“Boudreaux” and “Thibodeaux” are the lovable, laughable central characters in much of our South Louisiana humor. They are essential players in many Cajun jokes and often take on a variety of roles, depending on who’s telling the story and the point they want to make. We love to laugh at their flat Cajun accents and their often dim-witted antics. While the subject matter is pretty much universal, the characters give it a unique flavor. It could only happen in South Louisiana – or could it?
(Note Boudreaux and Thibodaux are also the family names of two large families in Louisiana. The antics of these two characters in no way reflect on members of these fine families.)
So let me get on with my story…
Reverend Boudreaux was the pastor of the local Cajun Baptist Church, and Father Thibodaux was the priest of the St. Pius Catholic Church across the road. They were both standing by the road, pounding a sign into the ground that read:
Da End is Near
Turn Yo Sef ‘Roun Now
Afore It’s Too Late!
As a car sped past them, the driver leaned out his window and yelled, “You religious nuts!”
From the curve in the road they heard screeching tires, and a big splash . . .
The Reverend Boudreaux turns to Father Thibodaux and asks, “Do ya tink maybe da sign should jus say ‘Bridge Out’?”
While we can laugh at Boudreaux and Thibodaux, how many of us can see ourselves in their blunders? How many times have you communicated something in a manner that you thought was clear and straightforward, only to get a completely different result than you wanted or expected?
Communication breakdowns, or, in this case, communication crashes, happen all the time, can cost you time and effort and cost the company in lost productivity. Try these communication tips to increase your effectiveness as a leader and impact your bottom line:
Overdo it.
Shocking though it may be, in all my years conducting exit interviews in HR, never once did I hear an employee say that she was leaving the company because her boss just communicated with her too much. It simply doesn’t happen. Most leaders are under the false impression that they communicate enough, but in my experience you can’t communicate with your team too much. Err on the side of over-communication to ensure that his message has been received.
Get “in-sync.”
Take your right hand and touch your right ear.
Take your left hand and touch your nose.
Why were you able to follow my instructions? Probably because you understood exactly what I meant when I said right hand, right ear, etc. You might agree that my directions were pretty explicit.
Often miscommunications on the job come up because we are not using commonly understood terms and standards. When coaching a team member, it is vital that you communicate explicitly, up front, your expectations for him. Don’t assume that he knows and shares your definitions of these terms. Often, managers become frustrated because a team member isn’t doing a “good job,” when, in fact, the manager has never clearly explained his definition of a “good job.” Make sure that you are “in-sync” with the terms you use.
Ask.
It’s always a good idea to ask your listener to tell you, in her own words, what she is going to do as a result of your conversation. Having her paraphrase your directions will illuminate – and eliminate – areas where you may have a miscommunication or misunderstanding.
Bear the burden.
If you ask “Do you have any questions?” or “Do you understand?” after giving directions you’ll rarely discover if there have been any miscommunications. Try asking “What part have I failed to make clear?” In other words, instead of implying “What part of my message are you too stupid to get?”, (and I’m SURE you’re never thinking that) you are implying that if there was a communication breakdown, it was on your end, not his.
Take notes from Boudreaux and Thibodaux’s communication “crash” and learn to communicate with clarity.
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Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication. In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.
