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Effective Leaders Use Communication Process Elements like Stating Intentions
Stating intention is one of the most important communication process elements. Know what to say, and why you want to say it. Employees need to know the meaning behind your message. Don't leave them wondering.
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Step 1. Sender Recognizes Intention
Stating your intention is the first step of the Communication Process. (For more information about the
Communication Process Diagram,
scroll to the bottom of this page). Intention is the communication process element that drives every interaction whether it's a conversation, email, or even eye contact.
Let's say you write this email to your employee, Stan:
Stan,
Did you work late again last night?
When Stan checks his in-box and sees a message from his boss, he immediately begins wondering, "Am I in trouble? What's up now?" Instead of focusing on the content of the message, he is trying to figure out your intention.
Employees Imagine Your Meaning
What he imagines about the email's intention (a critical communication process element) is based on how things have been going between you two. If you've been getting along well lately, he might read a positive intention into the message: "Did I work late again last night? Yes, I did, and I DO deserve that raise!" Or, "Finally, she's going to get me that part-time assistant."
But, if you and Stan have argued recently, or you've never gotten along, every email, every communication for that matter, has static. It's similar to when you're trying to tune in a radio station. The static on the line between you and Stan impairs his ability to hear what you say. Static colors all of your interactions with negativity, so he assume the worst.
For example, Stan might read the email and think, "Why is she after me this time? Does she think I can't get my job done in eight hours like everyone else? Or, is she going to accuse me of stealing something?"
State Your Intention to Prevent Confusion
Stan could waste minutes, hours or even all day worrying about the underlying meaning or the intention of the email. Do you see how important this communication process element is?
Prevent Stan's confusion by including your intention in the email:
Stan,
Did you work late again last night? I need to know so that I can submit your overtime hours.
Will They Believe You?
Most employees will believe a stated intention. They might not be happy about it, but they will believe you and won’t spend time wondering why you sent an email.
But, some employees won't believe a stated intention. Some Stans have what I call Psychological Debris (aka "baggage") that impairs their ability to hear the truth. I'll cover how to handle those folks in another article.
State Intentions Only When Necessary
No need to state your intention when the "why" is obvious. For example, you wouldn't need to say:
Mary, I want you to order some Styrofoam coffee cups because we are out of coffee cups because people are drinking alot of coffee because they're tired because we've been working too much because...
No need to state your intention when:
The reason why you're communicating is obvious,
You're communicating with an employee who is familiar with the topic, for example, he's done a task many times or for many years, and
You and the employee get along well.
But, DO include your intention when communicating with:
- A new employee,
- An employee who isn’t familiar with the topic or hasn’t done the particular task before, or
- An employee you don't get along with.
Keep the intention short. The more you try to explain, the more opportunities you create for employees to get confused or upset about this communication process element.
Give Yourself a Score on Step 1
Keeping all of your direct reports (employees who report directly to you) in mind, how often do you clearly state your intention, the WHY of communication process elements? You can use grades like A, B, C, D or F. Or you can use percentages like 30%, 65% or 87% of the time.
To read in detail about each step in the
Communication Process Diagram,
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