Teams work the way their bosses speak: vision and enthusiasm are contagious – but so is uncertainty. Jason Modemann, founder of Mawave, explains how good communication can work.
Language decides every day whether a team has orientation or is messing around. Because leadership and culture happen primarily through words. About what I say as boss. And about what I don’t say. That’s exactly why, as CEO, I now pay very conscious attention to how I communicate and actively work on getting better at it.
For me, good leadership through language succeeds through the following three things:
1. clarity
Many bosses talk a lot, but few actually lead through language. I have often noticed that management speaks in cryptic terms, blurs things out or hides behind buzzwords. In the end, employees feel like they are being taken for a fool.
What is needed instead is plain text. This is by no means to be confused with harshness. Quite the opposite: a boss who speaks clearly provides security. Someone who formulates vaguely creates chaos – even if they are technically brilliant. Clear language does not automatically mean being cold or inconsiderate. It means communicating honestly, transparently and with perspective. And employees need exactly this plain language in order to understand the meaning behind decisions and to get orientation.
For me, clarity doesn’t just mean How something is said, but also, that it is said. In my opinion, one of the most common leadership mistakes is: too little communication. Out of convenience, to avoid conflict or because you believe that certain things are self-explanatory. Small spoiler: they don’t. Silence is therefore just as harmful as bad language.
2. Self-control
The biggest lever for me is actually listening to my own all-hands, talks and recordings regularly. Sometimes I do that because I was happy. Sometimes because I realized: That wasn’t good. But that’s exactly what it’s about. I want to understand how I work and when.
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Of course, I don’t listen to the recordings analytically and in detail, but mostly very casually. I pay particular attention to the basics:
- Am I speaking too quickly or too monotonously?
- Do I take breaks?
- Is there dynamism coming in?
- Do I convey calm or restlessness?
All of this has nothing to do with rhetoric seminars, but rather with self-control. For me, this awareness of how you sound – not just what you say – is an extremely important leadership skill. Only those who know how they are perceived can specifically improve their communication.
3. Change of perspective
In my opinion, one of the biggest communication mistakes is assuming that the other person has already understood what was meant. The responsibility for this always lies with the sender – not the receiver. That’s why I never automatically assume that my message has been received just because I said it.
For me, good leadership means regularly changing your perspective: getting out of your own head and into the other person’s. It also helps to simply ask for a meeting or call.
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Practice every day
Good language costs nothing, but it decides so many things. And the best thing about it: you can practice it every day. At dinner with friends, at the next meeting, in a quick update every now and then. Anyone who is willing to work on their language automatically works on their leadership.
At the end of the day, teams work the way their bosses speak.
