Impressive Communications Skills Makes A Good Leader

“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,” says Gilbert Amelio, President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp. Effective communications skills is necessary for the development of a great leader.

Here are some impressive communications skills to acquire to be a good leader:

1) Well versed in interpreting nonverbal communication:

Verbal communication and nonverbal communication plays an important role in communication but usually nonverbal communication will reveal the true feelings of the communicator/listener or in other words nonverbal communication are more truthful and genuine. Nonverbal communication such as body gesture, posture, facial expressions and eye contact play an important role in understanding the state of being of a communicator. It is important for a leader to make sure his/her body language is aligned with the message that he/she is trying to convey. This attitude will help a leader to be more trustworthy as a communicator. At the same time, the leader should be well versed in interpreting the body language of the listener as it would be a great advantage especially during speeches, negotiations and presentations. Moreover, the ability of reading nonverbal cues, helps a leader to master the art and science of projecting effective body language.

2) Efficient listening skill:

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said”, says Peter F. Drucker, Father of Management (EuropeanCeo, 2015). Yes, efficient listening skills are important but is frequently ignored in the communication process. An excellent listener can catch the details that somebody else has missed. Thus, this is an important skill for a leader to develop. Empathetic listening is one of the best ways to improve listening ability including reflecting ones emotions verbally and nonverbally. Although it is not that easy to do and may require some practice, it will help a leader be tuned in with the emotions and thoughts of the other person or a group during a conversation. Actively listening to what someone is saying and asking follow-up questions will show the leader’s ability to pay full attention and avoid miscommunication. A good rapport can also be built via this practice. So listen more and speak less! Bear in mind, a good listener will be popular everywhere!

3) Crystal clear verbal communication:

According to Gilbert Amelio, President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp, 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. It is the responsibility of a leader to speak clearly and precisely as most commonly, listeners won’t be listening attentively. As such, a leader is encouraged to use simple and understandable vocabulary or words when communicating to avoid losing the key points of the message. Bear in mind clarity is the goal of communication! Delivering instructions in a friendly manner will help the listener to approach the leader with follow-up questions if he/she can’t understand the message. Remember, you can have excellent ideas, but if you fail to communicate them clearly, your ideas won’t bring you anywhere!

4) Identify the target audience

Identifying the target audience is a crucial element in communications as it would enable a speaker to communicate effectively according to the needs and expectations of the audience. For example, identifying the audience’s demographic profile, learning styles, expectations and preferred communication styles will enable a speaker especially a leader to build personal connections which facilitate empathy and at the same time builds trust.

5) Always be positive and respectful:

A leader should practice positive, fair, transparent and respectful communication to anyone he/she engages with.  It’s the best strategy to boost team member’s performance as well as cultivating loyalty and honesty. Moreover, always respect others opinion and be positive about it. A leader should hold an ego-less attitude in whatever situation, do not lose patience in any situation and do not hold the employer status over others. This may disappoint the rest of the team members and in some cases the leader might lose loyalty. Additionally, being a cheerleader and a great motivator instead of being a dictator will help to maintain a good relationship amongst team members as well as facilitate efficient problem solving.

In summary, all the above skills cannot to be mastered overnight but all can be achieved with persistence and practice. The more you practice, the more you can master these effective communication skills to the extent of being your second nature in your position as a leader.

“Leaders with great communications skills are not born, but they are made to be”.

This article is contributed by Thiviyah Manicam, Communications Executive and Sharveswary Balakrishnan, Managing Partner.