Transcripted Summary
A true leader listens, digests the information, and relays solutions and communications through the appropriate forms of technology.
Remember, less talking, more listening, and communication with all honesty.
Let's have a look at the seven steps of listening and how to communicate to lead.
Let's start off with seven key active listening skills:
- Be attentive
- Ask open-ended questions
- Ask probing questions
- Request clarification
- Paraphrase
- Be attuned to and reflect feelings
- Summarize
Let's have a look at the ways to communicate to lead:
- Practice what you preach
- Find your own voice or style
- Address each person individually
- Listen actively
- Admit when you are wrong
- Don't delay any type of communication for your team
- Communicate as much as possible via any means - whether that's face-to-face or online meetings
- Mainly, know your team
Let's understand now why communication is so important in leadership.
It enhances employee engagement, aligns employees with organizational goals, fosters trust and transparency, increases collaboration, and improves quality of leadership.
Just as a reminder, make sure your communication is honest, especially in times where you might be facing some challenges at work.
Now, I would like to share an example with you, but before I start my example, I'd like to share a quote:
"Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you. And listen in such a way that others love to speak to you."
I like to see how my team communicates with each other and stakeholders.
It is okay to help them and suggest better ways to communicate, whether that's writing emails differently with added context, or when they're chatting via Teams or any other channels - how to chat there in a better manner so that we can get the right results or responses back.
And always make sure that you mention to your team that no question is a silly question.
Communicate often with your team - whether that's via coffee catch-ups, or objective check-ins.
As a leader, you should help your team work on their objectives throughout the year, rather than only provide feedback at the end of the year.
The impact of this chapter is that as a leader, you will be open and clear to your stakeholders and your team members, but also, support and help your team members communicate better in return too.
You never know who may be looking up to you, therefore, if you showcase negative traits, it may impact an individual's decisions on also becoming a lead potentially.
On the other hand, if you showcase the best of you, it may give the individual confidence to become a lead one day.
Remember, clear and transparent communication helps active listening.
You cannot become a great leader without being a great communicator.
