Genuine Communication

“I motivate players through communication, being honest with them, having them respect and appreciate your ability and your help.”

Whether you’re a baseball fan or not, the legendary Tommy Lasorda is a giant, not just in Major League Baseball but across the sports world. Upon his passing this year, I came across this quote of his and it connected with me instantly. Communication, honesty, respect, and support are the bedrock of what it means to be a leader. But what happens when those core, foundational principles become just words, or worse yet, items on a checklist just waiting to be crossed out? All too often leaders fall into a pattern of saying they do these things because they are expected to do them, not because they understand why they should. As a result, your check the box exercise feels just like that to everyone on the receiving end of it. Simply put, your actions have no meaning, because you didn’t mean them!

That’s the biggest lesson in Genuine Communication, you must mean it. It’s being intentional in the way you communicate, meaning what you say, and taking the time to make it count. I know what you’re thinking, “That sounds great, but who has time for that?” While that’s a valid point, it’s also an opportunity to consider the messages you’re sending out to people and whether you should really send them in the first place. Instead of making your communications a…