpful to avoid confusion. It is also essential to communicate from your audience's perspective – this is done by getting into their hearts and minds and creating a message based on where they are coming from. 

When you put yourself in your employees’ shoes, you are more likely to understand their challenges, and from that place, you can address areas of their greatest concern. It is also important to choose the right method of communication, depending on the nature of your team. Some people need to hear messages face-to-face, while others do better with written messages. Sometimes, you'll need to do both. 

Making Your Messages Stick through Repetition

Repeating your message sounds tedious and tiresome, but it makes a difference. As a manager, you may want to assume that your team members will understand the message the first time because they’re smart. While this is true most of the time, sometimes reinforcements are necessary, especially if your team is just catching up.

This isn't about intelligence - it's about human nature and the psychology of adult learning.

Seek Confirmation of their Understanding 

One easy way of reinforcing your message is to seek confirmation of their precise understanding. Ask the team members to repeat what you said in their own words. You can also ask them to explain the idea, concept, or principle to others in their own words.

While the strategy may seem unnecessary or even patronizing, it is highly effective at helping the message stick. Making a habit of seeking confirmation of your team's understanding will encourage them to listen more intently than before. It will also help you identify those who need to hear the message differently. 

Ask for Feedback

Another way a follow up on your message is by asking for feedback. Questions work to gather information and help you understand what's resonating with your team and what's not.

For more systematic listening, and with very large teams, use targeted practices like surveys and focus groups that will give you valuable insight into the success of the communication. 

Summing Up 

Reinforcing your message is critical to ensure it sticks with your team members. Follow-up and reinforcement are generally a quick activity that has exceptionally high ROI. Avoid follow-up at your peril! Use the tips mentioned above to clear out any confusion.