OFW guide: 'Communication secrets' of great leaders
How do great leaders communicate?
An article of the news site Forbes, it is "impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator."
Forbes noted that a great communicator does not refer to being a great talker or being good in vocabulary, enunciation, presence, or delivery.
The world's greatest leaders are exceptional communicators who speak to our emotions and aspirations, the report said.
GMA News Online culled a list of tips on how to be a great leader and a great communicator based on the Forbes report:
(1) Be trustworthy
To establish good communication between two people, both should trust each other.
When a person is certain that the other person will not divulge private information, he will be comfortable in sharing more personal information that could be vital in the communication process.
Forbes said, "people just won’t open up to those they don’t trust. When people have a sense a leader is worthy of their trust they will invest time and take risks in ways they never would if their leader had a reputation built upon poor character or lack of integrity."
Tip: Don’t reveal to others what was shared to you in confidentiality.
(2) Get personal
A great communicator is not preoccupied with conversing but with establishing relationships.
Forbes said, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
It also hinted that we will never really know what other people are thinking unless we develop a meaningful relationship with them.
Tip: Try to be sensitive. Don't force people to open up especially on subjects they would like to keep private.
(3) Be specific
Great leaders communicate their ideas clearly.
It is always better to communicate in a simple and concise manner.
Any hint of vagueness or ambiguity could lead to confusion, disagreement, or conflict.
Do your best to explain everything clearly. Don't hold out any information that could help other people understand you better.
Tip: Do what you can to help others understand the message you're trying to convey.
(4) Give and take
Do not focus only on your own agenda. Be considerate of other people's needs and feelings.
If the other person sees that you are genuinely interested in his well-being, it would be much easier for him to share information with you.
If you think only of yourself and your agendas, the other person might think that you do not care about his situation.
Forbes said, "The best communicators are not only skilled at learning and gathering information while communicating, they are also adept at transferring ideas, aligning expectations, inspiring action, and spreading their vision."
Tip: Be patient, sympathize, and empathize with the other person.
(5) Be open-minded
Everyone has a different set of beliefs and ideas.
If you don’t agree with the ideas of another person, do not automatically reject it.
Give some thought to what he is proposing before you turn it down.
Forbes said, "the rigidity of a closed mind is the single greatest limiting factor of new opportunities."
Tip: Consider different factors, both positive and negative, before making a decision.
(6) Learn to listen
Stop, pause, and listen.
If you keep on talking, how will you know what the other person is thinking of?
Listening is one of the most important elements of the whole communication process.
Forbes said "great leaders know when to dial it up, dial it down, and dial it off (mostly down and off)."
Tip: To become a successful communicator, you have to strike the balance between talking and listening.
(7) Empathy over ego
Having confidence is a good thing. However, becoming an egoistic rather than a confident person is harmful to the communication process.
You will irritate people and block off positive communication with them if they see you as an egoistic person.
Tip: Keep it real. Connect with people by being confident but humble.
(8) Read between the lines
Great communicators know how to identify body language and other signals.
A person's face or hands usually give away important hints on how a person truly feels.
Forbes said good leaders are "very adept at reading between the lines. They have the uncanny ability to understand what is not said, witnessed, or heard."
Tip: Don't overanalyze. When a person says he is not feeling a certain way (ie. angry or irritated), you should respect that.
(9) Be knowledgeable
Don’t just be a "smooth talker."
It is not enough to be a great talker who has a good voice or diction. What's more important is to be knowledgeable about the topics we are discussing with others.
Tip: Update your knowledge base every now and then.
(10) Personalize conversations
Communicating means getting a person’s attention and sharing your ideas.
To communicate effectively, especially before a large audience, create a tailor-made message for the entire group.
Tip: Before you speak, prepare for your audience. Analyze their backgrounds and interests.
- VVP, GMA News
An article of the news site Forbes, it is "impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator."
Forbes noted that a great communicator does not refer to being a great talker or being good in vocabulary, enunciation, presence, or delivery.
The world's greatest leaders are exceptional communicators who speak to our emotions and aspirations, the report said.
GMA News Online culled a list of tips on how to be a great leader and a great communicator based on the Forbes report:
(1) Be trustworthy
To establish good communication between two people, both should trust each other.
When a person is certain that the other person will not divulge private information, he will be comfortable in sharing more personal information that could be vital in the communication process.
Forbes said, "people just won’t open up to those they don’t trust. When people have a sense a leader is worthy of their trust they will invest time and take risks in ways they never would if their leader had a reputation built upon poor character or lack of integrity."
Tip: Don’t reveal to others what was shared to you in confidentiality.
(2) Get personal
A great communicator is not preoccupied with conversing but with establishing relationships.
Forbes said, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
It also hinted that we will never really know what other people are thinking unless we develop a meaningful relationship with them.
Tip: Try to be sensitive. Don't force people to open up especially on subjects they would like to keep private.
(3) Be specific
Great leaders communicate their ideas clearly.
It is always better to communicate in a simple and concise manner.
Any hint of vagueness or ambiguity could lead to confusion, disagreement, or conflict.
Do your best to explain everything clearly. Don't hold out any information that could help other people understand you better.
Tip: Do what you can to help others understand the message you're trying to convey.
(4) Give and take
Do not focus only on your own agenda. Be considerate of other people's needs and feelings.
If the other person sees that you are genuinely interested in his well-being, it would be much easier for him to share information with you.
If you think only of yourself and your agendas, the other person might think that you do not care about his situation.
Forbes said, "The best communicators are not only skilled at learning and gathering information while communicating, they are also adept at transferring ideas, aligning expectations, inspiring action, and spreading their vision."
Tip: Be patient, sympathize, and empathize with the other person.
(5) Be open-minded
Everyone has a different set of beliefs and ideas.
If you don’t agree with the ideas of another person, do not automatically reject it.
Give some thought to what he is proposing before you turn it down.
Forbes said, "the rigidity of a closed mind is the single greatest limiting factor of new opportunities."
Tip: Consider different factors, both positive and negative, before making a decision.
(6) Learn to listen
Stop, pause, and listen.
If you keep on talking, how will you know what the other person is thinking of?
Listening is one of the most important elements of the whole communication process.
Forbes said "great leaders know when to dial it up, dial it down, and dial it off (mostly down and off)."
Tip: To become a successful communicator, you have to strike the balance between talking and listening.
(7) Empathy over ego
Having confidence is a good thing. However, becoming an egoistic rather than a confident person is harmful to the communication process.
You will irritate people and block off positive communication with them if they see you as an egoistic person.
Tip: Keep it real. Connect with people by being confident but humble.
(8) Read between the lines
Great communicators know how to identify body language and other signals.
A person's face or hands usually give away important hints on how a person truly feels.
Forbes said good leaders are "very adept at reading between the lines. They have the uncanny ability to understand what is not said, witnessed, or heard."
Tip: Don't overanalyze. When a person says he is not feeling a certain way (ie. angry or irritated), you should respect that.
(9) Be knowledgeable
Don’t just be a "smooth talker."
It is not enough to be a great talker who has a good voice or diction. What's more important is to be knowledgeable about the topics we are discussing with others.
Tip: Update your knowledge base every now and then.
(10) Personalize conversations
Communicating means getting a person’s attention and sharing your ideas.
To communicate effectively, especially before a large audience, create a tailor-made message for the entire group.
Tip: Before you speak, prepare for your audience. Analyze their backgrounds and interests.
- VVP, GMA News
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