A communication manager receives an email from an executive asking the manager to make employee engagement a top priority due to receiving…

Before taking any action, the communication manager must first fully understand the problem from the perspective of the key stakeholder—the executive. The initial request is brief and lacks specific detail. The best first step is to meet with the executive to clarify their concerns, understand which survey results were most disappointing, define what improved engagement would look like, and align on expectations. This consultation acts as a crucial discovery phase, ensuring that any subsequent actions, such as developing plans or involving other departments, are correctly targeted and address the executive's actual concerns.

A. Meeting with direct reports is premature. The manager lacks sufficient information to provide clear direction or delegate tasks effectively.

B. Developing communication plans without a clear diagnosis of the problem is a "ready, fire, aim" approach that is likely to be ineffective.

C. Contacting HR is a valuable subsequent step for data gathering, but the first priority is to clarify the request with the executive who initiated it.

1. D'Aprix, R. (2011). The Manager's Role in Employee Communication. In T. L. Gillis (Ed.), The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication (2nd ed., pp. 325-336). Jossey-Bass. This chapter emphasizes the role of the communicator as a consultant to leadership, which begins with listening and diagnosing the problem before prescribing solutions.

2. Schein, E. H. (2013). Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. This foundational text on consulting and leadership argues that the first step in any helping relationship is to understand the client's problem through inquiry before offering solutions.

3. Stanford Graduate School of Business. (n.d.). Course: GSBGEN 315: The Art of Strategic Communication. Course materials often focus on the initial diagnostic and audience analysis phase as the critical first step in developing any influential communication strategy.