How Are Your Blinkers?

The blinker, or automotive turn signal, is an excellent analog that we can use to understand our communication habits because it allows us to clearly see how our intent to communicate extends to the real world. Thanks to the simplicity of the device and the rules surrounding it, the moment we intend to send a message to our peers (i.e. the other drivers), we do so, and they receive the message as we mean it, according to the rules of the road. Blinkers filter-out the confounding traits of many other modes of communication (e.g. language, posture, tone, environment, etc.), thus rendering inert most of the external forces we can blame for communication problems except the natural complacency that comes with years of driving (and communicating), the blinker exposes our native habits of communicating in ways that might surprise us.

Buckle-up while we take a look at what our use of blinkers can tell us about — us.

The “Late Blinker”

Late Blinkers are the sort that begin changing lanes or turning, crossing halfway toward their destination lane or ramp, before engaging the turn signals. Depending on local laws and enforcement officers, this may or may not be legal, but it is always rude and dangerous because it does not give others the ability to adjust to the new situation as the driver fails to indicate intent until already occupying parts of two different traffic paths.

Leaders who communicate like Late Blinkers are often the close-to-the-vest types; the ones who keep changes and goals a secret until they are certain they can achieve them, or are certain nothing is going to change to invalidate them. They view it as a position of strength to hold information that others do not have, and to dispense that information in a way they feel is completely within their control. The don’t care much about input from those affected, except as some form of gratification for being the source of information that can no longer be stopped.

Maybe they have success metrics based on the sound of horns, screeching tires, and fender dings? They'll never tell us until they are well into celebrating the achievement. 

The “No Blinker”

This type of person simply changes lanes, passes, and turns without bothering to let anyone around know what’s going on. At the extreme, this person barges into traffic from a left-side on-ramp, charges across three lanes of highway traffic, then drops onto a right-side off-ramp, all the while assuming everyone around them is paying enough attention and has enough control to simply deal with it. 

In leadership, this is the type who will change a policy, make a promise to a client, or modify a schedule, and simply expect everyone to make it work. Functionally, it is simply that this person doesn’t think to communicate rather than that they deliberately avoid it or don’t want to. They are completely fine committing actions and resources without getting any input from those impacted, and wouldn’t listen even if they did. Where a Late Blinker might be fairly judged to be a bit of a control freak, the No Blinker is an ignoramus that feels everyone must already know all they ought know, always.

This person is dangerous in all contexts, but doesn’t know it and doesn’t care.

The “False Blinker”

We’ve all driven down the road behind a car with a turn signal blinking for several blocks or even miles, or maybe we’ve even been that person (if you remember driving without self-cancelling turn signals). Discarding the inappropriate ageist jokes that may come to mind, careful drivers spend the whole time behind this vehicle waiting for the sudden turn that this False Blinker person has been unintentionally telling us about.

A False Blinker is related to the No Blinker in that their communication is not considered and doesn’t match actions. Where the No Blinker simply doesn’t communicate, the False Blinker communicates contextually meaningful messages that are contradicted by their actions. Consider a leader who reminds us that we’re a data-driven organization, but persists with decisions and demands that are arbitrary and not supported by data; their persistent preaching about being data-driven when they do not follow data is their false signal.

As long as this person remains on course, they are more of an annoyance than much else, but the moment they change direction — sometimes opposite the signal — any complacency in dealing with a False Blinker becomes a potential crash.

Almost Everyone Else

For those of us who can honestly look at our turn signal habits and determine that their use is congruent with good communication habits, we still have to guard against the complacency or distraction that can land us in one of the above categories. We are the product of our best and worst practices, and those things we do well when doing them deliberately can be offset by what we do unthinkingly and out of poorly managed habit. Whether driving or engaging your direct reports, consider always the mode, method, and timing of your communication, and make sure it matches what your audience needs to respond appropriately so they don't wind up parked in your trunk.

Note: This post first appeared as a LinkedIn blog by Dr. Mann on October 15, 2019.