If you want to be a successful leader, you have to learn how to meaningfully communicate with others. In fact, un any walk of life you are in, honing your communication skills is very important.

So, here are some ways you can improve your communication skills in order to become a more effective leader.

• Be an active listener

The concept of active listening means that you’re involved and engaged in what the other person is saying, as opposed to being passive and letting the conversation pass you by. Always pay attention when someone else has something to say

• Get to know your audience.

To communicate effectively, it is important to get to know your audience first. Each audience is different, and will have different preferences and cultural norms that should be considered when communicating. A good way to understand expectations is to ask members of the audience for examples of good communicators within the organization.

• Speak up about your thoughts and ideas

This communication skill is especially important if you’re a leader, because what you say is setting the stage for your team to follow. If you’re an open and honest communicator, you’re setting an example for everyone else to do the same.

They’ll be more willing to collaborate with others, to compromise when it’s necessary, and to face difficult situations with an open mind and confidence that things will work out in the end.

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  Try not to make assumptions

It can be easy to assume that you know what someone else wants. But this is a huge cause of misunderstandings – and a reason that misunderstandings can escalate into conflict.

That’s where the active listening model can save the day. Part of great communication skills means having empathy: trying to understand what’s going on in the other person’s head.

This is important because what we say isn’t always a completely accurate representation of what we really want. Especially in a complicated situation, or one where it’s easy to get overwhelmed or embarrassed, it’s common that we try to disguise or hide our real needs.

• Engage the audience in discussion.

Regardless of how compelling the speaker is, all audiences have limited attention spans. To become a more effective communicator, make presentations and discussions interactive. Ask the audience a question, encourage people to call out their thoughts during a brainstorming session or at the very least ask hypothetical questions to stimulate the audience.

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  Ask for honest feedback.

As with most leadership skills, receiving honest feedback from peers, managers and members of your team is critical to becoming a better communicator. If you regularly solicit feedback, others will help you to discover areas for improvement that you might have otherwise overlooked.

• Don’t be accusatory when raising an issue

Even if you feel like someone did something that was completely wrong, keep your cool when you have the discussion. If you start the conversation with an accusation that something is their fault, it’s practically an invitation for a fight. Our natural reaction to accusation is to get defensive… and nothing good comes from that conversation.

• Be brief and clear

Have you ever sat through a coworker’s long and winding story when you have a lot of work to finish? It’s rough. Try to get to the main points quickly so that you’re not that person.

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  Plan and practice

Of course, there are a lot of impromptu conversations where you don’t have the opportunity to plan and practice. But when you have the chance, take even 30 seconds to go over your key points. This can work wonders for your communication skills.

• Record important presentations for posterity.

It can take a good deal of time and energy to communicate effectively. In cases where you may need to give the same presentation multiple times, consider recording it and sharing it in the future.

In conclusion, communicating clearly is one of the most effective skills you can cultivate as a leader. Remember to communicate using nonverbal and verbal cues. Listen carefully to what others have to say, and over-communicate in novel ways to ensure the content of the conversation sticks with the audience.

Chigozie

My name is Chigozie Japhet. I am a content writer, and a brand strategist. I like  writing, reading, researching and watching football, especially my team, Man United. i believe in working hard, and also in relaxation as all work without play, makes Chigozie a dull boy.