How can improving your communication skills make you a better leader?
Read below to find out!
Leadership and Communication
Take a moment to think about one of the best boss’s you’ve had in your career. What do you remember about them? How did they make you feel when you interacted with them? Were your conversations fast and efficient? Or thoughtful and personal? Did you feel heard when talking with them?
Communication skills and Leadership go hand in hand, to be a leader you need good communication skills, when you have good communication skills, you typically become a natural leader (whether you have authority or not, folks often look to you).
So lets break down how communication impacts being a leader. Whether you are a leader at work, or in your personal life, you often are around and interacting with many folks. Every conversation, high five, hello or in depth talk will leave a mark on the person you are talking with. But as a individual and also a leader, you can choose what kind of conversation you want, but also what you want the impact to be. But regardless, throughout that process communication skills will be involved.
Whether your communicating to relate to someone-sharing common feelings, thoughts or experiences. This type of a communication of brings people together, helping to build connection.
Another way to communicate as a leader is to share information specifically, this can be done to debrief individuals, share feedback, thoughts or ideas. But as a leader you are trying to express and communicate what you need or want. The goal behind this type of communication is often for you to share.
Let’s talk about communication and empathy in conversations. This is a less common thought process since we often think of ourselves when we communicate. It’s based on our perspectives and communicating what WE want to say in conversations. But when we think about empathy, and communicating from another persons perspective, what does that do for a conversation, and for that other person?
What would you feel if someone tried to put themselves in your shoes, tried to see the world through your eyes? Would it feel like someone understood you? Would you feel heard? Most people feel heard and understood when someone leaves their own reality and steps inside your world. So as a leader, if this were one of your your many communication skills, do you think you would be more or less appreciated? Do you think people would gravitate to you more or less? Do you think people would want to engage with you more or less?
Now I want you to think about the type of leader you want to be. How do you want to communicate with people and positively impact how they feel and how well you connect.
Leadership and communication go hand in hand. What kind of communication skills do you have in your tool belt to enhance your leadership skills?
Communication Challenge: As a leader, or an up coming leader- what communication skills do you utilize when talking with others? Are you mindful of your communication? Think about your communication with others for the next 7 days, take note of times you want to relate, times you want to tell something, or times when you try to get out of your own head, and into theirs.
Want more?
Make sure to check out our membership or one of our online classes! Introduction to Motivational Interviewing is a great place to start by learning the basics!
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