Whether you manage employees, coordinate a team of volunteers, sit on a board of directors, or are tasked with juggling your family’s daily schedule, your leadership skills depend on your ability to communicate effectively with others. These six communication skills that will make you a perfect leader or motivational speaker, enhance your relations with others, and boost your family’s (or team’s) morale and efficiency:
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Know yourself.
All good interaction begins from a place of self-awareness. When communicating with other people, you need to be aware of your inner monologue so you don’t end up putting a bad mood on someone else, assuming the other person can read your mind, be discriminating, appear unconfident, etc. on. It’s also important to know what you hope to get out of a given interaction so you can tailor your message accordingly.
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Know your audience.
The best communication comes from understanding the person you are talking to. Knowing your audience’s motivations, preferred communication styles, learning styles, etc., allows you to tailor your message and increase the chances of effective communication. Establishing a personal connection facilitates empathy, puts people at ease and builds trust. Just a caveat: to be effective, personal relationships must be genuine and non-exploitative.
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Be direct, precise, and clear.
Clear communication increases the likelihood that people will understand and act on anything you ask of them. It is better to explain something too much than to leave room for misunderstanding.
Whenever you give an assignment or ask someone for help, focus on providing simple, concrete, and specific instructions. It helps to prepare your thoughts in advance to include all relevant details. Don’t end a conversation until you’re sure the other person understands your goals and how to achieve them. Give these instructions in a friendly and open manner so that the other person knows they can ask you follow-up questions.
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Pay attention to non-verbal communication.
A great deal of research suggests that nonverbal communication is just as important as what a person says, maybe even more so. Facial expressions, hand gestures, posture, and eye contact all play a major role in either asserting or undermining your message.
Whenever you talk with someone, practice being aware of your own body language and the body language of the person you’re talking to. Paying attention to how your body language matches what you say will help you be a more reliable communicator and can help you appear more confident.
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Listen more than you talk.
One of the best methods to promote honest and open communication within a group is to develop active listening. When somebody talks to you, actually listen to what they are telling. Ask follow-up questions to demonstrate that you are paying attention and to make sure there are no misunderstandings. Keep an open mind and focus on responding thoughtfully to what they say instead of reacting to it instinctively. This practice develops understanding and rapport between the communicating groups. You can also get in touch with a brain coach who can train you to use your brain efficiently.
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Be positive and respectful.
This one should go without saying, but unfortunately, it’s not always the case. Prioritizing transparent, fair, and respectful communication within a group is one of the best strategies for building loyalty and boosting team performance. Do not hold your status above others and do not use coercion or fear as motivation. Instead, focus on having an honest, positive, and egoless attitude to every situation that arises. Serving as a performer as an alternative of an autocrat assists to sustain morale. And can even accelerate innovation and successful problem solving.
Each of these communication skills represents ongoing practice. You will not control them in one day or even one year. Instead, you will require to commit to exercising these approaches for life. The more you implement these skills, the more they will begin to feel like second nature to you. And the more your leadership abilities will benefit.
