Communication
We all do it. We all need it. We all can be successful at it.
"Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can't get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn't even matter." -Gilbert Amelio (President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp.)
Considering that my last blog was about goals...here are the goals of a great communicator:
1. Build integrity and trust
Proverbs 19:1 "Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool"
In order to communicate effectively, especially as a leader persuading others, one needs to have the trust of their audience. Trust is gained through exemplifying integrity.
2. Involve others
This can be done many ways. When communicating, asking questions, active listening, and being attentive to the quieter will include others in the conversation. This is a straight forward principle that requires us to simply be more attentive to the individuals we lead.
3. Translate message to fit
As a communicator, your message needs to be appropriate for your audience. Simple. When speaking to a five year old you need to be different than when conversing with an adult. There are many considerations when translating a message to fit: age, gender, nationality, economic status, and where they live to name a few. By acknowledging your audience, you will be able to appropriately communicate your message.
4. Take initiative
Don't wait for opportunity to knock! In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, John C. Maxwell recounts a story of one man who had initiative. Kemons Wilson was a father of five who was frustrated with the hotel industry in the U.S.. In the 1920s some hotels were nice family-oriented rooms, while others were simply a bed. As someone looking for a place to stay, you never knew what you were going to get, except that you'd be charged extra per child. As a father of five, this made him furious. So with his anger, he took the initiative and decided to create his own hotel chain, one with a name people could trust and know the quality. His wife laughed at his goal of four hundred hotels. However, by 1964 there were 500 Holiday Inns. One man with initiative took a bold step that day to reach his potential the next.
5. Analytical skills
Think before you speak. It is a saying that has been around forever as it still remains true. It is important to be prepared and analyze what you want to say before saying. As a result, you will have a more cohesive and persuasive thought. When dealing with a conflict, specifically, it is important to not walk around the problem, but to analyze it and discuss it. This is why analytical skills are so important as a good communicator.
6. Innovation
I will never forget how our guest speaker Brittanie demonstrated innovation. She asked a student in the class to come to the front. After placing his finger on the table, she asked him to smash a can of beans down on his finger. Naturally, he refused to inflict harm on himself thinking he had outsmarted the speaker. However, she clearly demonstrated after that it was possible to do what she had asked without harming yourself. She smashed the can down on her finger, denting the can, without hurting her finger. Why it is that it didn't injure her? That I do not know. However, her demonstration was memorable. An innovative idea should also be memorable.
7. Positive Optimism
Whenever I think of optimism I think of my dear friend Consuelo. Although she's my mom's friend who has known me since birth, I feel as though she is mine too. After hearing of the health difficulties she has had, one would envision a woman still lying in bed, depressed, and incapable of functioning much. However, Consuelo, is quite the opposite. When she found out she had breast cancer the second time, she simply approached with the attitude of 'Here we go again; I can do this'. She continues to be optimistic about her own situation, as well as with those around her. Each time we chat she shares a new quote, saying, or scripture to brighten my day. It is admired to be an optimistic person, but it is even more impressive to be optimistic with all those around you when dealing with what she has.
On the flip side of communicating, is the ability to Listen:
There are several types of listening, some affective and others not: ignoring, pretending, selective, attentive, and empathetic.
When at a gala once, President Roosevelt grew tired of the stiff pleasantries he continued to hear in response to his greeting everyone. So, he began greeting people with the phrase, "I murdered my grandmother this morning". He continued to receive stiff pleasantries in response because everyone was so nervous to meet him they weren't even listening. However, one diplomat responded, "I'm sure she had it coming". Be the one to listen!
One way to listen is to be empathetic, so I leave you with this thought....
Do unto others what they would've done unto themselves
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