Gina London: Managers need to move beyond the ‘tell and sell’ approach with staff

Sorry, folks, you’d think that after all the years I’ve been diligently toiling away as your beloved Communicator columnist, we’d have all the problems fixed. But no.

In fact, the latest State of Business Communication report, published by Grammarly, points out that “ineffective communication” costs businesses more than €12,000 per employee in the US this year alone. How much that might translate to us living and working here in Ireland, I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s significant. So, we can all use a reminder on how to make our communications more effective.

I was struck by this ongoing need for razor-sharp communication as I was meeting this past week with fellow corporate culture and communications consultant, Dayna Caceres. We were discussing the town hall event that one of my clients had put on to showcase their new company values.

“I was a bit disappointed because the senior leadership team chose to make an announcement to rank and file employees rather than follow my suggestion to include them in the creation process,” I confided to my friend.

“Ah, yes, the old ‘tell and sell’ approach,” Dayna remarked.

“That’s a perfect way to describe it,” I responded. “Can I use that?”

Dayna said, “by all means,” because the pithy term isn’t proprietary to her. It’s one of the five different kinds of managerial communication styles coined by Phillip G. Clampitt, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Each style can significantly impact an organisation’s culture, employee morale, and overall effectiveness. Let’s take a peek at each. Which one sounds most like you?

1 Spray and Pray

This is characterised by a one-way, high-volume approach to sharing information. Imagine a rapid-fire presentation with no clear message or theme. Ideas, take-aways and call-to-actions shoot out like a sizzling pan of popping corn with the lid off.

This could be used when you’re announcing company-wide policy changes that don’t pack an emotional punch or sharing generic updates.

But consider the drawbacks. This style lacks personalisation and doesn’t engage employees in meaningful dialogue.

At least one of your many points is sure to be missed. If something is triggering, like layoffs, people will zero in only on that. Even if everything is equal, this approach can still lead to information overload, causing employees to be overwhelmed or tune out altogether.

2 Tell and Sell

This is the approach Dayna mentioned. Here, a decision has been agreed upon by management and now they’re going to dedicate time explaining and persuading employees to support the decision. After the fact.

In this approach, managers communicate the “what” and “why” behind a decision, often with an emphasis on the benefits of the decision to the organisation. This can be effective in situations where there is a clear need for directive leadership, such as during a crisis or when making a strategic shift.

However, “Tell and Sell” can sometimes lead to resistance among employees who feel excluded from the decision-making process; that their input was not valued.

This style also limits creativity and innovation, as employees aren’t empowered to contribute ideas.

3 Underscore and Explore

This style focuses on highlighting key issues, challenges, or opportunities while encouraging open dialogue and exploration. In this approach, managers emphasise the importance of the issue and at the same time invite employees to participate in problem-solving and decision-making.

This style is well-suited for fostering collaboration, creativity, and innovation within an organisation. It empowers employees to take ownership of the issues at hand and encourages them to contribute their ideas and solutions.

Some fast-moving managers don’t embrace this approach because it does take time to consider multiple perspectives. But when the outcome needs to be fully embraced by a team, I think it’s worth the effort to gain positive and lasting results. That said, I do agree in crisis situations which demand quick decisive action, this style won’t work.

4 Identify and Reply

The “Identify and Reply” communication style is similar to the third style in that it involves managers listening to employee concerns, identifying specific issues, and then responding directly to those concerns. This style is distinct as it imagines responsiveness to employee needs and questions on an individual level.

Think a town-hall or brainstorming session with a lot of Q&A.

This style is regularly necessary for building trust and maintaining strong relationships within an organisation. When employees feel heard and their concerns are addressed promptly, they are more likely to be engaged and satisfied in their roles.

However, “Identify and reply” can be time-consuming for managers, especially in larger organisations where there may be hundreds of employee concerns. It may also result in a fragmented approach to communication, if each employee’s issue is addressed individually.

5 Withhold and Uphold

This style is characterised by managers withholding information, often due to concerns about its potential impact. You see this playing out in redundancy announcements. “How long did they know who was getting the chop?”

During some times of uncertainty, this may be a preferred approach. But be cautious. If it’s used too often, you’ll be left with a workplace full of suspicion and lack of transparency and trust.

I’m grateful to Dayna for introducing me to Professor Clampitt and the pros and cons of these approaches. The more we learn, the more informed our choices can be about how we connect.

Write to Gina in care of SundayBusiness@independent.ie

With corporate clients in five continents, Gina London is a premier communications strategy, structure and delivery expert. She is also a media analyst, author, speaker and former CNN anchor. @TheGinaLondon