The Force of Communication-Part 3

The past few weeks, we’ve been exploring The Force of Communication and how powerful it can be in leadership roles.

This week, let’s dive deeper into the subject with some more learning points for you to consider when becoming a better communicator.

Create an almost Zen-like focus on achieving clarity

In every instance, the most effective communication is clear communication. Do the people with whom you are communicating clearly understand your message? Whether it’s verbal or written, you must answer this question with a resounding YES each time. If they don’t clearly understand your message, you really have not communicated. Be clear and concise, and don’t be afraid to ask if they clearly understand or even ask them to repeat the important parts back to you, especially if they report to you or if the message is extremely important. Shorter is often times better. Never go any longer than it takes you to make the communication as clear as possible.

Wash, Rise, Repeat

In order to be an effective communicator, you may have to repeat your message consistently. Very rarely will you ever be able to communicate something just once and have any one person or group walk away with the understanding that is needed. It’s just not going to happen that way. You must vary the way in which you transmit the message and repeat it often. We can never have the “Well, I told them once!” attitude about communicating.

Get Some New Words

Always be improving your vocabulary. It makes you even more interesting. You may have to use slang language every now and then to be relevant, but there are more than enough words in the English language for you to choose from to make your message really interesting and powerful.

Quick Hits

• Think about how you really feel about what you are wanting to communicate, then carefully and strategically allow those feelings to flow through what you want to transmit
• Clarify your thoughts about what you want to communicate
• Practice and prepare yourself to articulate your message as clearly as possible
• Be aware of the challenges the circumstances and the atmosphere will present to your communication event
• Make sure the person or persons hear you correctly. Clarify and re-state if necessary
• Make sure you have them clarify with you their interpretation of what you’ve communicated
• Probe how they feel about what you have communicated
• If you think communicating with one person is difficult, then communicating with 250 or 500 is even more difficult. It requires diligent preparation and execution in your plan