Leadership Communication Skill

Occupying a management position doesn't always guarantee that you would be looked upon as a leader. If you come across as a pushover, or as just "one of the guys", you might lose the authority needed to accomplish your executive tasks. If you want to be respected as a person in charge, you must develop your leadership communication skill.

Leadership communication skill is about straddling that fine line between managing tasks and managing relationships within an organization. The former is about making sure the work gets done, and gets done up to standard. The latter is about making employees or team members feel good about themselves, and feel good about working with one another.

The following are some tips that can help if you want to develop leadership communication skill:

1. Get to Know Your Subordinates.

   The basic key in leadership communication is understanding your staff. It's simple give and take. If you want your team to pay attention to what you say, encourage them to speak up. Regularly solicit feedback, and make compromises based on the information they give you. Two-way communication generates trust and confidence, as well as ensures that the group is always on the same boat.

2. Be Clear.

   Always give clear and complete instructions, with the what's, who's, how's and where's explicitly stated. Many leaders tend to blame their team for productivity issues, when actually it's vague and poorly communicated directions that's at fault. Similarly, identify key result areas, deliverables and deadlines whenever appropriate. These information will help your staff know what's expected from them.

3. Empower Rather than "Put in Line."

   True leadership is about raising up one's team members, not putting the down. Effective leadership communication demands that supervisors motivate their staff to contribute more than the minimum required. One good way to empower staff members is to give them the freedom to approach a task however they please for as long as the target objectives are being met. Leaders who spoon-feed their staff don't just create dependent team members, but also passive, uninspired ones.

4. Connect on the Emotional Level.

   Don't make your group feel like you're different from them! People typically make decisions based on emotions instead of reason. So make subordinates feel important. Figure out their personality, and what drives them to succeed. Figure out their idiosyncrasies too, and ways to turn them for the company's benefit. This will tell your staff that they matter to you.

5. Show Confidence.

   A weak leader is not a leader at all. The primary component of leadership communication skill is confidence. If you don't believe in yourself, other people won't believe in you either. Exude confidence, whether in the way you dress up or the way you behave. Watch your body language in the same way you watch for your words. Speak in a decisive manner. Remember, many look up to you for guidance.

The key to managing a team effectively is to master your leadership communication skill. If you communicate well, operations run smoothly, egos are appeased, and difficulties are easier to solve.

Resources

• Leadership communication skill training from the Impact Factory.