What did Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and Gandhi have in common? They were all excellent communicators. Their speech could galvanize the entire nation and spur everyone to follow their footsteps. Think about what they have accomplished by defining a clear vision and communicating that effectively and in simple terms so that even tan illiterate person could understand what he was being asked to do, and would do it without asking any question.
Such is the power of effective communication. While good communication is no doubt important in politics, its importance is no less in the business world. When you think about it a business leader is tasked with the same mission as a political leader – to galvanize the entire organization to rally behind him and give everything to the business he works for so that the business would prosper.
That is why business schools as well as great companies pay so much attention to verbal and written communication. When hiring a new employee he is asked about his communication skills. When promoting someone to a leadership position his communication skills are being looked at very carefully.
So what constitutes good communication skill? According to this article “Good communication means the intended message you send is received by your audience without any distortions in meaning.” A good communicator is able to deliver the message in a concise and clear fashion so that the audience understands exactly what he is asking them to do. In this age the medium of communication has proliferated significantly. You can not only deliver verbal message in person or via Podcast, you can also deliver the same message in written form via email, Twitter, blog, video or even in pictorial form.
So how can you become an effective communicator and deliver effective message. Here are 4 tips to help you become an effective communicator:
- Be Open – It is very important for a great leader to be transparent about his intentions. If your audience realizes that what you say and do or intend are different they will take everything you with a grain of salt and will not act on your wishes.
- Be a Good Listener – Communication is a two-way street. It is just as important to listen to your audience as it is to tell them. It is only when you actively listen to your audience will you be able to develop the effective message you want to deliver that aligns with them.
- Sympathize – In addition to listening to your audience you need to be able to sympathize with them. This is what Emotional Intelligence is all about. When your audience feels that you are “one of them” they will not second guess your message.
- Ask Questions – Finally, if you don’t know what your audience is looking for you need to ask pertinent questions to extract that information from them. By combining this skill with active listening you will be able to find exactly what they want and deliver.
Anyone can become a good communicator, and a great leader, by following these tips. Just remember effective communication is a pre-requisite to becoming a good leader. That is why schools such as Concordia University, are developing curriculum such as Master of Arts in Strategic Communication program is designed to help you create solutions to communication challenges using strategic thinking and logical analysis. It is ideal for those who have professional experience or career interests in corporate communication, public relations or other management functions. You can learn more about this responsive, relevant and real program here.
