On Star Trek, everyone knows their job and is crystal clear on what they must do to keep the Enterprise running - in general and also in case of an attack or crisis.  If the crew members are in doubt, they just need to look at the color of their shirt.  Leaders should aspire to the same effect, perhaps without mandating shirt colors. 

Dr. Mildred Culp, who writes nationally syndicated column on workplace trends, recently interviewed me on blurring roles and the impact for leaders and employees.  One of the core tenets of my coaching and consulting approach is every person has to understand what they are contributing on a strategic and tactical basis. 

Here is the article: Who's the Boss? It's Getting Harder to Tell

It's ironic.  As leaders have more communications tools at their disposal, they may be losing some of the power of traditional communication.  Why?  Studies tell us only 7% of a spoken message reflects the actual words.  In contrast, 93% of the impact reflects tone of voice, facial expression and body language - nonverbal cues. 

So in a world of "sent to you from a Blackberry", emails, and instant messaging think of the implications for yourself as leader.  Might it be worth your time to pick up the phone more often?  Or go "retro" and actually invite your team into your office for quick informal meetings.

It's not just about communication, it's also about your team's perception, understanding and pride regarding their individual and collective roles.  A two-way discussion enables people to:
   • Clarify what you want them to do
   • Ask questions or pose various options for accomplishing your goal
   • Suggest additional ideas or issues you may have overlooked
 
In brief, you will get better results and they will feel greater ownership over their roles and their assigned tasks.

Think about it.  Try it a few times.  If you'd like to share what you discover, please contact me, Stefanie Smith, executive consultant and coach.