Communication Skills-Steve Jobs instilled in his staff the desire to create ideal hardware. GE’s senior leadership team was mentored by Jack Welch to unprecedented heights. Jeff Bezos is well-known for succinctly explaining the Amazon culture to both employees and the general public. These leaders all have exceptional leadership abilities.
Here are 14 methods to improve your communication abilities so that you may be a better leader.
How to Control Anger: 7 Tips to Stay
1. Understand the fundamentals of nonverbal communication.
According to one study, nonverbal communication accounted for 55% of how a presentation was regarded by an audience. That is to say, the majority of what you say is delivered through physical cues rather than words.
Adopt good posture to communicate clearly and confidently. Slouching, folding your arms, or making yourself appear smaller than you are are all bad habits to avoid. Instead, make the most of the space you’ve been given by filling it up, maintaining eye contact, and (if necessary) moving about.
The Role of Body Language in Communication
2. In order to communicate, you must overcommunicate.
In 1990, a Stanford University graduate student was able to demonstrate that presenters overestimate how much their audience understands. One group of volunteers was asked to tap the melody of 120 popular songs in a study dubbed “the tappers and the listeners.” The other participants were given the task of guessing which music was being played.
According to tappers, 50% of the songs tapped would be accurately identified. Only 2.5 percent of songs were accurately identified in reality. When it comes to discussing fresh ideas, this study demonstrates the importance of communicating clearly and over-communicating. As this study shows, the audience is unlikely to absorb as much information as you expect.
3. Use visual aids sparingly.
At Apple, Steve Jobs implemented a policy prohibiting the use of PowerPoint presentations. Similarly, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg implemented a PowerPoint ban. Both leaders learned that PowerPoint presentations sometimes obstruct communication rather than enhance it.
Prepare to express your idea to the audience through words, great storytelling, and nonverbal cues. Unless absolutely required, avoid using visual aids.
4. Request candid feedback.
Receiving honest criticism from peers, bosses, and members of your team is crucial to become a stronger communicator, as it is with most leadership abilities. Others will help you identify areas for development that you might have otherwise overlooked if you ask for feedback on a frequent basis.
5. Involve the audience in a debate.
Regardless of how engaging the speaker is, all audiences have a finite amount of time to pay attentively. Make presentations and discussions interactive to improve your communication skills.
Ask a question to the audience, encourage people to share their ideas during a brainstorming session, or at the very least, ask hypothetical questions to pique the audience’s interest.
6. Include crucial points at the beginning and finish of your presentation.
Consider the research of “tappers and listeners” stated previously. The significance of clear communication cannot be overstated. Reiterate crucial ideas at the beginning and end of a presentation to ensure that the audience understands the main themes. This can also be performed by handing out a one-pager to participants that contains crucial ideas for them to contemplate throughout the presentation.
7. Make use of the PIP method.
The purpose, importance, preview (PIP) method to presentation introductions is a typical concept employed by business professionals such as those at McKinsey. The speaker begins by stating the aim of the presentation, and then goes on to explain why the presentation is important by discussing the consequences and possible results.
Finally, the speaker provides an overview of the issues to be explored. This structure is an effective technique to pique audience interest in your presentation while also assisting them in focusing on your message and key takeaways.
8. Keep a record of significant presentations for future reference.
Effective communication can take a significant amount of time and effort. If you think you’ll need to give the same presentation more than once, try recording it and sharing it afterwards.
Speakers can record themselves giving a presentation using platforms like Wistia and Zoom. Presenters can edit the video on these video-recording systems to make it more interesting and useful. They also give admins with viewer engagement metrics.
Recorded presentations can be very useful for communicators who need to conduct training on a regular basis in a company that is rapidly employing staff.
9. Become a master of time.
While some of their jokes may be inappropriate for the workplace, standup comedians are excellent communicators. Because they have mastered the art of timing, comedians like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are able to produce riveting 90-minute comedy shows.
Great comedians, like all great communicators, can read their audience to know when it’s time to move on to a new issue or when to restate a notion.
10. Get used to speaking on the spur of the moment.
When lawyers bring a case to the Supreme Court of the United States, they usually speak on the spot. That is to say, the lawyers jot down a list of topics they want to cover, but they don’t memorise everything they’ll say. This type of communication allows lawyers presenting a case to cover all of the important issues while also allowing them to adjust their communication style in response to audience reactions or inquiries.
Extemporaneous speaking should be considered by business communicators. It takes time to master, but it will help you communicate more naturally and engage your audience.
11. Get to know your target market.
It is critical to first get to know your audience in order to communicate effectively. Each audience is unique, with distinct tastes and cultural standards that must be taken into account when communicating. Asking audience members for examples of outstanding communicators within the organisation is a wonderful method to learn expectations.
12. Use uniqueness to keep your audience interested.
According to a new study, when people are presented with unexpected settings rather than usual ones, they remember more knowledge. Consider including a unique occurrence in your presentation to help audience members remember what you’re saying. This might be something amusing or something that catches folks off guard.
13. Rather than focusing on gaining laughs, concentrate on gaining respect.
It’s tempting to communicate with others in a lighter manner; after all, making friends in a working situation can be difficult. But keep in mind that the most effective speakers have won respect rather than laughs. While it’s fine to crack a joke or two to get the audience’s attention, don’t end your presentation with a laugh.
14. Pay attention to what others are saying.
“You should listen more than you speak.” This is what Sir Richard Branson advises businesspeople that wish to network. Listen to what others have to say first in order to communicate effectively. Then you can respond with a thoughtful response that demonstrates you’ve considered their points.
