Want to be a Leader? Learn to Communicate Clearly

“Say what you mean, mean what you say, do what you say you’re going to do.”  I’m pretty sure Barbara Coloroso said this in one of her books.  It’s a learning that hearkens back to the days when I worked in childcare, but it sticks.  What I know for sure is that it has implication and relevance that goes way beyond just parenting or working with children.  Being able to share information clearly is an integral part of human interaction.  And it’s especially crucial to effective leadership.

Lately, I’ve noticed a tendency amongst leaders to shortchange themselves and their teams in the area of communication.  When this happens, there’s a way that unnecessary angst is created, trust is diminished and direction is lost.  In order to avoid these pitfalls, here are 10 tips for communicating clearly:

1. Don’t elaborate unnecessarily — make your point, then stop.
2. Don’t skimp on information — be detailed, but succinct.
3. Ensure that your words, tone and body language match.
4. Take time to determine whether you’ve been understood — don’t assume.
5. Make sure your message has landed. Just because you’ve spoken doesn’t mean that you’ve been heard.
6. Don’t avoid “unpleasant” conversations; deal with what needs to be dealt with NOW.
7. Avoid being the go-between in team disputes; empower your team to resolve situations on their own.
8. Don’t assume that you have all the information.
9. Know your information before you speak.
10. Be willing to ask questions.

Following these 10 tips will lead to clearer communication.  And don’t limit these tips to the speaking context; they apply to the written word as well.  Bottom-line:  if you want to lead effectively, you need to communicate clearly.