It may be tough to think of your current employees as superheroes, but they each possess unique strengths and skills that can flourish with the right internal communication tools.
Superheroes are all the rage these days. From X-Men to the Avengers to Superman vs. Batman, it’s hard not to be aware of the superhero media frenzy.
Even though these characters all fall into one general category (superheroes), they are very different in terms of their powers and communication skills. For example,
- Batman is a little on the quiet side but he has extra sharp observation skills and always uses his strength and intelligence to fight for what’s right.
- Superman is very charismatic and popular but never lets his fame keep him from using his many powers for good.
- Cat Woman may have started out as a disliked villain, but she redeems herself by using her talents for good.
- The Hulk has two different sides, and you might want to stay out of his way when his super-human green muscles pop into view.
- Spiderman has his “spider-sense,” kind of like an extra level of foresight/discernment, and he is definitely the best photographer of all the superheroes.
Though they are all superheroes, they each have very different skill sets and ways of communicating. They may not always get along with each other, but they do realize they need each other and sometimes should work as a team to get the job done. Each one may have different types of communication skills and preferences, but they still have to communicate with each other to work together successfully.
See where I’m going with this?
Customizing internal communication tools for your "superhero" employees
It’s the same in the office. Your employees all fall into the general category of “staff,” but they certainly have their own skills and communication styles. And because they have different styles, you should customize your internal communication tools based on the various communication preferences and skill sets in your office.
Look around. Do you have a “Spiderman” – someone creative who has an extra level of perception about people or tasks? Or how about a “Batman” – a person who tends to be a little quiet but they are always intelligently observing everything around them and fighting to do the right thing for the company?
You probably wouldn’t ask the Hulk to work on a project the same way you would talk to Superman about an assignment. Why not? Because they each have different skills and ways of communicating. So, you approach them differently both to maximize their understanding of the assignment and help them use their skills the best way they can.
Are you able to identify any of these superhero representations with your real-life employees? Just like superheroes, employees each have their own set of strengths and skills in which they excel, but they need customized communication from their managers to help those “super powers” shine.
Working with employees' communication styles (instead of against them)
With all these different skills and communication styles floating around your office, communicating new information and tasks will all be different, too.
For example, some employees may be more inclined as visual learners, some may find watching videos a waste of time, and some may need you to ask them very specific questions to make sure they understood your point. Some employees may seem like they resist your management style when they really just don't understand how you are communicating.
The point is that you need to get to know your employee personalities, skills, and communication styles and then customize your internal communication tools for business so that no one falls through the communication cracks.
Choosing the right interactive tool
As one example of an internal communication tool, Ving lets you communicate with every employee in the way that works best for them. You can send a video, audio file, or document and then let your employees pick which communication best meets their needs.
If you choose the right internal communication tools, soon you, your employees, and your corporation will become Ving Superheroes.
Check out our free tips on improving communication at work!
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(Today's blog post co-written by Karen Bell, Ving Success Representative)
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