As a leader, what you say or do leaves a significant impact on your followers. It is for this reason that you need to build smart habits, practise what you preach, and set a good example for everyone in the firm.
In the same way, how you communicate your thoughts and ideas greatly affects how well you influence your followers.
If you don’t know how to communicate effectively, you can’t encourage your team to believe in your vision, no matter how groundbreaking it is.
It is for this reason that, aside from striving to be a better leader, you must also work towards being an effective communicator. Doing so will empower you to unleash your potential, inspire your team better, and lead your organisation more effectively.
To help you out, here are some tips worth following to build powerful communication skills:
1. Know who you are talking to
While this may sound common sense, not a lot of leaders actually know their audience when speaking in public. Furthermore, they tend to give out generalised messages that, unfortunately, do not resonate with the listeners.
To be an effective speaker, you first have to understand your company on a deeper level. You must know what they’re curious about as well as what worries or motivates them. Then, break down the organisation into smaller groups according to these factors. Make sure to personalise your communication with each of these groups.
Doing so will allow you to craft a message that everyone in your firm will surely be able to relate to.
2. Give context to your announcements
One common mistake that leaders make is that they unknowingly assume that their listeners know what they know. With this, they tend to go straight to the point without providing at least a quick background.
There’s nothing wrong with being concise when giving out company announcements. However, you must contextualize them whenever necessary. This is especially helpful when announcing business decisions that entail drastic changes in your firm. Doing so will help your employees understand the situation, as well as why that drastic step must be taken.
3. Give a clear direction
As a leader, you wouldn’t want your employees to walk away after a company announcement feeling more confused than ever. You’ll want them to walk away pumped up, knowing exactly what they need to do.
To achieve this, you need to refrain from using big words and platitudes. Rather, be specific and practical. Remember who your audience is and actually offer them pieces of advice that they can act on. With clear directions, you will be able to empower your people to take action.
4. Remain Humble
As a leader, you will naturally feel that pressure to present yourself in the best light possible. After all, people are looking up to you.
With this mindset, you may not be fond of the idea of admitting your failures and shortcomings in front of employees, let alone your colleagues. However, it helps to remember that nothing is embarrassing with demonstrating humility.
In reality, it shows that you are open to more opportunities to grow and learn. It also allows you to gain your employees’ trust and establish a strong connection with them.
Conclusion
If you want to become a truly effective leader, you will need to develop solid communication skills. These will help you present your initiatives successfully and encourage people to work with you. These skills also enable you to build a strong connection with the people you lead. Ultimately, these enable you to leave a positive impact on your organisation and steer your career to success.
Need to boost your Executive leadership in Melbourne, VIC? We’ve got you covered! At SKILLFIRE, we help businesses uplift their leadership capability to help them achieve operational excellence and create incredible customer outcomes. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help you!