If you want to be an efficient leader, you need to master communication – the success of your company depends on it!
Inadequate communication results in low spirits, missed objectivesand even lost opportunities. On the other hand, effective communication influences much more than just your bottom line. For leaders, it enables them to rally their team around a common vision, equip employeesand effectively grow the business, so let’s take a look at exactly why communication is important in leadership…
“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.”
– Peter F. Drucker
When interaction is lacking, important details will be misinterpreted, creating obstacles that hinder progression. If you want to boost your leadership capacities, here are THE top seven communication skills you need to introduce into your day-to-day interactions:
Listen
Effective leaders understand when they need to communicate their thoughts and, much more significantly, when they are required to listen. Show that you are receptive to your employees’ opinions, ideas, and also criticism. And remember when they do share, proactively participate in the discussion– pose questions, invite them to elaborate on their responses and take notes.It is very important to stay in the moment as and the points they are making. To accomplish that, you need to remove any kind of disturbances such as continuous pings on your mobile phone or incoming emails.
Be Honest
By talking honestly regarding the business’s goals, opportunitiesand also its obstacles, leaders build an atmosphere of trust among their team and cultivate a setting where people feel equipped to share ideas and work together. Simply acknowledging mistakes encourages a safe environment where transparent discussion is accepted and acted upon. Every person in the organisation should be able to recognise the duty they play in the business’s success and by being clear in their communication leaders make it less complicated for individuals to make that connection.
Be Clear
When interacting with your team, talk in specifics. Define the desired result of a project and be clear about what you wish to see attained by the end of each milestone. If objectives aren’t being satisfied, try simplifying your message further or ask exactly how you can provide additional clarity or assistance. The clearer you are, the less wasted energy and unhealthy conflict there will be. Individuals will certainly understand what they’re working towards; feel included in the process, you’ll find they commit to contributing more too.
Ask Questions
If you want to understand team members’ inspirations, ideasand objectives better, usequestions such as…
- Tell me more
- What do you mean
- Can you tell me about your idea
- How can I help
By using these expressions when talking to your team, you generate more thoughtful, comprehensive feedback and ensure you also have clarity around what they require from you to be successful.
Have Compassion
There’s a reason empathy is oftenranked as one of the top leadership skillsneeded for success. The better you get at acknowledging and also recognizing team members’ concerns and experiences, the more they will feel heard and valued. If you are serious about enhancing your communication skills, react with compassion.
Be Interested
In a busy day, it’s easy to only half-concentrate on the conversation, and when you’ve worked for a long time with your team, you can easily think you’ve heard it all before.This leads to half-hearted engagement or even switching off completely. It also tends to lengthen conversations or lead to having the same conversation over and over. Giving your full attention for five minutes will achieve much more than half-listening for twenty!
Take Action
If you receive feedback from your team but don’t follow through to execute any kind of change, they’re likely to doubt your capability to take action. By showing your team that they have been listened to, they’ll feel that you value their perspective.
To improve your interaction skills and be a better leader, start by evaluating your performance so you can determine milestones for improvement. Then, establish objectives and hold yourself accountable. At CommsMasters, we aim to achieve your vision through predictable, results-driven change and we’d be happy to have a chat with you to start your journey. Get in touch with us by eMail – heather.campbell@commsmasters.com and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours (Monday to Friday) or call us today on +44 (0)141 419 0183