How do you assess and improve your communication style as a leader?

Most leaders go through their careers without considering their communication style, let alone refining it for different audiences or situations. However, seeking expert support can be incredibly beneficial in this process. Receiving feedback from colleagues or having an observer monitor your interactions can provide valuable insights. Recording yourself on camera during meetings or presentations is another effective method to identify areas for improvement. The key steps involve planning, practicing, and continuously refining your approach. By actively seeking feedback and dedicating time to enhance your communication skills, you can become a more effective and adaptable leader.

It first starts with the belief that: Your current communication style has room for improvements That you and others will benefit from such improvements Establishing great communication is a continuous process Once these beliefs have been established and you've committed to making necessary adjustments- then you've conquered over half the battle and have set yourself up for greater success along your communication journey!

Assessing and improving your communication style as a leader is essential for fostering effective relationships, motivating your team, and achieving organizational goals. Here’s a structured approach to evaluate and enhance your communication style 1. Self-Assessment Reflect on Your Style Identify Communication Goals 2. Seek Feedback 360-Degree Feedback Regular Check-Ins 3. Evaluate Communication Effectiveness Analyze Outcomes Review Engagement Metrics 4. Develop Active Listening Skills Practice Active Listening 5. Enhance Clarity and Consistency 6. Adapt Your Style 7. Improve Non-Verbal Communication 8. Leverage Communication Tools 9. Foster Open Communication 10. Commit to Continuous Improvement 11. Evaluate Impact on Team Dynamics

Pour améliorer sa communication en tant que leader, il est important de développer plusieurs compétences et d'adapter ses stratégies à son équipe et à l'environnement de travail. L'écoute active, la clarté, la concision, l'empathie, l'adaptabilité, la transparence et le dialogue ouvert sont des éléments clés pour inspirer et mobiliser son équipe vers des objectifs communs.

Being a leader, it's really important to go as per the flow. Communication is a two way process and it gets completed only after the feedback of the receiver. And on the feedback we receive, we should try to adjust our communication style for a better communication perspective. -Sonali

Effective leadership communication hinges on understanding the audience, enabling leaders to adapt their messages, tone, and content for various stakeholders. This not only ensures messages are well-received but also fosters relatability and trust, forging stronger relationships and impactful influence. Ultimately, this comprehension empowers leaders to inspire action and drive team engagement.

Saber a quién le hablas es clave para que tu mensaje sea comprendido. Al presentar un proyecto, una idea o un discurso, lo importante no es el presentador, sino su audiencia, porque es quien debe quedar convencida, enganchada o emocionada con lo que escucha. Entender quién es la audiencia permite ajustar el mensaje como un traje a la medida, con el nivel de tecnicidad, emocionalidad y claridad necesarios.

Communicate according to the audience you are currently addressing. Individual's understanding of concepts differs on may factors such as educational level, culture, and age. Prior to communicating, know your audience so you can address them accordingly.

Start by observing how others respond to your messages. Take note of what works well and what does not, as feedback from your audience is vital. It is important to adapt your communication based on the preferences of those you are speaking to, whether they like details, stories, or a mix of both. Building strong relationships through understanding and respect will help you connect better with your team. Regularly reflecting on your interactions will enhance both your effectiveness and your team's overall response.

Understanding your audience is key to effective communication. Before communicating, take the time to learn about the people you are communicating with. Consider their level of understanding, their interests, and their perspectives. Tailor your message accordingly to ensure it resonates with your audience.

You're well-versed in "it's always been done that way". The same goes for your comms style. What works today may not work in 10 years; it may not work tomorrow. Understanding that you need to change and adapt shows strength and leadership. You don't have to reinvent your moral or professional principles, but you will, at some point or another, need to revamp your approach, taking stock of what works and what doesn't. And don't be afraid to dip into some beta testing of new styles before you actually require them.

Sometimes the situation warrants for a complete change of your communication style when you are least prepared. No time to study the audience. No time to practise your speech. But as an agile leader, one must be skillful to pick up the right communication style to suit the situation and the audience. Thinking on your feet to frame the content in the right context, and delivering it in the most effective manner.

El estilo de comunicación va ligado a tu forma de ser, tu formación y lo más importante a tu audiencia. Como líder debes conocer, si se trata de empleados, sus fortalezas y sus debilidades, ayudarles con formación a mejorar y adaptar la comunicación al tipo de mensaje que se va a desarrollar. Si se trata de tu cliente, es la misma práctica, debes conocer a tu avatar, saber que necesidades tiene, sus dolores y como dar soluciones efectivas. No se trata del "yo" sino de ellos. Por ejemplo, en Helpoint, las personas que colaboramos estamos constantemente en contacto con candidatos y clientes y, lo que hemos aprendido es a ser firmes pero educados. Siempre conociendo a quién va dirigido el mensaje final. Neus Por tu experto en cada oficio

One of the hardest things in a leader's communication is adapting your communication while you remain yourself and you keep the essence of your personal professional brand. The adaption depends on the target audience, the channels, the goals, and also on the time that the specific project takes. If we talk about a project drawing a stakeholder matrix can help to define the involved stakeholders and create a communication style for every stakeholder involved in the project.

O conceito da lideran?a situacional nos ajuda aqui a adaptar nosso estilo de comunica??o na hora principalmente de delegar tarefas ou buscar a solu??o na cabe?a do nosso liderado ou time. Vou abordar essa quest?o a partir do prisma do questionamento. Quais perguntas usar em cada situa??o. S?o 4 estilos, vou explicar aqui 2. 1. Pergunta delegativa: aqui a pessoa sabe e quer fazer a tarefa. O plano de a??o é carta branca. Vou fazer uma pergunta aberta sobre o resultado esperado. 2. Pergunta apoiadora: aqui a pessoa n?o sabe mas quer fazer a tarefa. O plano de a??o é EU + ELE. Vou fazer uma pergunta sobre como posso ajudar.

