This is How Good Leaders Communicate
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A significant component of being a good leader is having strong communication skills. Knowing how to influence and motivate your team can help you accomplish goals at work.
Here are the most common ways good leaders communicate with their team.
Think of your audience
Companies comprise of several types of expertise from person-to-person. If you’re communicating with a bunch of software engineers like they’re journalists, you may not get the results you’re looking for. Similarly, not everyone can comprehend long sentences filled with lesser-known, complicated words.
As such, it’s very important to consider who you’re talking to, what their role is and what communication style will resonate with them.
Not doing this can lead to more confusion and can be mentally draining for many. So instead, many leaders use shorter sentences and words to explain complex methods to others.
Be an active listener
Good leaders share their ideas and opinions and allow their team to include their input. A leader can tame their pride, meaning they should be open to conversing with their team rather than shutting them out. “Simply broadcasting your message ad nauseam will not have the same result as engaging in meaningful conversation, but this assumes that you understand that the greatest form of discourse takes place within a conversation, and not a lecture or a monologue” (Forbes). Becoming an active listener is key to being a leader skilled in communication.
Select metaphors to help reinforce key ideas and concepts
Sometimes, one teaching method isn’t enough to help people understand a new idea or concept. Instead of repeating themselves, good leaders may use metaphors to explain important information to their team. One method some leaders may adopt is the castle metaphor. According to the Harvard Business Review, a castle metaphor is a “concise shortcut, a vivid explanation for a complex system of data and information.” So, for example, a leader may use a popular movie or book to explain the new content management system (CMS) to their team.
In addition to these components, good leaders communicate by being honest, transparent, and personal and can adapt their communication style when necessary.