This worth reading and important write-up on effective leadership communication skills is meant for Presidents, Ministers, members of Parliament, Assembly members, Sports heads, Parents, Teachers, Chiefs, Chief Executives, MCEs, DCEs and what have you.
As a proactive leader, it is your responsibility to demonstrate effective communication techniques in all your dealings with realistic and active listening. Spend more time listening, observing, and monitoring than talking: ( 70% listening, 30% talking).
Before I proceed, let me take your few seconds: Please think about the best boss you’ve ever had, and also think about the worst one. What is the dichotomy or difference between them?
Undoubtedly, your best boss not only realised positive results but was also a proactive leader with effective communication skills.
Good listening involves giving full attention, avoiding interruptions, and summarizing what you heard.
As a pragmatic leader, you are expected to be clear and concise by using simple language, avoiding industry jargon, and breaking long, complex, complicated ideas into short, actionable, and comprehensive points.
Obviously, there can’t be a universal answer to some of the critical questions pertaining to proactive leadership: every situation, every person, every company, every relationship, every tribe, every country every community is different. It is equally important we should speak to our people, subordinates and team members the way we would like to be spoken to.
You are expected to lead and direct and set clear and achievable expectations to avoid misunderstanding, confusion and misconception. By so doing, clearly define goals, deadlines, and delegation of responsibilities to avoid, double standards, double controls, ambiguity and reduce the need for micromanaging of duties.
It is your prerogative and responsibility to always provide regular feedback and offer constructive, specific feedback promptly rather than waiting for formal or official reviews or performance evaluation.
As a proactive leader, you need to know your team members individually and collectively. Trust your team members and workers by allowing them to decide how to achieve the goals you set, which empowers them by demonstrating their high sense of creativity and innovation. Include them in decision-making, involve them in developing plans of action to increase buy-in and ownership spirit.
There is no leadership situation without disagreements. As a progressive leader with effective communication skills, try to embrace disagreements, encourage healthy debates, and constructive criticism to improve decision-making and avoid groupthink, informal oral communication and destructive criticism.
It is imperative to create a positive culture by being affable or approachable by making yourself available and create an environment where people or your staff feel safe raising concerns without fear of vindictiveness or retaliation. Encourage team inputs in every meeting you have with them, strategically and explicitly invite quieter (members with few words) team members to share their views, thoughts and opinions.
It is important that you take this simple but valuable tip: by always using “We” instead of “I”: Focus on shared success rather than individual appreciation or recognition.
You must do well to avoid destructive criticism, this might sound a bit more distasteful, discouraging, and uninspiring.
You have the right to give praise to hardworking staff or people working under you, but please not too much. Go easy on the compliments to avoid losing the required effect or impact.
It’s significant to conclude my write-up with a humble appeal to all leaders regardless of your status to navigate through this piece with a clean heart and positive mindset for the benefit of all. Especially some of our politicians in Parliament, Ministers, and all other government appointees who immediately have been appointed, they instantaneously change their leadership style by ignoring phone calls and text messages without any cogent explanations or reasons.
I can tell you with professional certainty that by consistently applying these valuable techniques, you can transform from just a manager into a respected, effective leader. Enditem
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