When it comes to any organization, setting the right communication habits is key because it sets great managers apart from those who fail to rise to the occasion. Just think of a shouting, frustrated/stressed-out manager, and then picture a stoic/composed one who speaks clearly and confidently. Quite the difference.
Anyone who has worked under a manager already knows that there are two most common types. First is the manager, who talks a lot but, in the end, says very little. There are those who stay quiet, observe, and calculate, and then when the manager finally speaks, there’s a huge impact that can actually be felt.
Strong communication is so much more than giving orders and running meetings – the best managers know that. The key is in how messages are being framed, as well as how people feel after interactions, plus whether expectations are clearly set and understood.
In this article, we’ll go through six communication practices that are a must for every high-performing manager.
Active Listening Builds Trust
Bad listening means missing more than just words – it means downgraded morale, creeping tension, and delicate signs of disengagement. Great managers also listen to what isn’t said.
How do you develop this habit?
- Stop multitasking during conversations (yes, that means no emails!).
- Provide verbal cues such as “I hear you.” or “That makes sense.”
- Repeat or paraphrase what you’ve heard to confirm your understanding.
Bonus tip: Never respond immediately just to fill the silence; allow the other person to complete their thoughts. Give it about three seconds. Such silences often lead to the deepest insights because both you and the other party will be able to process what has been said and will deliver better responses. Plus, while the manager observes in silence, the other person will be more inclined to talk more, deepening the conversation.
Every Message – Clear As Glass
Clarity separates orders from confusion, plus it also eliminates going back and forth on matters, errors, and productivity. However, most managers lack that much-needed clarity, especially in writing, which is sometimes crucial for good communication.
Just think of how many times you, yourself, have misinterpreted a text message or an email just because you’ve read it differently. This doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong – it means the message wasn’t clear.
Three tips to impose clarity:
- Divide a complicated message into steps/bullet points.
- Oppose vague objectives and deadlines; specify concrete deliverables with definite keywords such as “at 10 a.m.” or “before 5 p.m.”.
- Analyze your written communication for tone, style, logic, and structure.
For most leaders, a writing coach is immensely useful in sharpening their written communication.
Such a coach guides with structuring thoughts and cutting through jargon, with the aim that your message is clear and concise the first time, which is especially relevant in performance reviews, strategic updates, and client-facing documents, where clarity makes all the difference in perception and outcomes (especially think of messages where you don’t get a ‘second go’).
Actually Helpful Feedback
Providing constructive feedback is not about criticizing errors because nothing constructive comes out of it; it’s about enabling improvement.
Here’s a simple formula for giving better feedback:
- Observation: What you saw (“I noticed your presentation had good research…”).
- Impact: What happened as a result of the action (“but the audience looked confused on the conclusion…”).
- Suggestion: What to do differently in the future (“Maybe having a summary slide would be useful.”).
Feedback is helpful when it’s timely, specific, and not saved until end-of-year reviews.
Transparency
Transparency isn’t reserved only for big decisions. It includes explaining low-level changes, indicating uncertainty, and even admitting that you got it wrong. Managers who are transparent foster trust, as people get in the habit of expecting the truth and nothing but the truth from such managers.
Open communication benefits:
| Practice | Impact |
| Sharing rationale for decisions | Increases buy-in and understanding |
| Discussing setbacks honestly | Builds resilience and problem-solving skills |
| Explaining business goals | Aligns efforts with a broader strategy |
Granting your team a glimpse behind the curtain helps build long-lasting mutual respect, and it dispels speculation/gossip.
Empathy in Everyday Interactions
One of the most vital communication habits is Empathy. Empathy isn’t a soft skill; it’s a strategy. Understanding what drives your team members allows you to connect with them and achieve results. Too much of it might be interpreted as a weakness since you begin to appear as someone who can be manipulated or taken advantage of. But too little of it strikes you as a cold/uncaring person who sees their subordinates as mere numbers.
Just the right amount of empathy can create an extremely effective and efficient working environment with impressive productivity levels.
You’re an empathy-driven leader if:
- You reallocate work during personal challenges.
- You respond to frustration with curiosity, not defensiveness.
- Ask questions such as, “How can I assist you now?”.
Empathetic managers retain talent longer and create safer, more engaged teams.
Flexibility in Communication Style
Every worker is going to learn in a unique way. Some will get short bullet points, some will require context and detail. Effective managers understand and adapt to these differences.
Consider responding based on:
- Generation: Younger employees might prefer chat messages, and older employees might prefer personal conversation.
- Job: A data analyst will need the numbers first, and a designer will get on better with vision-led framing.
- Urgency: For flash updates, make it short and sweet. For a strategic change, give context.
Changing your style helps maximize effectiveness and shows high emotional intelligence.
Conclusion
These six communication habits are actionable and, most importantly, teachable, and they are available to you right now. There’s no need for you to complete a personality transformation in order to be a better communicator – what you do need is consistency.
Start by choosing one habit this week. Maybe it’s listening more effectively, giving better feedback, or being clearer in your next team update. Then, work from there.
Over time, communication habits become ingrained and become an unconscious method. It becomes leadership DNA; it affects your influence, the team’s culture, and the results you deliver as a team.
