It's happened to me, and I hear it complained about often by leaders. "I feel like I've told them this 10 times. How is it possible that they still don't know this information?"
As leaders, the number one skill that will make or break our effectiveness is communication.
We are the visionaries, the ones standing at the front of the path holding the flashlight. If we cannot communicate what we see effectively, we will not be able to lead anyone anywhere.
Simply to share information, even eloquently, does not actually accomplish the goal of effective communication. We can brilliantly share information with an empty room, and feel very satisfied with our execution, but no one actually absorbed the information and was able to put it to good use. When we are simply focused on the information, it is as if we are speaking to an empty room every single time. The focus of effective communication is on the listener.
When we communicate, we are trying to accomplish three goals
- Understanding
- Connection
- Action
Understanding
The majority of people who are coming into a meeting, a lecture or event are thinking about one thing, themselves. It's human nature. We are all symptomatic of this habit. We run through our to do lists in our minds, think about our next meal, rehash the stresses of the morning, or the schedule for the evening. We each have a running dialogue in our minds, constantly trying to keep a strong grasp of all things we are responsible for. When a listener comes to hear us speak, we need to make sure we are communicating a simple but vital truth every single time, "Here is how this message applies to you."
We can choose our words appropriately using you phrases instead of me phrases. Share how this new direction will affect their day, their projections, their possible profits. Share how you need their value, their skill, or their ideas to be able to dive into this new opportunity. Give them a reason that their understanding of what you are saying will affect their lives, jobs, progress. Give them a reason to pay attention.
Connection
Humans are emotional creatures. This is not a liability, it is an asset. When we communicate with a team, we want them to have an emotional response to what we are saying. Excitement, motivation, ambition, joy, concern, compassion, righteous indignation, whatever is needed in regards to the subject matter. An emotional response is necessary for someone to form a connection to the mission or direction in a meaningful way. This emotional response will naturally prompt them to our next goal.
Action
When we communicate, it is imperative that we articulate the goals. When we have inspired understanding and have initiated an emotional connection to the message, then we must lay out a clear path for ownership, ideas and action. We want our team to begin to spin their idea wheels and start thinking proactively about how they can help to accomplish the goals we have laid before them. There is nothing more frustrating than to get motivated and excited about something and then have no clear, actionable objectives to be able to channel that energy into productivity. As a leader, we must make sure there are clear ways for the team to apply their inspiration to action quickly to achieve our goals.
Remember, we can only go as far as our team is activated to go with us. Let's remember how our words are going to be heard by the people we lead.