How To Build An Effective 'Line Of Sight' For Your Employees

Are you effective at communicating your organization’s vision to employees? Do your employees understand how their “individual” roles contribute to the success of the organization? All this comes down to having a clear ‘Line of sight. In simple terms, ‘Line of sight’ or “LOS” starts with you as a leader motivating your employees towards a common goal by giving them a clear understanding of not only what that goal is, but also how their efforts make it a reality.

What: Are You On The Line?

According to a recent PR News article, “60 percent of companies do not have a long-term internal communications strategy at all, and of the businesses that do, 12 percent do not measure the effectiveness of these communications.” These numbers are alarming because; if you are not communicating with your employees, then how do you know if they have a good understanding of the business's goals beyond the perfunctory mission statement plaque on the wall in your main lobby?

Why: Are You Working Offline?

It is imperative to understand that a disconnected or incomplete line of communication has far-reaching implications beyond gaining needed intelligence. It results in a disengaged workforce that’s hard to retain. On average, three-quarters of employees who have a clear understanding of how their jobs contribute to their company achieving its goals are actively engaged at work. Conversely, only a demoralizing one-quarter of employees who work at a company where the impact of their contributions is unclear indicate that they are not engaged with their jobs.

It is safe to say that when your employees understand your company’s goals, have a well-defined outline for how you will achieve them, and feel good about their role in making it happen; you are well on your way to success.

How: Getting Back Online

Like a fine wine, good advice seems to get better with age. A McKinsey & Company article from 2007 emphasizes the important role CEOs play in leading transformation efforts, and the same principles apply when a CEO looks to establish an LOS framework in their organization. The process includes communicating the significance of the goal, modeling the desired changes, building a strong team, and getting personally involved. In short, the process for establishing meaningful end-to-end communication not only begins with the CEO; it requires their active involvement.

A Shared Sense of Accomplishment

The success of an employee is dependent on a CEO’s ability to enable the company’s vision to become their vision. The only way to make this happen, is to include them in the planning process so that they feel that they have a part in shaping the company's future.

As the leader of your company, the next and first move is now yours. Where will you and your team go?