Leadership is a compelling intellectual trade that moves people to action. It requires an individual to go beyond the standards of their day-to-day and seek various opportunities that challenges the overall status quo for the betterment of their company. But in order to inspire, in order to motivate, you as a business leader need to establish and foster a strong line of communication. That foundation will set an overall precedence for the goals you are looking to achieve each and everyday.
Now to further understand this trade in the most efficient and effective manner, you need to define your own personal and professional leadership by understanding yourself. By having a deeper internalization of your vision, goals, beliefs, and strengths, you will be able to communicate every task on a stronger and deeper level. For all business leaders, this type of skill is transferable. The real challenge is what you can do with it to help further accomplish your objective on a consistent basis. To accomplish this, you need to, of course, take responsibility for the process. Make sure you understand the ins-and-outs of your business and the variety of different departments and people you will be interacting with throughout the course of a week. In addition, be sure to ask probing questions to your group and listen to their answers. This will allow you to take action and spark progress either individually or within a framework of a team. But to take this on the next level, it is important that you demonstrate a strong level of consistency to your commitment. Small talk and networking is a fine practice, but communicating in a way that meets the wants and needs of an individual will push you to the path of success.
Once you have developed that keen external awareness for those people around you, you as a business leader will have to build a sense cohesive thinking in order to execute at the highest level. Just take a look at some of the world’s greatest leaders. They are not just exceptional communicators by trade. Instead, they are also leaders that can sympathize their vision and goals in a more open forum. If your message is unclear in any manner, you will be unable to deep root your message with your audience. Remember, the objective of communicating at the highest level is for your audience to internalize and understand your goals and aspirations. Any type of derivation or misunderstanding can lead to extreme unfavorable results.
To help prevent any type of miscommunication, I have highlighted several types of interactions you should practice consistently throughout the office. These principles are meant to aid you so that you can educate, inform, and inspire your employees on a daily basis. Keep in mind that everyone perceived the world differently. Your job is to bridge that gap.
Know what you are Talking about
We have all heard that infamous saying that, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.” While there is some truth to that, I am telling you that what you say does matter to your audience. Yes, you may be in a position of power, but that does not mean you have all of the answer. Some successful people have little interest in specific topics, but try to force their two-cents into the conversation just to hear themselves speak. While it is great to get involved, not adding anything of value does not put you in a better position. Instead, for situations like this, make sure you know what you are talking about. The more value you can add, the better. Remember, the underlying goal of a strong and effective line of communication is to educate and inform. Do not allow your ego to jump ahead. This can only lead to a negative attachment to your overall image.
Be Personal
Some of the most passionate conversations and speeches are those that connect with their audience, and rightfully so. The more personal and engaging your conversations can be, the better. Many business leaders are able to leverage this style of empathetic communication. Communicating on that deeper level will help display a strong level of authenticity and transparency that can help establish a sense of trust between you and the prospective party.
Be Specific
Some of the biggest flaws for many managers and business leaders within the office are that they are a bit too ambiguous with what they are saying. Make sure you are as specific as possible. Learning to communicate with that type of clarity and conciseness will help nullify any type of confusions or misunderstandings in the future. On a side note, try to keep things as short as possible. As much as you want to be specific, you also want to avoid the opportunity of overstating things on a granular level.
Listen and Stay Open-minded
To be a strong and effective communicator, it is imperative that you create a safe and secure space for open dialog. When another person is talking to you, make sure you are listening. This type of engagement between parties is something that can help challenge and develop new ideas for the betterment of your company. In addition, this type of open forum communication can establish a meaningful trust and respect between you and your workers, which can inevitably benefit you later on in the future.
