We could compile an inexhaustible list of a leader's activities and responsibilities, and every single one of them would require the competency of communication. A leader may have brilliant ideas, but if they cannot disseminate them, they will rarely be able to execute them.
The ability to communicate concepts clearly and precisely, whether in individual or group settings; the capacity to earn attention, recognition, respect, and trust; to listen and understand what others are saying; to accept criticism without strong defensive emotional reactions; to propose projects and solutions; to motivate the group and steer the course of events, all of this makes a leader outstanding in interpersonal competency and in their capacity to achieve results, develop people, and build lasting work.
Know Your Own Communication Style
The first step, and there is no way around it, is to understand your own communication style: your tendencies, for example whether you speak more than you listen or the reverse, how others perceive you, and your strengths and weaknesses in this essential dimension of leadership. A leader communicates twenty-four hours a day, and everything they say or withhold is interpreted, amplified, and sometimes distorted.
The Responsibility Belongs to the Communicator
The primary responsibility for communication rests with the communicator. It is the communicator who must work hardest to be understood, and who must constantly check whether their message is landing as intended. Your ability to communicate and to relate can either amplify or undermine your achievements.
For more introverted leaders, it is important to be aware that choosing not to communicate is a valid option, but one that carries consequences. Team members will often be left confused. Silence generates countless interpretations depending on the perspective of each person. Not communicating is itself a form of communication. The leader communicates even when they do not wish to. It is necessary to consider how far that choice might fuel future conflicts, perhaps larger than anticipated.
Written, Verbal, and Nonverbal
Every form of communication, written, verbal, or nonverbal, generates varied interpretations. It is no coincidence that research shows more than 80% of organizational problems are related to communication. The absence of transparent and objective communication worsens any situation, and leaders carry the greater share of that responsibility.
Many times, when leaders think they are conveying nothing to their teams, they are actually transmitting a powerful subliminal message. People may not be hearing, but they are watching and feeling. That silent message significantly influences results.
Touching Minds and Hearts
Great communicators tend to be authentic. They possess a congruent profile and a contagious energy. Whether in auditoriums or work meetings, they reach not only the minds, but the hearts of people. As communication expert Pearce teaches: "While the mind looks for proof, the heart looks for involvement. While the mind seeks information, the heart seeks passion. While the mind wants answers, the heart wants experience. The mind makes a decision, but it is the heart that commits."
We cannot afford to neglect investment in this vehicle of ideas toward a shared ideal.