The truth is that without good communication skills, it’s unlikely you’ll qualify as a leader. If you have the necessary skills and training, you may rise to a management position. Leadership requires an entirely different set of additional skills.
Your responsibility is to be the craftsman of your organization’s mission.
Why communication skills is so important.
Leaders have vision. They don’t focus on the day to day routine. Their eyes are fixed on the horizon. Seeking innovation, improvement, growth. When they identify and grasp the opportunities they find, their important work begins.
They have to communicate their vision to their, sometimes sceptical, teams. They create clear and compelling scenarios that motivate and inspire. They know that they will have to lead the line towards their new goals, balancing discipline, accountability and strategic alignment with the clarity of their version of the future.
What is the language of a leader?
Most business language is dry and mechanical. Numbers, budgets, percentages – all these functional processes have created a language that lacks inspiration.
A true leader knows this and will, firstly, create a clear picture of the company’s objectives. This is called ‘Framing the Mission’. The language won’t be bogged down with production details or budgets. Instead, they will use words and phrases as an artist might use a colourful sketch to describe their idea for a wonderful painting.
Emphasize the broad idea rather than the details.
They will focus on why their proposal is worth bringing to life. Exactly how it will all be achieved comes later.
The second stage is called ‘Vision Amplification’. This is where the leader takes the colourful sketch and begins to dab on splashes of bolder colour and more dramatic shapes.
Stay focused on successful outcomes.
The objective is to let the teams see the potential for success, to convince them that their leader will steer them to new levels of personal growth and success, while fulfilling the corporate mission the leader has so brilliantly brought to life.
All really successful leaders have this gift, whether they’re in business, politics or sport.
The language of effective leadership is neatly summed up in the old story of two stonemasons in mediaeval times. Both were shaping their blocks of marble with hand tools when a visitor arrived. “What are you doing?” the newcomer enquired.
The first mason said, “I’m shaping this block of marble with a chisel.” The second mason looked up high into the sky and replied, “I’m building a magnificent cathedral.”
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