Learning The Art of Communication Is Key For Leadership

Mastering the art of communication is crucial, for leadership. How can you ensure that your message resonates and develop this skill?

In organisations there exist leaders who rely on authority and issue commands such as “I need this on my desk by 5pm ” “We’re changing our approach because I said so ” or “This is your responsibility.” Unfortunately these leaders often lack empathy, relatability and compassion. How do you and your co-workers perceive leaders? Effective communication plays a role in influential leadership; however it remains a skill that many have yet to master.

Here are some key strategies to enhance your communication abilities:

Most of us speak from our throats. Only a few realise the impact of speaking from our chests. Research has shown that individuals with voices are often perceived as authoritative. To convey strength and clarity in your speech stand tall open up your airway and project your voice from, within. Prosody( the patterns of stress and intonation in a language) plays a role in language. It adds depth to communication allowing us to express disbelief or emphasize boundaries. When we engage in conversation using prosody helps convey nuances that may be missed in a delivery. By adjusting our tone and pacing we can highlight points and effectively communicate key messages.

Silence is a tool in conversations even though we often feel compelled to fill pauses to avoid awkwardness. However, strategic moments of silence can be valuable in situations like interviews or meetings. Timed pauses encourage our conversation partners to keep speaking providing us with opportunities to gather information or emphasize ideas. Tailoring our communication approach according to our audience is essential for communication. In the workplace people typically have communication styles; analytical, personal, functional and intuitive.

Understanding the style of your listener enables you to connect effectively by adapting your message

Before striving to be heard and influence others it’s crucial to take the time to listen and understand your audiences perspective. Paying attention not to their expressions but also their non verbal cues such as body language can reveal valuable insights about what they may not explicitly say. Active listeners often mirror your actions; therefore observing how they respond to your cues can provide insights, into how best to engage with them.

The way we do business is changing rapidly as matrix structures take the place of hierarchies. Effective communication and the ability to influence stakeholders and co-workers have become essential in this landscape. Research conducted by the Harvard Business Review shows that only a small percentage of employees consistently display self awareness, empathy and well developed influence skills.

Why is impactful communication important in matrix leadership and what does it involve? 

Effective Communications in Matrix Organisations. (Matrix management is an organisational structure in which some individuals report to more than one supervisor or leader).  Leading teams within a matrix structure is quite different from standard leadership. In matrix organisations you may find yourself collaborating with individuals you haven’t met before without having authority, over them all while working towards achieving results and delivering outcomes.

Engaging and fostering a sense of belonging among employees is crucial. According to Gallups Global State of the Workplace report only a mere 14% of employees feel emotionally engaged. Additionally a LinkedIn report emphasises that 48% of staff believe transparent communication is essential, for creating a sense of belonging. Therefore having a communication strategy is one of the critical qualities for effective leadership.

To summarize effective communication is a skill for leaders in matrix organisations. It involves using influence to prioritise your ideas or projects amidst competing priorities. Building relationships earning trust and establishing credibility are steps towards influencing others. Strategies for communication include reasoning, seeking input and collaboration inspiring others and building trust and credibility.

Why Leaders Need Superior Communication Skills

In todays evolving business landscape mastering communication isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity for leadership and driving positive change in matrix organisations.  In the world there are scenarios where successfully influencing others is crucial. Whether its persuading one department to respect another’s deadlines presenting ideas to management or determining the best course of action, for a project team the ability to influence is invaluable.

However, there is a misconception that only those, in positions of authority have the ability to influence others. Our training program does not only provides you with strategies to effectively influence others, it also teaches techniques to enhance your personal credibility and professional impact.

Participation and Leadership in Meetings; Understand the importance of meetings. Schedule them in a way that accommodates the availability of all stakeholders involved. Prepare meeting materials in advance. Distribute them to participants as needed. Facilitate meetings effectively by contributing to discussions. Strive towards reaching consensus on meeting objectives whenever possible. Summarize meeting outcomes, before circulating them among stakeholders.

Mastering the art of delivering presentations; Identify platforms, for presenting that align with the goals of your organisation. Adapt the tone, structure and style of your communication and presentation to resonate with your target audience. Develop presentations with objectives in mind. Encourage audience engagement by providing opportunities, for questions and discussions. Follow up with stakeholders after your presentation to maintain a connection. Evaluate your presentation objectively to identify areas where you can enhance your skills.

The ability to communicate clearly and captivate an audience is synonymous with accomplishment. This skill becomes more vital in an environment. Whether it involves guiding teams towards shared goals, coordinating projects presenting business cases providing feedback managing client relationships or participating in meetings—everyday work tasks require effective communication skills, for positive outcomes.

If you feel that your ability to express your ideas, goals or perspectives is holding you back or impacting your performance this short course is designed specifically for you.