All managers need to know how to communicate with their teams directly and clearly. But as managers strive for efficiency and success, communication sometimes can become harsh.
Harvard Business Review offers some tips for how to manage your team directly without being rude.
- Focus on facts. When giving feedback, remove your emotions from the conversation and provide honest, concrete evidence about the employee’s performance. You want to help them grow rather than vent.
- Use “I” statements. When sharing your opinion, do not make accusations or point fingers, which will put your employee on the defensive. Instead, express your experience of their behavior.
- Turn a hard “no” into a soft “no.” When you are a direct person, you may tend to reject work requests that are not essential if you do not have the bandwidth to handle them. However, if you are too blunt, you may be viewed as not wanting to collaborate or help. Try to offer an alternative that works better for you and your schedule, or kindly explain why you cannot currently handle the request.
- Be considerate, not commanding. When making a request, giving clear, direct instructions and assignments is good. Just be sure you also are being reasonable, express gratitude and offer support if it is needed.
