Speaking to Lead & inspire
Strong leaders are often the best communicators. That is because they have already invested the time to learn this skill. They know this is necessary in order to get considered for the leadership track. Once in a leadership position, they’ll find it is an incredibly valuable tool. They’ll use their skills to communicate, build visibility and motivate their teams through all of the highs and lows that come their way.
Thankfully, it is something you can learn to do too!
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a LIVE LinkedIn conversation with the Founder of Sabobatage, Eric Chen.
They shared key tips and personal experiences on communications in leadership, how to use interpersonal communications to lead and inspire their team, and how listening is key.
1. Leaders must communicate
In today’s social media world, many brands and companies are focusing their marketing efforts on selling their ‘brand,’ and not just the physical item itself. In other words, the brands are showcasing who they are as a company, their leadership team, what they believe in, and what their goal is for their consumers and the world they live in.
In fact, it works. Think – Tesla CEO, Google CEO, Apple CEO, and Bumble CEO to name a few. Their leaders are often communicating their vision for their industry. Consumers and employees alike are also often more drawn to brands where they can see and hear from their CEOs directly.
2. Proactive communications is key
There are a lot of perks of working fully or partially remotely. However, it can be hard to know what is happening with your team when you don’t see them at the office every day. Being conscious of your team’s needs and proactively reaching out [even when they didn’t reach out to you!] will help you build trust and executive presence with them.
In our LinkedIn Learning course, Building Visibility As A Remote Leader, you will learn how to show up for your team and provide the reassurance they need in this remote working environment. Learning how to be consistent with your communications, including with your boss will highlight you as a proactive employee who is aware and present. Perception matters!
3. Leadership Communication Is Not Just For Leaders
Don’t think just because you are not in the C-Suite yet, communicating for visibility isn’t for you. If you are an associate or a director, or perhaps you’ve just landed your first job – learning how to communicate as a leader is what’ll help set you up for success.
In fact, when you can exhibit leadership communications skills at work, your boss or team is much more likely to see you as a leader. Thus, they’ll be more willing to make you the team lead or give you more opportunities. When it comes time for that next promotion, you will already be top of mind and be seen as capable. Huge win! This is how people get promoted fast.
4. Creating Rapport and Trust
Interpersonal communications really comes down to creating a rapport and trust between you and other people. You’ll want to be mindful of the dynamic:
- Does the person feel comfortable when they talk to you?
- Do they feel like they can approach you and talk about anything? This can include an issue with their work situation, or what they’re doing over the weekend.
- Do you make your peers feel like you are right there with them?
5. Are You Listening?
The best way that you can create solid interpersonal communication is to make sure the person you are engaging with is doing more of the talking.
In order for people to feel like they have been heard during a conversation, you should be listening over 65% of the time. Focus on asking the right questions. The right questions can be general, but oftentimes if you ask specific questions you’ll be able to pinpoint a stressor within the project that you wouldn’t have known or seen before.
By listening and asking thoughtful questions, you’ll find that in time, you will have created an environment where your team and peers feel heard and comfortable coming to you.
Learning how to engage your team and peers can take time. But if you implement the proactive strategies mentioned above, in time, you’ll see your effort pay off with a team that trusts and a boss that’ll trust you. Leadership role – here you come!
If you would like to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Eric’s conversation, check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel.
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Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways we can help you:
- Discover your communications style, so you know where to start. Over 4,000 people have found theirs here.
- Attend our monthly communication workshop to build communications confidence (new topics: public speaking, advocating for yourself, building credibility, etc) here.
- Get your brand in front of 43k+ people by sponsoring our newsletter or Soulcast Media | LIVE LinkedIn events [contact: hello@soulcastmedia.com]
