Communication requires listening to employees as much as possible. It should be obvious, but as the old saying goes, “common sense is not always common.” Savvy leaders know that employees often have good ideas about how to reduce hassles, which we define as doing something you don’t need to do and would be more productive if you didn’t have to do. Try asking employees these questions on a regular basis and then sit back and listen:

• What is a hassle for you?
• What is a hassle for our company?
• What is a hassle for our customers?
• Name one thing a year we should start doing.
• Name one thing a year we should stop doing.
• Name one thing we should continue doing.

When asking for feedback it’s important to manage expectations. Use employee feedback whenever possible, but when you can’t, thank the employee and let her know why her particular idea isn’t feasible.

Tom’s Takeaway: Professionals want to have a say in organizational decisions. Ask for employee feedback on a regular basis and really listen. Implement employee ideas when possible; when you can’t, thank employees and let them know why their ideas won’t work.