When you think of things managers must share with employees, you likely jump to vision, goals, strategies, plans, and feedback. As important as all those items are, the best managers share context first. To do this is to let people know more about the situation they are considering.
Here’s a familiar non-work example: You are driving down the road when you see someone in your rear-view mirror dodging, weaving, and moving way faster than you. As they get closer, you see it is a younger man driving with a woman in the passenger seat. They scream past you and continue their fast speed, changing lanes like they are on a NASCAR track.
If you are like me, you shake your head and wonder what they are thinking (and are glad you don’t have them driving around you any longer). It isn’t hard to make up a story about the situation, and it likely doesn’t bode well for the driver.
But what if that young man is trying to get his pregnant wife, who is in labor, to the hospital for their first child? While you still might not love his driving approach, you would understand it and think differently about him and his choices, wouldn’t you?
Context has just entered the building.
There are many times when decisions are made away from the team that make no more sense than our young driver’s behavior does, in the absence of context. As a manager, when you offer context, you can achieve the following:
Reduce conflict
Reduce cynicism
Reduce resistance
Increase understanding
Increase commitment
So why don’t managers share context more frequently and effectively?
There may be plenty of reasons, but I find one most prevalent: Managers believe employees see what they see. As a manager, you have information and a perspective about the business that your team will never have unless you share it.
How to get started
How can managers share context more effectively? Here are five steps to take.
1. Assume employees don’t see what you see. Don’t let your understanding be a blind spot.
2. Ask employees what they see and are concerned about. As you listen, you will start to notice the differences in perspective you might have, giving you a chance to share a new perspective and context.
3. Share the new context as data, not as an ultimatum. You want to share context so people see something new but don’t assume that will immediately change their minds.
4. Create a conversation. The context or perspective you share might differ from what they had seen previously. Give them time to ask questions to understand the new (and perhaps foreign) perspective.
5. Give them time. Give employees time to process the new context. With some time, they will likely come full circle and support what they initially resisted.
Even if employees disagree with the decisions being made, with the new perspective and context, they will better understand those decisions.
Leaders need to share plenty with their teams, but context might be the most important.
Kevin is the chief potential officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. Kevin’s specialties include leadership, remote/hybrid work, teams and teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, organizational learning, and more. He is the bestselling author of several books and hosts The Remarkable Leadership Podcast.
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