Communication is a two-way street. Leaders have a role, so do those they lead.

After nearly 20 years of executive coaching, I have seen the best and the worst of people skills in the leaders I’ve coached. Most of the problems I see with my clients in senior- or middle-management roles come down to three words: lack of communication.

Practicing good communication is everything in the workplace. Clear direction and expectations can’t happen without it. Teamwork and morale take a hit in its absence. Productivity ultimately suffers without it.

Where does this disregard for good communication come from? Research indicates a deeper issue: a lack of emotional intelligence (EQ) in how business leaders and managers communicate, leading to many dysfunctions.

Ongoing problems to address

You’ll find that your own organization’s communication issues that impair effective leadership may come down to these areas:

• Not recognizing employee achievements
• Not giving clear directions
• Not having time to meet with employees
• Not offering constructive criticism
• Not knowing about your employees, their lives outside of work, and even their names!

Did that resonate? It should. I have repeatedly seen them as major reasons for disengaged employees or high turnover rates.

Fixing the problem

Healthy and productive communication requires connection and authenticity. It means being intentional about inclusion, praise and recognition, meaningful interaction, and two-way feedback. Here are four communication practices to put into play starting today:

1. Offer praise, even in failure

“Great job” and other attaboys and atta-girls just aren’t enough to satisfy people who put their heart and soul into their work. Instead, be specific about their contributions when praising employees. Sing their praises to their peers and to your clients and customers. Show them you love what they are doing — even if their efforts end in failure. That’s right. Reward failure if the intentions were in good faith and born out of care for the company mission. Offer grace, and help them learn from any mistakes they make so they can continue to grow.

2. Make your workers feel heard

Leaders must ask employees for their opinions and ideas on issues or roadblocks to success. Ask: “How do you think we could improve?” “What is keeping us stuck?” and “What do you love about the work that we’re doing here?”

Feeling heard, valued, and understood are the trifecta to fulfilled employees, but the only way to deliver on these fundamentals is by sourcing regular feedback and implementing suggestions. Employees need to be given the opportunity to voice their hopes and dreams, as well as their pessimism and frustrations.

3. Share information

Information is power, and it’s one of the best ways to build a sense of trust in people. Sharing information sometimes means disclosing information that is considered sensitive or privileged, like future business plans and strategies, financial data, how your money is being spent, or the way your group activities contribute to organizational goals. Important information is often withheld from employees until the last minute, which can hurt morale and cause anxiety. Leaders will gain more respect from their team if they share as much information as possible as soon as they can.

4. Tell a story

Regarding leadership competencies in work cultures of high trust, vulnerability has established itself as a critical human skill to develop. One way to develop your vulnerability is through sharing stories. In their book Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others, leadership experts James Kouzes and Barry Posner stress the importance of leaders using storytelling to develop trust. The authors quote Howard Gardner, a renowned Harvard scholar, psychologist, and educator:

The artful creation and articulation of stories constitutes a fundamental part of the leader’s vocation. Stories speak to both parts of the human mind — it’s reason and emotion.  And I suggest, further, that it is stories of identity –narratives that help individuals think about and feel who they are, where they come from, and where they are headed — that constitute the single most powerful weapon in the leader’s literary arsenal.