A Change of Heart: Leading Into the New Year

When I look back on lessons learned from the past two years with all the upheaval in business and the world, the top point that jumps out is how much leaders learned about the power of effective communication. 

This may appear to be a self-serving observation coming from someone who has spent his entire career talking about the critical need for strategic communication. But it doesn’t come from just me. This idea was abundantly clear as I conducted interviews with more than 30 leaders from top companies for my new book, “Heart First: Lasting Leading Lessons From a Year that Changed Everything.”

To a person, there were insights on the need to take communication much more seriously. My takeaway also comes from what I see every day in my work — what clients express as the real need to up their game to better engage and communicate with their employees. 

After all, the chaotic period we’re experiencing has produced big shifts in how organizations and leaders stay connected with employees, which has naturally made internal communications a far more critical function. In so many ways, communication has become the major artery to the organization’s heart.

Driving needed change

As leaders in the PR profession, we need to remember this experience and use what we’ve seen to continue reinforcing the importance of great communication all the time.

We also need to fight for the resources and budgets that this work deserves. In many cases, I believe this message has already been received by leaders, especially now that the Great Resignation of employees leaving their roles has grabbed employers’ attention.

 Yet despite all the concerning trends, there will always be the temptation for some leaders to outsource or diminish communications as an ancillary “B team” rather than the vital “A team” function that it is. 

For those leaders already on board — and others who are starting to get the message — there’s a lot that can be said about how you make the communications function an even better and more powerful tool for driving engagement and change. Much of it comes down to one key thing — communicating from the heart. 

During the pandemic and racial unrest, countless leaders saw this. To meet the moment, they realized their messages to employees had to be taken seriously. Rather than drafting press releases that sounded relatively empty, many stepped up and relied on communication as a force for good — and for driving needed change. 

Communicating in that way requires leaders to be human, listening intently so you’re picking up on discontent, and also being real with the organization about what’s motivating you and where you want to take the organization in the future.

Taking it to the next level in the new year

Taking the lessons of the pandemic and racial unrest to heart, I have seven pieces of advice for leaders and PR professionals looking to take their communication efforts to the next level in 2022.

1. Commit to elevating your game on communication.

The first step here is recognizing that communicators need to be strategic thought partners, and use their seat at the table to fulfill one of their key roles — to act as an advocate for employees and leadership. That includes doing a better job of listening so you can truly understand what the pain points and needs are of employees. Recognize that many are exhausted and frustrated, and want to be heard and responded to. 

All that needs to be balanced with company goals and leadership preferences. In many organizations, a major source of concern now is the two-tiered workforce that’s been accentuated. 

On one side are the employees who’ve been able to work from home due to COVID-19. On the other end are employees whose work has required them to be on-site. In many cases, these two tiers have created greater tensions and resentments that need to be discussed and responded to. Survey data can help, along with focus groups and more personal, one-on-one conversations with employees.

2. Embrace being human as a leader.

This is one of the most important lessons for leaders coming out of the pandemic — the recognition that leaders can and should take off the mask and be more of who they truly are to connect with employees. 

Alisa McGowan, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Tecomet, a medical device manufacturer, captured this concept beautifully in the foreword to my book.

“What I’ve learned over time is that the most important part of leading people is connecting with them in an authentic way, not just through small talk. For me, that kind of connection is built through understanding someone else’s journey and someone else’s story. It’s also about recognizing the simple fact that everyone has a story, a story the helps define who they are, what they hope to accomplish, and what truly matters to them when it comes to work and life.”  

3. Understand that inspired leadership matters.

Inspired leadership — and leaders who care — made a difference for their workforce during the pandemic. Leaders who successfully engaged with their teams built trust, which helped them retain more of their workforce.

I think of Matt Snow, CEO of the top accounting firm DHG, who quickly realized that after the George Floyd murder, Black team members were in crisis and concerned about systemic racism. In response, DHG held “Unity workshops” to facilitate dialogue and understanding.

“We received overwhelmingly positive feedback on those sessions,” Snow said. “And we learned a lot about each other and the world around us.” He said that the personal approach mattered and brought people together, and a lot more effective than issuing a generic DEI statement. 

At the same time, for many leaders, this may be their first experience with a tight labor market and the shift of power from employers to employees. That means they’re going to need to lead differently than they have in their career up to now. 

As a result, they might feel resentful of their employees asserting themselves, but they’re going to have to learn how to deal with that and become inspired, authentic, empathetic leaders to succeed.

4. Focus even more on collaboration.

There’s a lot of power that comes from a team working to accomplish things together, rather than executing a “top down” directive from leaders. This has the added benefit of giving everyone a voice, which is a bit of a rallying cry in today’s workforce and in the culture generally. 

Tamer Abuaita, senior vice president of global supply chain at SC Johnson, made a major effort to enable and empower teams during the pandemic — to great results.

As just one example, one team started a new manufacturing line in just six days. “It probably would have taken six months otherwise,” Abuaita said. “I believe it was because we set up a clear purpose for the team. I know they were proud to say they accomplished this.” 

5. Prioritize recognition, including personal recognition (notes from colleagues and bosses) and institutional recognition (formal recognition programs run by HR).

When employees feel respected and genuinely appreciated, engagement happens. While much research has shown that younger generations especially appreciate this, I believe all generations crave the recognition that what they do truly matters. They want to know that their leaders truly “see” them. 

6. Redefine and codify your purpose for employees.

Purpose is not just a buzzword; the pandemic demonstrated that it really matters. It’s the beacon of light when times are foggy or stormy. One of the biggest reasons people are resigning is not just the pay and conditions, but because they may have lost — or never felt — their sense of purpose. People want to work for an organization they believe in and people who they trust, so connecting what you do to a higher purpose is always a winning plan. 

7. Be flexible.

In the new world of work, the one-size-fits-all models will have a tougher time attracting and retaining workers. Employers who embrace flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home options or flexible hours, and who encourage wellness and stress reduction opportunities, will experience higher retention and engagement. Employers should make a point to simply ask employees what’s most important to them to feel more engaged and committed to the organization. 

Now is our time to continue to shine, as we advocate for employees and help leaders lead with heart during this new reality.