The 21 Laws of Leadership: How to Develop the Qualities of a Leader

Chapter 6 Developing Excellent Communication Skills

Communication
For an effective leader, developing excellent communication skills is a must.Leaders should share their knowledge and ideas with team members. If the leader cannot convey the message clearly and inspire others to act, then the message will not help at all.

—Gilbert Amelio, President and CEO, National Semiconductor Corporation
Educators often complicate simple things; good communicators can simplify complex problems.

—John C. Maxwell

He is a great communicator at all times

Many U.S. presidents have been excellent communicators who have had a huge impact on the country.Examples like John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, or Abraham Lincoln can always come to mind.But in my lifetime, there has only been one president who could be called a "genius communicator," and that was Ronald Reagan.

Reagan's gift for communication was evident early in his career.He started his career in radio, and by his early 20s he quickly became one of the most famous announcers in the American Midwest.He often makes on-site commentary at the stadium, but sometimes he can't get away and rush to the scene, so he receives it by telegram and uses his own imagination to make game commentary.On one occasion, he commented on a Chicago Cubs game.When the game came to a head and powerhouse Augie Galan came on the field, the telegraph malfunctioned and went offline.Reagan reacted quickly and explained for 6 minutes by imagining situations such as hitting a foul ball. Until the telegram resumed transmitting the details of the game, the audience listened with gusto and didn't feel any difference.

Throughout his career Reagan displayed an extraordinary ability to communicate.And during his run for president to the time he entered the White House, his communication skills were on full display. In 1980, Reagan announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States. He described his campaign vision clearly and concisely: "The core of our message is the five words we are familiar with. We don't have to invoke complex economic concepts, nor repeat old-fashioned Political philosophy. We need only five short words: family, work, neighborhood, liberty and peace."

During the campaign, Reagan won a big debate with then-President Jimmy Carter.Reagan, the former governor of California, looked like a relaxed, capable, likeable middle-class American.He won the election easily.Later, when asked if he was nervous during a campaign debate, he replied: "I'm not nervous at all. I did share the stage with the murderer John Wayne."

Whether in front of a crowd, on camera, or in one-on-one conversations, Reagan was always at his most effective.Even when he accepts the shoot and enters the studio, he always thinks about how to put others at ease. As Reagan was wheeled into the operating room on March 1981, 3, he joked to the surgeons: "Assure me, you're all Republicans."

Reagan was also a good executive because he always kept his goals clear, made decisions easily, and actually empowered his people to execute them.But what makes him a great leader is his extraordinary ability to communicate.When people need to know where the leaders of the country stand, they never have to doubt Reagan's real thoughts and decisions.People trusted him and followed his lead.Successful communication made him a desirable leader.

The Art of Communication is Traceable

Even if you are not a national leader like Reagan, you still need to have good communication skills.The success of your marriage, career, and relationships all depend to a large extent on this.If people don't know your purpose, they won't follow you.Your communications will be more effective if you follow these four tips.

1. Simplify information

Communication is not only about what you have to say, but also how you say it.At the heart of effective communication is brevity, contrary to what some educators preach.Don't keep trying to please others with esoteric words or complicated theories.If you want to grab people's attention, keep it simple.Napoleon often told his assistants: "Succinct, concise, and concise."

There is a short story about a young executive preparing a draft of a business report. The young man was invited to give a presentation to a group of employees for the first time, so he asked his mentor how to make a good presentation.His mentor told him: "Write a great opening that will grab the audience right away. Then write an exciting ending that motivates people to do it. Just keep the middle part as short as possible."

2. Clear object
A good communicator usually focuses his attention on the audience with whom he is communicating.They know that it is impossible to communicate effectively without knowing their audience.When you're communicating with others, whether individually or in groups, ask yourself these questions: Who is my audience?What is their problem?What issues need attention?How much time do I have?If you want to be an effective communicator, focus on your audience.People trust great communicators because great communicators trust them.

3. Communicate the truth
Authenticity is a prerequisite for effective communication.There are two methods of conveying the truth to the hearers.First, believe deeply in what you say.When ordinary people are convinced and excited about what they have to say, they become great communicators.Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch observed, "The greatest weapon in the world is a burning soul." Second, live up to what you say.There is nothing more convincing in the world than belief in action.

4. Seek a response
When you are communicating, never forget that the purpose of all communication is action.If you're throwing a bunch of information at your audience, you're not communicating effectively.Every time you speak to people give them something to feel, to remember, to live.If you can do this, your leadership skills will be taken to a new level.

Self-Reflection: Barriers to Effective Communication
Danto Manquez Jr., chairman of MVM, a large British software company, once talked about the problem of communication skills of leaders. He said: "A leader must get things done through other people, so he needs Ability to motivate, guide, and listen well. It is only through communication that a leader can make his purpose clear and act on it.”

How would you rate your communication skills?Is communication important to you?Can you inspire and inspire others?Can your team members understand and implement the ideas you express?Do you communicate well with other people when you are alone with them?What about talking to groups?If you deeply believe in your own mind that your goals are right, but people just don't believe in your ideas, then the obstacle may lie in your lack of effective communication skills.

"Prescription" for eliminating communication barriers

If you want to improve your communication skills, try the following points.

1. Keep it clear
Check your most recent letter, memo, or whatever.Are your sentences concise and direct, or are they very verbose?Will your readers understand the vocabulary you've chosen, or do they need a dictionary along with them?Are you using as few words as possible?For an effective communicator, your best friends are brevity and clarity.Next time you draft a manuscript, don't forget to take the above tips with you.

2. Adjust focus
In the month ahead, when you communicate, please focus on what you want to express.Is your focus on yourself, the material, or the audience?If the focus is not on the audience, you need to change.Think about what your audience needs, confuses, and is anxious about.Try to put yourself in the audience's shoes and you'll become a better communicator.

3. Deliver on what you say
Is there a difference between what you communicate and what you do?Ask a trusted friend around you if you live up to what you say.Your spouse, mentor, or best friend can see blind spots that you've missed.Let your guard down and listen to what they have to say.Then make up your mind to change your life in order to live up to that statement.

Great people also pay attention to communication

On April 1865, 4, during the "Civil War", President Abraham Lincoln made a historic decision that he must communicate with the generals on the front lines of the battlefield.This letter must convey all the hope in his heart, because this is a battle that will determine the fate of the United States.President Lincoln's leadership ability was fully demonstrated in this crucial communication, and he also showed his communication skills to the fullest.The letter reads as follows:
Lieutenant General Grant:
As General Sheridan said, "If the pressure on General Lee of the Confederate Army continues, I think he will capitulate." Let's put more pressure on it.

Sincerely, Abraham Lincoln
This great President never allowed this important communication to be complicated, and neither should we.

(End of this chapter)