Communication is commonly listed among key skills needed to be a great leader.
We all transmit information each day, through our words, our actions, our appearance. What we say, what we do and how we behave communicate to people around us. So, ok. We all communicate – so how is communication such a valuable skill for a leader if it is something that people can all do?
Well, if you think about communication there is both the message and the receipt of the message that has to happen for communication to occur. True communication occurs when the intended message is received as intended and feedback on that message is provided. Here is where we start to distinguish communication as a leadership skill or opportunity. Being intentional about the communication is part of what we mean by making communication a leadership skill. It is also about anticipating how the intended message might be received and getting additional clarity around your intention.
By anticipating and adjusting your message for your audience, your communication can become more clear and focused.
Not all communication is created equal. How we show up affects how we communicate. Being intentional and not reactive gives us an advantage in communications.
So – how do you communicate like a leader? Be intentional.
1. Decide what it is you want to communicate.
Particularly if you have a complex message to communicate, think about the components of the message, think about what you hope people will take away from your message. If you need to break it down into smaller points and determine how many of those point should go into this communication.
2. Decide when and how you want to do this communication.
Make a decision about whether this should be an email communication, a verbal communication, in person, or on the phone. Decide whether you will do a presentation or have handouts to leave with you audience. Will your communication be done in the morning or afternoon on a Monday or a Friday. Monday morning messages may carry different weight in some organizations than Friday afternoon messages. Make a choice about which you are sending.
3. Decide who needs to receive your communication.
Decide on who should hear you message. Get clear on all the people that will need the information you are communicating. When you are getting intentional about your message, think about who should hear it and are there others in the circles of influence in your main audience that should also hear your message. Decide if they should hear the original message or if you should follow up with some people with a more detailed message.
4. Determine what do you want to happen as a result of the communication.
After hearing your message think about what it is you intend as a result. Some possible intentions are that your audience is informed with new information, you may want them to take some action as a result of your communication, you may want them to support your new idea when it comes to a subsequent meeting. Think about what you want to have happen as a result of your audience hearing your message. If you are asking your audience to take action, be very clear about the action you are asking them to take, let them know what the action is, when it needs to be done, who needs to know about the action, what do to if they have trouble with doing that action, be overly specific about what you are asking.
5. Anticipate what the audience will need to have the result you intend.
Think about what an audience will need to have or know or do to get your intended result of your communication and build that information into you communication. For example, if you want them to attend a future meeting, give them the logistics of that meeting or tell them when and how those logistics will be made available to them.
6. Tell your audience your intention for your communication.
You intention should not be a secret. The idea of the communication is to come out with everyone having a clear understanding of your message. So tell the audience what you want them to know. You may choose to start with the intention, fill in some details, restate the intention, fill in more details and end with the intention as a possible format. Starting out with your intention can help you gauge early in your message if you are meeting your audience’s expectation with your message. If not, you may need to give some more background about why that is your intention.
7. Provide as many answers to anticipated needs as you can in your communication.
When you are communicating you want to it to be easy for your audience to get your message. Don’t make them work for details they need, provide all the information they need to take the action you want in your communication. If what you are telling the audience about is something that you have a lot of information about but you audience may not, you may want to check with a trusted advisor about whether your communication has enough information in it. You don’t want to get sidetracked from your main point because lots of background questions cloud your true message.
8. Ask your audience to share what they understand of your communication.
Check to see if they are following and have the message that you intended. In person or on the phone you can ask someone to summarize what they are taking away, for written communications you can ask for a follow up to check for questions and understanding. You want your audience to be able to repeat what your ideal intention for the message is to you, if they cannot, you haven’t been as clear as you think.
9. Listen.
This is a key part of communication that is sometimes overlooked. When you have something to communicate, you want others to listen. When you stop and listen, you can get a better idea if you have effectively communicated. I can’t overemphasize the listening skill as a key to good communication. You have asked for attention from your audience, it is now time for you to give them that same attention. Be open to the questions you get. While some may seem negative about your idea, stay calm, address the concerns you hear. Everyone wants to feel heard, people want to know that you have considered their position. If you listen well and address concerns, your message can be more powerful.
10. Provide clarification for anything that your audience needs to get the message better.
If you have listened well and addressed concerns, it is time to repeat the intention of the message and make sure that everyone has what they need to understand the message.
11. Follow up after the communication to ensure there are no remaining questions.
Not everyone is willing to speak up during a big meeting. Look at body language and posture for meetings that are in person, listen for tone of voice or lack of participation from those on the phone. Follow up with people, especially those that you got a sense might not have gotten your message or that might have additional questions or concerns. Particularly when asking people to take some action, follow up with those taking action to ensure that they have everything they need to be successful.
People communicate all the time. The steps I have outlined are not magic, they are intended to give you a structure for thinking about your communications more intentionally. Not all communications are equal in importance and formality. Remember to trust yourself when setting up you communication. Even if you don’t follow every one of these steps every time, you can communicate like a leader. Be authentic to yourself. I’d love to hear how your next communication goes. Add a comment and tell me how you do leader communications and what you find works best for you.
Need some help with communicating? Maybe you aren’t using the right communication style. Find out your style for free at ridgelinecoaching.com at the bottom of the home page.
Recent Comments