5 Habits of Highly Effective Communicators in Business

By ice wolf - 11-29-2012, 02:51 PM - Boxden > The Money Spot (finance/careers)

http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml

Here are 5 essential communication practices of effective leaders.

1. Mind the say-do gap. This is all about trust, which is the bedrock of effective leadership. Your behavior is your single greatest mode of communication, and it must be congruent with what you say. If your actions don’t align with your words, there’s trouble. And it can turn into big trouble if not corrected swiftly and genuinely. Since it’s often difficult to see the say-do gap in yourself, rely on a few trusted colleagues to tell it to you straight and flag discrepancies. Rule of thumb: it’s better to say nothing or delay your communication until you’re certain that your actions will ring true.

2. Make the complex simple. Your employees and customers are being b0mbarded 24/7 by a massive stream of information and messages, making it hard for them to hear you. Simplicity has never been more powerful or necessary. The most effective leaders distill complex thoughts and strategies into simple, memorable terms that colleagues and customers can grasp and act upon. If you’re having trouble distilling something to its essence, it’s a sign that you may not have a clear understanding of it. So get clear, and strip out the noise . Also, watch out for technical jargon and business speak, which can add unnecessary complexity to your communication. Say what you mean in as few words as possible.

3. Find your own voice. Use language that’s distinctly your own. Let your values come through in your communication. Often, executives will opt for the sanitized “corporate voice” instead of their own because they think the former is more eloquent; more appropriate. This is not to say that correct grammar and use of language aren’t important — strong leaders know how to string a sentence together. But don’t fixate on eloquence; concentrate on being distinct and real. People want real. People respect real. People follow real. Don’t disguise who you are. Be genuine, and people will love and respect you for it.

4. Be visible. Visibility is about letting your key stakeholders get a feel for who you are and what you care about. It’s easy to hide behind a computer and transmit messages to others without seeing or interacting with them. Although e-communication serves a valuable purpose, it is no substitute for face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication. In today’s environment, people are burned out, confused and stressed and they need to feel a personal connection to you and the work that you believe in. Do a “calendar test” to make sure you’re allocating time regularly to be out on the floor, in the factory, in the call center, in the lab, in the store. Show your people that you’re engaged and care about them and their work.

5. Listen with your eyes as well as your ears. Stop, look and listen. Remember that effective communication is two-way. Good leaders know how to ask good questions, and then listen with both their eyes and ears. It’s easy to be so focused on getting your message out — or persuading others — that you don’t tune in to what you see and hear. Because you’re in a position of authority, the stakes are even higher because you won’t always get direct feedback. You need to read between the lines. Listen and hear what is coming back at you. Look for the nonverbal cues. Sometimes a person’s body language will tell you everything you need to know.

Susan Tardanico is CEO of The Authentic Leadership Alliance, a leadership and communications consultancy. She is a former corporate senior executive and broadcast reporter. Follow her on twitter @susantardanico.

11-30-2012, 01:29 PM

It took me years to learn this lesson:

2. Make the complex simple. Your employees and customers are being b0mbarded 24/7 by a massive stream of information and messages, making it hard for them to hear you. Simplicity has never been more powerful or necessary. The most effective leaders distill complex thoughts and strategies into simple, memorable terms that colleagues and customers can grasp and act upon. If you’re having trouble distilling something to its essence, it’s a sign that you may not have a clear understanding of it. So get clear, and strip out the noise . Also, watch out for technical jargon and business speak, which can add unnecessary complexity to your communication. Say what you mean in as few words as possible.

11-30-2012, 02:01 PM

this is all common sense

isn't it?

11-30-2012, 02:04 PM

[pic]

11-30-2012, 02:05 PM

all good points

[pic][pic][pic]

11-30-2012, 02:18 PM

I'm actually gonna use this on two papers I have to write this next week. Thanks. [pic]

11-30-2012, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by pandemon

this is all common sense

isn't it?

Common sense ain't that common.

11-30-2012, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by pandemon

this is all common sense

isn't it?

It really isn't....most people could benefit from a few communication classes...

11-30-2012, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by ice wolf

Common sense ain't that common.

[pic]

11-30-2012, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by pandemon

this is all common sense

isn't it?

Originally Posted by ice wolf

Common sense ain't that common.

Didn't ya'll know common senseless seems to be the better trend... [pic]

11-30-2012, 04:06 PM

lol. make complex simple is the most obvious !! if youre not a retard. if

11-30-2012, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by pandemon

this is all common sense

isn't it?

Really?

I mean honestly...[pic]

11-30-2012, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by MemphBleek05

It really isn't....most people could benefit from a few communication classes...

If your in the IT field. You see bad communication skills all the time. Even in regular corporate jobs I see horrible communication skills.

11-30-2012, 04:39 PM

If you can effectively articulate when you speak, nothing should seem complex. Being short and sweet when you can is a plus. But, if you do operations type work, explaining tasks, and procedures isn't as simple.

11-30-2012, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by ice wolf

It took me years to learn this lesson:

2. Make the complex simple. Your employees and customers are being b0mbarded 24/7 by a massive stream of information and messages, making it hard for them to hear you. Simplicity has never been more powerful or necessary. The most effective leaders distill complex thoughts and strategies into simple, memorable terms that colleagues and customers can grasp and act upon. If you’re having trouble distilling something to its essence, it’s a sign that you may not have a clear understanding of it. So get clear, and strip out the noise . Also, watch out for technical jargon and business speak, which can add unnecessary complexity to your communication. Say what you mean in as few words as possible.

This works ever well when communicating with upper management. Early on I would always over explain everything. Later, I learned people want !! brief and simple[..] !!. ABC123.

11-30-2012, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Scoop

lol. make complex simple is the most obvious !! if youre not a retard. if

you think so. but others may not. you understand how your business works, how to handle situations that arise, seems simple to you. others might not be able to grasp it. you gonna have to simplify the simple. if that makes sense. im constantly simplifying my business and i mean constantly. thats like the main thing im thinking about all the time. bc even your best employee doesnt grasp a few things. even way beyond customers. cleaning up for example. be aware how they do it. how to simplify it. some of them go to great lengths to accomplish nothing.

youd have to be involved in it to understand how difficult it is.

12-04-2012, 02:43 PM

its funny when one says "oh isn't all this !! we know already".. yet in real life i bet it's a different story

12-04-2012, 05:58 PM

Good Post G-Dawg.

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