Everyone knows that feedback is one of the sources of improvements. However, not everyone is able to HANDLE or MANAGE negative feedback. Here are some best practices on HOW to optimise feedback received for continuous improvements: #1 - Have an OPEN MIND. You must cultivate a GROWTH MINDSET to look at things positively & progressively. #2 - Don't be DEFENSIVE when feedback is negative. Stay PROFESSIONAL. #3 - Focus on the END in MIND. Stand guided by your communication objectives based on 4 Cs of communication (clarity, coherence, control & credibility)? #4 - Stay OBJECTIVE. Don't take it PERSONAL. Avoid being EMOTIONAL. #5 - Cultivate a high sense of EQ & EMPATHY. Seek to understand first the needs & expectations of your audience.

It's not always an easy or comfortable conversation for those reporting to you, but have them review your performance and identify gaps. You may think you're doing a bang-up job, but in reality, it's not the case. Also, if you've built a nice network, ask others to send you feedback; they're in the biz and will have quality insights into what you're doing well and what you could improve upon.

Before you have a difficult conversation with someone at work, it is important to ask yourself some tough questions. This way you can figure out if you are part of the problem. Let me reassure you, There is absolutely no shame in recognising that you got something wrong, it's how we all learn. Equally, by showing others that we aren't always perfect shows our vulnerable side and can help build trust in our teams. Ask yourself some of these questions on self awareness: "What personal biases or assumptions might I be bringing into my evaluation of this person's performance?" "How might my own experiences or challenges be influencing my perception of this person's performance?"

It offers invaluable insights into what's working well and areas for growth. Whether from team members, mentors, or personal reflection, each nugget of feedback is a stepping stone towards refining your communication style. Embrace this continuous cycle of improvement—it's the cornerstone of becoming a more effective and impactful communicator.

Feedback is invaluable in assessing communication effectiveness. I regularly hold one-on-one sessions and implement anonymous surveys to understand how my messages resonate. For example, after receiving feedback that my emails were too technical, I simplified them, which improved team comprehension and execution. Actively seeking feedback fosters continuous improvement.

These are 2 communication tools & techniques which could work for you as they did very effectively for me: #1 - STORYTELLING: One of the best ways to transfer emotions to your audience. Tales of misfortune, disaster, fear, danger even failure, could enhance engagement with your audience who would more likely to remember the message, & be personally connected to it. This creates IMPACT! #2 - VISUAL AIDS: Like they say, a picture is worth 1,000 words. You stand a much better chance to capture the attention of your audience when your communication uses images, music, video, photos to create the unforgettable experience for your audience as compared to words only. Your goal is to STOP people from checking their mobile phones during your speech!

Listening is a skill. Actively listen so you are able to ask questions and process the conversation. Avoid distractions. It is easy to do with cell phones and in open air office settings.

I would like to extend the communication skill and supplement it with negotiation skills - this is the art of verbally expressing thoughts so that the interlocutor not only understands your point of view, but is also ready to accept it, taking the necessary actions. This skill is especially important in the project domain, where most of the participants are technical people (programmers, system administrators, data scientists) who prefer privacy. Effective negotiation and clear communication become critical in such projects, for without them, managing processes and clarifying the manager's position become difficult tasks.

Digital tools can streamline leadership communication. I use platforms like Slack for quick updates and Zoom for detailed discussions. Techniques like active listening and emotional intelligence are equally critical. For instance, during a remote team-building exercise, I used virtual breakout rooms, which enhanced engagement and trust.

I pick the tools and the techniques that I think will resonate best with the audience but the common denominator is that I decide to be present and give my undivided attention. Being fully present allows me to shift and adjust when necessary.

Central to any communication plan is a survey of your people managers to learn how their people best respond to messaging. For instance, are they most motivated by top-down messaging from the leadership team or are they most likely to absorb messaging from their direct managers during regular meetings? This kind of feedback will directly inform how you proceed with your plan. Based on what you learn, you might decide that quarterly messages from you to the whole company should instead be packaged messages to the managers to be delivered during smaller, weekly team meetings.

Having a structured plan for communication ensures consistency, helps prioritize key messages, and sets clear goals for how and when to communicate. It also fosters accountability and clarity in leadership.

A communication plan serves as a roadmap to keep the organization on schedule. This outline can show the timeline of benchmarks that need to be achieved. It can also identify action items that are assigned to responsible parties. Success is measured and should be celebrated by a fully executed plan.

A communication plan that WORKS has the following elements in the overall framework & keeping the goals & objectives INTACT: (1) how well the 4 Cs - clarity, coherence, control & credibility - are optimised and leveraged. (2) whether there is a Plan B to ensure goals & objectives do not falter due to unanticipated requirements or feedback. (3) communicator's agility to switch and change communication styles when the situation calls for such flexibility and thinking on your feet. (4) how robust is the communication plan to cater for changes which test the rigour of the process in the face of adversity, whether within or outside of control.

El plan de comunicación de la empresa debe ir alineado con los objetivos a alcanzar como corporación. La comunicación es uno de los pilares y canales principales para que internamente todos los miembros sepan como ejecutar sus responsabilidades. El responsable de la empresa debe asegurarse de comunicar la progresión de los objetivos y en caso de desviación como implementar acciones correctivas. En este plan, también se incluye la comunicación según el plan de marketing/marcom que contribuye a la canalización de leads y el plan de ventas que sustenta la fidelización de los clientes actuales. Neus