This week, I fell into one of the most common employee communication mistakes. It’s the type of situation where an employee takes initiative, but you react emotionally because they lack the context to make the right decision. Worse, I handled it poorly—by sending an email late at night. Sound familiar?
Recognizing Employee Communication Mistakes
Here’s what happened:
At 8 p.m., I saw an email where my employee suggested rescheduling a client meeting due to missing information. My initial reaction was, “Why delay? We’re slow this week, and we can’t get paid until that meeting happens!”
Without much thought, I fired off a reply:
“Please don’t suggest rescheduling meetings without running it by me first.”
Why Context Matters in Communication
Here’s the problem: My response lacked context. While we’ve frequently discussed how delays in client-provided information impact our workflow, my email contradicted those earlier discussions. My employee made a reasonable suggestion based on what she knew, aiming to reduce stress and protect workflow.
The next morning, she simply replied, “Ok, no problem.” That’s when I realized I’d failed to explain the bigger picture: how cash flow, workload, and decision-making align in these situations. It was a classic employee communication mistake.
Explaining the “Why” Behind Decisions
I revisited the conversation and explained the factors influencing decisions like this:
- How we get paid: Delaying meetings can affect cash flow during slower weeks.
- Balancing priorities: Sometimes, completing work without all the necessary information keeps cash flow steady, even if it means revising later.
- Considering the big picture: Decisions involve a balance between maintaining cash flow, delivering quality work, and meeting client expectations.
This conversation empowered my employee to understand the “why” behind these decisions, enabling her to discern when to act independently and when to check in with me.
Avoiding Future Employee Communication Mistakes
To prevent similar issues, I made this information more accessible:
- We added a team huddle agenda item to review cash flow and workload.
- I clarified when to “screen in” or “screen out” work based on current priorities.
These steps aligned our team’s understanding of decision-making factors. Now, my employee knows where we stand weekly and how to handle situations without second-guessing.
The Pitfall of Emotional Emails
One crucial lesson I learned: Avoid emotional responses via email, especially outside of business hours. If your reaction includes “OMG” or “What?!”, wait until the next morning and discuss it in person or over the phone. Email exchanges, particularly emotional ones, often lead to misunderstandings.
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