Did you know that 90% of all arguments are caused by miscommunication?

One thing that has always driven me crazy when watching movies or tv is when it seems like the whole conflict could be resolved with a conversation between the characters. Often times it’s easier to spot a miscommunication from the outside looking in, but when it comes to our own lives it can be harder.

As leaders, minimizing miscommunications allows us to focus on the important things and maintain healthy relationships with those we do work with.

That’s where effective communication comes in.

Communication can be simply defined as: A talk, typically an informal one, between two or more people, in which news, ideas, or information is exchanged.

Anyone can have a conversation, but not everyone knows how to communicate like a leader. Effective communication is critical when it comes to gaining trust, aligning efforts, inspiring change, and creating a positive work environment.

A study done in 2015 found that those in leadership roles at varying capacities spend 70-90 percent of their days communicating with others in various degrees.

So…

If you want to lead well, you have to learn how to communicate well. If communication on your end is lacking the odds of information being misinterpreted by your team go up exponentially. In the long run, learning how to communicate well as a leader will save you time, trouble, and mistakes that come as a result of miscommunication.

Attributes of Effective Communication

Clarity

If you’ve ever had someone give you what feels like a million tasks in one conversation you know how overwhelming it can feel and how easy it is for at least one thing to slip through the cracks. That’s why when you are going to communicate with members of your team it’s important to pinpoint exactly what you want to get out of the conversation and make it something that can be grasped easily. Clarity allows for the important things to be understood and lends itself to a decreased likelihood of misunderstanding.

Adaption of Communication Style

The way you communicate will rarely be the same way that the people around you do, that’s why learning how to adapt your conversation style benefits you as a leader. It’s one of the reasons I created The Quiggle Assessment, because everyone has a different leadership style, and understanding your own allows you to meet others where they’re at to speak in a way that can be understood well by them. Everyone is different, as a leader, understanding your team and who you’re talking to allows you to adapt in order to communicate effectively.

Active Listening

Everyone wants to feel listened to and it’s a lot easier than most think to be able to tell if someone isn’t paying attention. Your employees know whether you listen to them or not, and if you aren’t listening to them, you miss the opportunity to connect and learn from their perspective. As members of your team speak to you, engage in the conversation. Ask questions, take notes, and allow what they tell you to be fully absorbed through being present in the moment.

Empathy

The better you become at understanding and acknowledging the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of your employees the more valued they feel and the stronger their loyalty to you as a leader becomes. Taking into account who you’re speaking to and the circumstances behind their actions and words allows you to interpret what they say with an increased ability to understand. It ties directly to emotional intelligence and will lead you to becoming a better leader.

Conclusion

The way you speak to the people on your team matters, and they take not of the things you say and do. Respect isn’t given with a job title, it’s earned through actions and communicating with empathy, active listening, clarity, and adaption is something that will take your leadership to the next level and strengthen your teams. 

Don’t just talk about being a good leader, show it in your actions. Communicate in a way that allows you and your team understand one another and excel towards the goals of your company. 

Lead Well,