This is the first in a series of blog posts about common blunders leaders make that send a message of being unavailable to employees.
Blunder No. 1: Not returning messages. Yes, we know you get tons of email messages and voicemails everyday, but it’s still not an excuse to let an employee’s email or voicemail go unanswered. It might seem like a no-brainer, but unfortunately, it’s reality. Many leaders talk about the importance of engagement but often overlook some of the basics like simply responding to messages. Not answering messages unintentionally sends a message that you are not available to your employees. Don’t have time to read an employee’s lengthy email or look into their request? Then a quick acknowledgement is fine. Just let your employees know you appreciate they took the time to contact you and let them know you will get back to them soon. Set a reminder to make sure you follow up and follow through.
With countless texts, emails, Tweets and posts vying for people’s attention, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and do nothing. We’ve seen an uptick in people not responding to messages on both the personal and work related fronts. And it continues to get worse. Not every message warrants a response, but we continually scratch our heads in bewilderment when some of our own emails or voicemails we send go unacknowledged.
Leaders: Ask yourselves what message you are sending to employees when you do not acknowledge their emails or voicemails. What assumptions might they make if they do not hear back from you? What does it say about your company culture if this is the norm? How might this behavior impact engagement?
Stay tuned for more blunders …
The title of this blog was inspired by Genesis’ song “No Reply At All.”