blog
The Communication Toolkit: Skills Every Effective Leader Needs
You hear it all the time: communication is key. And it’s true. But what does it really mean? How can you learn to communicate well, or better? And how do you apply this to the many diverse individuals or groups you encounter as a business leader every day?
Here’s a quick list of suggestions for improving your communication skills, broken out into different areas of communication:
Verbal Communication
- Active Listening. Did you notice that listening comes before speaking here? That’s because the most successful communicators tend to do more listening than speaking. Active listeners are more intentional about absorbing the information they’re being given and often repeat or rephrase what’s being said to them to ensure they’ve comprehended the information. Another great way to ensure you’re effectively listening is to ask clarification questions to broaden your comprehension of the other person’s viewpoint.
- Clarity and Conciseness. Less is more is a great motto for someone looking to get their point across effectively – most of the time. Too many words and your audience may get overwhelmed and get that glazed-over look. Try using fewer words with more clarity–this is called plain language. For example, instead of saying things like, “I wish I could help you but I have a bunch of things to do” try “I’m focused on a priority project right now.” The second statement is more concise and uses higher-level vocabulary. One other thing that goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway!) is: don’t use your ‘alphabet soup’. Most likely everyone knows what IRS stands for, but there are probably much fewer people who know the acronyms that come with your particular industry/sector, so spell it out for them when you’re speaking.
- Public Speaking. This is the greatest fear of many humans, so it’s no surprise that this is something that needs to be exercised, with best practices in mind. Public speaking gets easier and builds confidence with consistent exposure. When you have a speaking opportunity coming up, start by gathering people you know well and trust and use them as your test audience. Ask for honest feedback – not criticism, but things that will genuinely help you be better. Ask which the best parts of your speech and which sections need a little work. Find out if there were any words, phrases or acronyms you’ve used that confused the crowd. Remember to be yourself; don’t work hard to include jokes if you’re not a “joke-y” person. Sincerity will connect with your audience far better than robust vocabulary or a well-timed joke.
Written Communication
- Grammar and Style. As a society, we’ve let go of some of the strict rules of written communication with the rise of texting, DMs, and other instant messaging. As a professional, however, complete, grammatically correct sentences with proper spelling and punctuation are vital in your written communications. If you struggle with these things, it’s a good idea to ask someone to proofread items before they are sent or published. Another suggestion is to have a software application or AI model review your written content for errors. Be sure to plan your deadlines with enough time banked in to allow you sufficient time for reviews and revisions.
- Business and Technical Writing. One more thing to watch for with written communications is format. Understanding the purpose of your content, who it’s intended for, and what it needs to convey is imperative. Content for social media posts is very different from content for a proposal. If you’re unsure how the content for your communications should be formatted, try asking your browser or AI app for examples or templates to help you.
- Apps, AI, and Tools. Keep on top of the technological tools that can help you communicate properly. Using AI can be a great idea, but sometimes it works best when you create the communication item and have AI improve it, instead of the other way around.
Visual Communication
- Body Language Awareness. This one can be difficult to control; most of us have things we do that we are unaware of. It may be helpful to record yourself on video during virtual calls and meetings with others (if the other party/parties agree to the recording) or during presentations you give. Play it back and take stock of your own body language, paying special attention to your posture, your facial expressions, where your eyes are directed. If there’s anything you feel doesn’t present you as you’d like to be seen, practice the change you’d like to make while you’re alone so that it becomes more natural when you’re with others. Also pay attention to the body language of the others when you’re speaking. If they seem unengaged or disinterested, this may be a cue to you to improve your verbal communication.
- Gestures – Less is More. Be conscious of particular gestures you make repeatedly. For some people it may be wild animations with their hands and arms; for others it may be a head shake/hair flip type of gesture. If you took the advice about recording, focus on the room as a whole. Are your movements a disruption? Is everyone else calm and you look like you’re flailing about? Especially in business communication, it makes a better impression when people are calm and collected. Being aware of any habitual gestures you make is a good first step in being able to calm them down, if you choose to.
- Feedback and Reflection. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can’t see our own nonverbal cues; we’re just so used to ourselves it doesn’t stand out. It’s a great idea to ask others what they see. Find a few trusted friends or colleagues and give a presentation for them or show them one of your recorded calls and ask them to tell you if anything stands out to them, nonverbally, that you should address. It might also be a good idea to ask if they have any recommendations for what you can do instead of the gesture/posture/facial expression you’re using.
- Presence and Influence. When you’re able to be present in-person with others in your business interactions, it’s important to give the impression of confidence, openness, relatability, and approachability. Make eye contact with people you speak with and who speak to you. Use ‘open’ body language like hands at your sides instead of crossed over your chest. Remain standing for as long as possible; entering and immediately sitting may look like you plan to isolate yourself.
Overall
When at all possible, it’s great to learn how others prefer to communicate so that you can more easily connect with them in your messaging. For example, if someone has reading challenges or just doesn’t like it, it may be better to leave them a voicemail than to send an email.
In general, try to remember: some meetings could/should have been an email and some emails could have been a phone call. Be considerate of others’ time.