by Diane Streleckis - Ask a communication professional the ultimate goal of any message and they’ll likely say creating trust. Former two-star Navy Admiral and current Fortune 100 aerospace company VP Mike Manazir agrees.
“Effective leadership is founded on trust,” he said. “Communication portrays that trust.” Most importantly, he noted, people follow those that they trust.
One enemy of trust: Uncertainty
Whether leading in the field or in the corporate world, Manazir has often faced uncertainty. “People hate uncertainty. Uncertainty creates fear,” he said.
Manazir learned how to get people past the uncertainty and fear.
Former two-star Navy Admiral and current Fortune 100 aerospace company VP Mike Manazir shares his tenets for trust-building communication at IABC’s virtual session on October 28, 2024, noon-1:00 pm ET. Save your spot for Manazir on Leadership |
Be honest about the situation—and share your vision
In today’s 24/7 news cycle, filling the information void is critical. Manazir said, “I got great advice from a leader (while he was in the Navy). He said, ‘If you don’t get out there and speak, the media will fill the silence with messaging that runs against what you want to convey.’”
Instead of hiding from the audience, “share what you want to happen and what could happen,” Manazir recommended.
Create certainty where you can
Even in situations where you can’t control everything, leaders of all stripes can offer something for people to hang their hats on, even if the situation changes.
Manazir highlighted a time when, as a Navy supply ship leader, his ship was sent to Taiwanese waters during the election. The crew had no return date, as they were the only ship in the region. “In May, we got a return date of October. Even though the deployment’s end was still five months away, crew morale soared because they had some sense of certainty,” he said. An earlier return in September was an even more welcome change.
Reassure that you’ll be there through the tough time
Letting people know that you care and will be there with them through a challenge is a powerful way to build trust, Manazir explained. “You have to be able to say, ‘We’ll be there with you and for you’,” he said.
He experienced this trust-building first-hand when jumping out of an airplane with the elite Golden Knights. “Initially, when I looked out of the plane, I said, ‘no, no, no.’ But my jump leader said, ‘It’s okay. We’re gonna do this together,’” Manazir said. That empathy and reassurance helped him feel ready to go.
Communication is at the core
“Communication is often seen as a function,” Manazir said, “But it’s really something we all have to do.”
He stressed how the skill of communicating openly, with empathy and care, can be used with great effect by leaders in any position in the organization.