Indirect Communication

One of the communication challenges we face as leaders is the “subtext” of our messages.

Some people read the subtext of people and/or situations well.
Some people are oblivious to subtext; they only register the “text.”
And some will “read in” more meaning than is there.

To communicate clearly, make sure you “broadcast” the right subtext, along with your main message.

Tell the truth and be authentic. Many people who read nonverbal cues pick up on deception, and that is a big red flag for them.

Project confidence and respect. Get the details or other information you need to be able to authentically say: “this plan will work” or “this is all going to be okay in the end” or “we can handle this.” People will pick up the positive subtext about the situation and your feelings for them.

Warm up your written communication, so that people don’t attribute negative emotional content to fill in for the absence of emotional content. The email that just says “I need this done today” seems clear and direct to many of us, but some other people will attribute subtext like: “They seem mad at me!” or “They don’t trust me to get it done.” or “They don’t care what the rest of us need; it’s all about their selfish needs.” Warm it up with a pleasant greeting like “Hope you had a great weekend!” or a “You’re doing wonderful work on this project.” or even just a “Thank you!”

We all broadcast on many frequencies: word choice, nonverbal cues and body language, tone, inflection, etc. Make sure that these other messages are not undermining the message you intend to convey.

(image generated using Midjourney)