Leading with Silence

“Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying.” ~ Unknown

I recently read Peter Bregman’s HBR.org article “Do You Really Need to Say Thank You?” The article resonates with me following numerous conversations with coworkers and friends about the lack of feedback from their supervisors, especially with regard to e-mails and phone calls. Is this a sign that our leaders are busy preparing for a doomsday event or do they just not care about their employees?

Open and fluid communication is the life blood of an organization. Failure to respond to an e-mail or phone call can cause undo angst. Even if you cannot give full attention to the sender’s message, a simple acknowledgement of the message is respectful and the responsibility of every leader. Advise the sender that you will respond in more detail and when.

Peter Bregman says it best, “Acknowledging each other is our basic responsibility as human beings living in community with other human beings.”