Communication is the key to just about everything. Your communication skills can dramatically change the way you move through the world, and it’s no different in the workplace. We all know that it’s an important part of business, but there are so many things to consider when it comes to your soft skills. In a place of responsibility, leaders are under even more pressure to make sure that their interactions with colleagues are in line with company culture.
Here are some of the basic abilities you should have as a leader:
Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Skills
These communication skills are all about you and the words and body language you are using to get your point across. Your outbound communication is hard evidence of how you treat people, so your words need to be appropriate for the intended audience, whether you communicate orally or in writing. Even when having difficult conversations, it’s vital that your words don’t deliver unintended damage. Taking a few extra seconds to consider your phrasing can completely redirect the dialogue.
It’s not just about what you say, how you say it matters too. Humans interpret a great deal of information from body language, so even if you think you’re giving a clear verbal message, your face and body could be telling a completely different story. Having an awareness of this, particularly if you are a naturally expressive person, can help you keep your verbal and non-verbal signals in alignment, conveying a clear message to the listener.
It’s vital to be aware of these elements as you navigate leading a team. Your spoken and written contact should be clear, fair and inclusive. Always consider your audience when striking up a conversation, whether it’s face to face or via email, and make sure the language you use is appropriate.
Active Listening Skills
Active listening is centred on your ability to receive inbound communication. It’s all very well hearing what your team member is telling you, but are you really listening? Your conversations should be without distractions. Employees feel more valued when they have your undivided attention; set aside some time where you can completely immerse yourself in the conversation, without phone calls, emails or notifications disrupting the flow.
Paying close attention to the thoughts, feelings and ideas of an individual will foster a positive relationship built on trust and open dialogue. Respond accordingly to what the other person says with thoughtful questions. Not only does this help you uncover more context, but it lets them know that you are actively engaged in what they are saying.
Your listening skills can transform your leadership outcomes. Employees who feel heard, supported and taken seriously will continue to have honest conversations. Having this level of understanding of your people enables you to get the best out of them, resulting in a successful team.
Conversation Skills
Speaking with confidence inspires trust. Whether it’s public speaking or boardroom meetings, when you can command the ears and imaginations of your audience, they trust your expertise. Building this trust with your people is crucial to performance – your employees need to know that they can trust you to lead from the front.
Treating every interaction with respect leads to a culture of mutual esteem, where each individual’s voice is recognised and appreciated. This nurtures a sense of community, which improves your team’s ability to collaborate and stimulates creativity.
Cultivating a culture of trust and respect is critical to the engagement and satisfaction of your team. When your people feel respected and have a strong leader that they can believe in, their motivation to perform is boosted, generating better results for everyone.
Emotional Intelligence
Your ability to recognise and understand emotions in yourself and others is crucial to your role as a leader. Employing emotional intelligence (EQ) to understand the context of a conversation before leading it with empathy can make the world of difference to your team members.
When empathy drives your leadership, it works to create a psychologically safe space for your employees. This safety will open doors to honest and open communication that are necessary for you to be a great team leader. Without mastering these skills, you risk a disengaged workforce who are left uninspired to strive for success.
Clear Communication Skills
Communicating with clarity and context helps your team to understand exactly what you’re trying to say. This is particularly relevant for bigger issues or difficult conversations – why does your employee need to know this information? How is it relevant to them and the wider business? What impact might this information have on their daily work?
Vague information leaves too much room for speculation, which can make people feel uneasy pretty quickly. By delivering as much context in as clear and concise way as possible, you eliminate the chance for misinterpretation. People can find comfort in detail.
By avoiding wishy-washy dialogue, your team are reassured and you can be satisfied that everyone is singing from the same page. This cohesiveness will help you build a collaborative, trusting community that know the true value of working together.
By evolving these core communication skills, leaders can bullet-proof the way they communicate and have more productive interactions with employees. From day-to-day discussion to difficult conversations, when you elicit qualities like active listening, empathy and respect, you influence better outcomes. Building these strong foundations allows you to cultivate a stable culture and nurture positive relationships in your team.
Build Communication Skills With Alchemist
As part of a wider leadership development programme, Alchemist can enhance the communication skills of your leaders with engaging learning that inspires action. Using our leadership enablement framework, we can identify specific growth gaps in your team and structure a journey of custom-made modules to target them. Help your leaders be better communicators with a digital learning experience from Alchemist.