Leaders often want to know how to be successful. Some think success is achieved through charisma, inspiring ideas, visionary thinking, etc. While each of these is important, none can be achieved without skilled communication. One may say, this is too easy of an answer and the mystery of successful leadership must be more complex than skilled communication. I encourage you to consider how do the best leaders motivate others with their ideas and vision? The answer is simply “skilled communication”.
It is essential to know that communication is always a two-way process. It is not simply being able to speak to others, it also requires being “heard and understood”. Great leaders facilitate this process in multiple ways. First, one must prepare on how communication will be achieved. During preparation, goals for the communication must be clarified and planed before communicating with another person. Great leads anticipate the receiver’s perception and viewpoint. Second, is the delivery. The delivery of the message must relate to larger goals, actions for achieving goals must be identified. Also, great leaders confirm understanding by the other person. Third, is reception of the message. A leader must keep an open mind and value feedback. Key points in the feedback must be noted and you must confirm you understand. Fourth, is to evaluate the effectiveness of the communication and lastly, one must correct the action as needed.
Sometimes the stakes are high when communicating and failure can impact morale and your ability to communicate in the future. Using these simple steps can have a positive impact on your communication and increase the likelihood of success in leadership.
Author: Jennifer Manning
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