7 Approaches to Communicate Urgency to Employees
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Introduction
Communicating urgency is communicating the need to act promptly and intentionally to achieve a goal efficiently. As a manager, communicating urgency suggests doing what needs to be done immediately. Communicating urgency should not be overused as employees can lose respect for what it means. Here are 7 ways to communicate urgency to your employees:
7 Approaches to Communicate Urgency at Work
Set Clear Plan and Expectations:
Set a clear path forward for your employee so they do not spend time asking questions or pondering the way forward.
“Let’s move right into the action, this is what I see as the immediate next step”
Use Action Words Such As: ‘Now’, ‘Immediately’, ‘Right Away'
This is a very clear way to communicate the timeline in which a task needs to be completed.
“Let’s work on a solution right away and get this taken care of.”
‘Right away’ clearly communicates to your employee the timeline in which you need the task completed.
Communicate the Deadline
If a deadline is fast approaching the employee will feel their own sense of urgency to get the task done. If you have 2 days to complete a project, let the employee know so they feel a sense of urgency themselves.
“Time is of the essence, we must complete ___ by tomorrow end of the day.”
Letting the employee know that time is of the essence will immediately signal an urgency to the matter.
Communicate Consequences for Inaction
If your employee knows they may face consequences it allows them to understand why there is a sense of urgency.
“If we do not get __ in by Friday at 5 pm we will miss the opportunity to be included in the article.”
Layout what is at stake for the employee so they understand what the urgency is for.
Identify Any Obstacles and Remove Them
If you know there are certain permissions your team will need in order to complete a task, remove them promptly. If there are any obstacles in the way of completing the task quickly remove them so your team is able to move forward.
“I will fix that right now so you can get started on this project immediately.”
“I have updated your permissions already so you are able to start on that now”
Your employee will feel a sense of urgency based on your proactive and quick action.
Act Quickly and Confidently Yourself
Employees will follow your lead, act confidently, quickly, and effectively and your team will follow. If there is an urgent matter you do not want to panic your team. Reassure them that the quick pace needed is not of concern. As a manager you want to act as a confident leader for your team.
Find Out What Motivates Your Team
Finding out the motivators of your team will allow you as a manager to act in the most proactive way possible. If you know your team is motivated by their bonuses, let them know they could be rewarded.
“If we meet this goal before the deadline you’ll all receive a 5% increase in your yearly bonus.”
Employees are motivated by incentives. Incentivizing your employees is a great way to get them to act urgently themselves.
Conclusion
When communicating a sense of urgency to employees it's best to be direct, clear, and lay out the expectations as well as the path forward. Eliminate obstacles that could prevent your team from acting urgently. Emphasize the need for urgency by reminding employees of the potential consequences should the deadline be missed. Most importantly, be confident, clear, and quick yourself because employees will follow your lead.
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