Communication skills are essential for executive leaders who need to inspire, persuade, and motivate others. But how do you keep your communication skills sharp, especially in a fast-changing and diverse world? Here are some tips to help you improve your communication skills as a leader.
The first step to sharpen your communication skills is to know where you stand. You can use self-assessment tools, feedback from others, or coaching sessions to identify your strengths and weaknesses in communication. For example, you may be good at listening, but need to work on your body language. Or you may be confident in speaking, but need to improve your writing. Once you know your areas of improvement, you can set specific and measurable goals to enhance your communication skills.
Communication is not a one-size-fits-all skill. You need to adapt your communication mode and style to different situations, audiences, and purposes. For example, you may need to use different channels, such as email, phone, video, or face-to-face, depending on the urgency, complexity, and sensitivity of your message. You may also need to adjust your tone, language, and structure, depending on the level of formality, familiarity, and emotion involved. To practice different modes and styles, you can seek opportunities to communicate with diverse groups of people, such as customers, employees, partners, or stakeholders, and ask for feedback on your communication effectiveness.
One of the best ways to keep your communication skills sharp is to learn from others who excel at communication. You can observe how they communicate, what techniques they use, and what impact they have on others. You can also ask them for advice, tips, or mentoring on how to improve your communication skills. For example, you can watch TED talks, podcasts, or webinars by influential leaders, and analyze how they use storytelling, humor, or data to engage their audience. You can also join professional networks, clubs, or courses that offer opportunities to learn from and interact with other communicators.
Communication is a two-way process that involves both sending and receiving messages. To keep your communication skills sharp, you need to seek feedback and improvement from your communication partners. You can ask them questions, such as how they understood your message, what they liked or disliked about your communication style, and what suggestions they have for you to communicate better. You can also use tools, such as surveys, polls, or analytics, to measure the response and impact of your communication. Based on the feedback and improvement you receive, you can adjust your communication strategy and tactics accordingly.
Communication is a dynamic and evolving skill that requires constant learning and updating. You need to keep up with the latest trends , technologies, and best practices in communication, and apply them to your own context. For example, you may need to learn how to use new tools, such as social media, chatbots, or virtual reality, to communicate with your audience. You may also need to update your communication skills to reflect the changing needs, preferences, and expectations of your audience. To keep learning and updating, you can read books, articles, or blogs on communication, attend workshops, seminars, or conferences, or enroll in online courses or programs on communication.
Communication is not only a skill, but also an art and a passion. To keep your communication skills sharp, you need to have fun and experiment with your communication. You can try new things, such as using different formats, media, or genres, to communicate your message. You can also challenge yourself, such as by participating in contests, competitions, or events, that test your communication skills. By having fun and experimenting, you can discover new ways of communicating, express your creativity and personality, and enjoy the process of communication.