COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY
WHY IT MATTERS
Communication is the medium through which leadership influence travels. Without communication leadership can’t exist, because at its core leadership is about sharing thoughts, feelings, and ideas to rally people to a cause. It is communication that gets people to see, start, stop, or change their direction. It is communication that helps people forge new relationships, understand each other, and resolve disagreements. Leaders that communicate effectively move people to accomplish extraordinary things by the words they say, the vision they paint, and the feelings they share. Leaders that struggle to communicate well will struggle to excite people about the work, keep them aligned, and elevate them to greatness.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that communicate effectively know communication is key to leadership success. They know more often than not problems in organizations and between individuals are due to poor communication more than any other factor. They know a leader can only be as good as their ability to engender understanding with those they lead.
Leaders that communicate effectively approach communication strategically. They know people are different, as are the circumstances and context in which they communicate with them. They never assume a set way of communication. They study each situation and plan their communication approach accordingly. They identify the most effective mediums through which to share each message. They know people receive messages differently, requiring their message be shared through an array of diverse communication channels.
Leaders that communicate effectively communicate their message while simultaneously discerning how their message is being received. They can tell if people are listening, and if they understand what they are trying to share. They can make corrections mid-stream and make adjustments to their message in the moment. They reformulate their message until they are sure people understand.
Leaders that communicate effectively envision communication as a partnership. They spend as much time listening as they do talking. They are not threatened by questions or challenges to their thinking. They don’t get flustered when people question what they have said.
Leaders that communicate effectively use stories and examples to bring life to their messages and help them be understood. They trust simplicity above complexity, and substance over style. They find the easiest ways to help people understand complex or abstract ideas.
Leaders that communicate effectively are cognizant of the timing of their communication. They know communication will only be as strong as its accurate timing. They know if they wait too long the door of impact might close, and if they are too early they may do more damage than good.
Leaders that communicate effectively recognize and respond to non-verbal communication. They tell as much by watching someone as they do by listening to them. They ensure their own non-verbal communication always reinforces their desired message.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
Communication is the medium through which leadership influence travels. Without communication leadership can’t exist, because at its core leadership is about sharing thoughts, feelings, and ideas to rally people to a cause. It is communication that gets people to see, start, stop, or change their direction. It is communication that helps people forge new relationships, understand each other, and resolve disagreements. Leaders that communicate effectively move people to accomplish extraordinary things by the words they say, the vision they paint, and the feelings they share. Leaders that struggle to communicate well will struggle to excite people about the work, keep them aligned, and elevate them to greatness.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that communicate effectively know communication is key to leadership success. They know more often than not problems in organizations and between individuals are due to poor communication more than any other factor. They know a leader can only be as good as their ability to engender understanding with those they lead.
Leaders that communicate effectively approach communication strategically. They know people are different, as are the circumstances and context in which they communicate with them. They never assume a set way of communication. They study each situation and plan their communication approach accordingly. They identify the most effective mediums through which to share each message. They know people receive messages differently, requiring their message be shared through an array of diverse communication channels.
Leaders that communicate effectively communicate their message while simultaneously discerning how their message is being received. They can tell if people are listening, and if they understand what they are trying to share. They can make corrections mid-stream and make adjustments to their message in the moment. They reformulate their message until they are sure people understand.
Leaders that communicate effectively envision communication as a partnership. They spend as much time listening as they do talking. They are not threatened by questions or challenges to their thinking. They don’t get flustered when people question what they have said.
Leaders that communicate effectively use stories and examples to bring life to their messages and help them be understood. They trust simplicity above complexity, and substance over style. They find the easiest ways to help people understand complex or abstract ideas.
Leaders that communicate effectively are cognizant of the timing of their communication. They know communication will only be as strong as its accurate timing. They know if they wait too long the door of impact might close, and if they are too early they may do more damage than good.
Leaders that communicate effectively recognize and respond to non-verbal communication. They tell as much by watching someone as they do by listening to them. They ensure their own non-verbal communication always reinforces their desired message.
BELIEFS
- Good communication must be an ongoing process and not a one-time event.
- Just because someone has spoken words does not mean they have communicated to hearts.
- In communication, the only thing more important than being understood is not being misunderstood.
- Communication has to be unique to each audience, because each audience is unique. You can’t be a cookie-cutter communicator.
- Communication is a two-way street. If you are the one doing all of the talking, you probably aren’t communicating.
- There is a major difference between talking to people and communicating with people.
- When it comes to communication, simple and concise will always be better than complex and drawn out.
- Just as important as what you say is choosing the right medium through which to say it, and the right time to say it.
BEST PRACTICES
- Make sure what you say is accurate.
- Customize the approach to each situation.
- Ask to be asked hard questions.
- Sense the receptivity of your audience.
- Approach hard issues with directness.
- Read others’ verbal and non-verbal cues.
- Know when to talk and when to listen.
- Take extra caution with challenging messages.
- Ensure communication is timely.
- Get the right people the right messages.
- Share complex ideas in easy to understand ways.
- Make sure you have been understood.
- Change your delivery based on receptivity.
- Respond directly to hard questions.
- Know the right level of detail to provide.
- Use stories and examples to share your message.
- Remain calm and collected, always.
- Show confidence but don’t be overbearing.
- Talk in a way that is easily understood.
- Choose the right medium for your messages.
- Simultaneously teach and read your audience.
- Ensure you have not been misunderstood.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I realize how important communication is to my success, or do I overlook its significance?
- Do I approach each chance to communicate with an appropriate strategy, or do I rarely vary how I communicate?
- Do I study my audience and customize communication to their needs, or do I overlook their needs?
- Do I discern if people understand what I am saying, or do I just assume they understand my message?
- Do I try and listen to other people, or do I only care if other people are listening to me?
- Do I default to being as simple and concise as I can be, or do I overcomplicate what I want to say?
- Do I communicate at just the right moment, or do I wait too long or act too prematurely?
- Do I pay attention to my own and others’ non-verbal communication, or do I only see what is said with words?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t be so programmed in how you communicate with people you lose your personality and ability to be yourself.
- Don’t forget good communication is about really connecting with people, not just checking the right boxes.
- Don’t strategize communication to the point you inadvertently make it harder than it sometimes needs to be.
- I can easily tell how someone is feeling by his or her physical movements.
- I look for how people are behaving rather than what they are saying when passing information along.
- Listening is a harder skill to learn than public speaking.
- I share the right information with the right people.
- When someone doesn’t understand what I am saying, the blame lies with me and not with them.