BLOG | 3 MIN READ
WHY IS COMMUNICATION IMPORTANT FOR LEADERS
Having good communication skills will help you in all areas of life, be it personal or professional. This is true for all individuals, but especially so for leaders, as this could make or break your team. A lot of issues that arise in the workplace have their roots in the lack of communication, or miscommunication. A sure-fire way to have unhappy and disengaged employees is to not have effective communication with them.
Here are four main reasons why communication is important for leaders:
- It helps foster positive relationships with employees, and breaks down walls between leaders and members. This leads to having a higher mutual respect for each other and building the trust between the two parties.
- Communicating a clear vision of the company can identify members who share the same passion for the company. This, in turn, becomes an intrinsic motivator for them to do well.
- It helps build your personal brand. When you’re able to communicate clearly and highlight the importance of each employee’s contribution, you’ll be a figure that they look up to and know could depend on.
- It helps you collect feedback as having an honest, open communication allows them to not feel afraid of telling you the problems that they’re facing.
READY TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS? HERE ARE SOME TIPS THAT YOU COULD ADOPT:
- Focus on the person you’re talking to. It may sound like a given, but sometimes it’s just too easy to be distracted by your surroundings, let your mind wander, or instinctively check your phone, even though there is no notifications.
- Be aware of your nonverbals. Action speaks louder than words, and you could tell if someone’s spoken words and all other factors (tone of voice, posture, eye contact etc.) are not aligned.
- Speak slowly and clearly. Avoid fillers like ‘um’ and ‘you know’. If you need to think of a response, it’s okay to take a moment to think without having to fill the silence with unnecessary words. It will make your message clearer.
- Ask follow-up questions. This is a great way to get things straight and also for the person to acknowledge that you have been paying attention.
- Listen attentively. Don’t interrupt, or think about what to say next. Digest what the person is saying, before forming your own response. Communication has failed if your response is not even aligned with what was said before. It’s especially crucial in arguments to stay calm and don’t be quick to jump and defend yourself.
