What do you do if your communication skills as a new leader need improvement?

Reach out to get feedback to assess the impact your communication is having on people. Ask people about the impact you are having on them. Reach people with an apprentice attitude. Ask questions to understand, and don't respond with argumentative justifications. In the end, just thank people for the gift they are giving you; there is a treasure underneath that feedback. Then, reflect on the mindset you are using to communicate your identity and how that mindset generates the impact you gathered.

Here are some suggestions for what to do if your communication skills as a new leader need improvement: Seek feedback from your team members. Ask them directly what you can do better to communicate clearly and effectively. Listen without getting defensive. Take a communication skills training course. Many are available online or through professional development programs. Focus on active listening, public speaking, and having difficult conversations. You could also join a public speaking forum such as Toastmasters International, this is one of the best ways to improve you skills with peer to peer learning. With continuous practice, you will be a pro communicator in no time! Feel free to reach out to me in case of any doubts!

Find a mentor who is known for excellent communication skills. This could be someone within your organization or even a professional coach. A mentor can provide personalized advice, give you feedback on your communication style, and offer tips they’ve learned from their own experiences.

Building communication skills is an iterative process: ?? Focus on both knowledge and applicability. Just knowing how to communicate better is not enough. Having the confidence to apply that knowledge is equally important. ?? Leverage AI tools available to practice your communication skills in a specific scenario. ?? Gather feedback from your trusted advisors on how you are improving on your communication skills and what are the areas where you need more help.

Step 1: Rate yourself (from 1 to 10) in all of the communication skills you'd like to improve Step 2: Decide which one you are going to start from. The one that when you improve it, all of the others will be pushed forward Step 3: Make a plan how to build this particular skill - how to build the HABIT

Goals give us direction, purpose, and a sense of accomplishment when we achieve them. They help us focus our efforts and resources, and keep us motivated to keep pushing forward. Without clear goals, we can easily get lost in the day-to-day tasks and lose sight of our long-term vision. Setting clear goals also helps us prioritize our time and energy. When we have a clear idea of what we want to achieve, we can focus our attention on the tasks and activities that will bring us closer to our goals. This helps us minimize distractions and avoid wasting time on things that don't matter.

If you're stepping into a leadership role and feeling a bit shaky on the communication front, you're not alone! Firstly, it's great that you're self aware and know your areas of strengths and areas for growth. Start by setting up goals of which area within communication you want to focus on. You could be a great listener, but not as great a speaker when it comes to presentations. Or you could be great on stage - but not as good with interpersonal communication. Once you know which area to focus on try working a coach or draw up a communication upgrade plan to fit these unique needs. Notice how other people do it. Remember, effective communication is a game-changer in leadership.

Think about 3 MITs (Most Important Tasks) that you can focus on this week/month/quarter. MITs focus on effective small steps. Massive results don't always require massive actions. In fact, we can always effective small steps towards exponential growth in leadership influence.

Set achievable goals: Don't try and change everything at once. Focus on a couple of main areas where improvement will have the highest impact.

Communities are a great way to learn from experts. One of the communities I recommend is Toastmasters. It has communication and leadership modules to help you in your leadership journey. Their modules have self-learning, practices and feedback sessions. This is a great way to network, get advice, feedback and support all in one.

These are the resources for learning: 1. Reading widely from both within and outside your field. 2. Engage with mentors and coaches. 3. Participate in workshops and seminars. 4. Enroll in online courses and webinars. 5. Learn from colleagues and peers. 6. Learn from doing. 7. Solicite and reflect on feedback from others. 8. Spend time to reflect on your experiences. 9. Attend conferences and networking events. 10. Join professional associations.

Expand learning: books, podcasts, workshops. Seek mentorship for tailored advice. Practice communication in diverse settings. Grow with feedback.

I'll share a secret with you: learning about leadership can provide insight, but it alone doesn't make you a leader. Becoming a leader isn't something you can simply decide for yourself; instead, it's the people around you who may recognize and select you as their leader, regardless of your intentions.

Learning from various sources and modalities prevents learning bubbles and echo chambers. Diversity matters in the information you consume. Engage with thought leaders from a broad range of perspectives and consider how you might teach the subject at hand were you to be asked.

To enhance communication as a new leader, actively practice and apply new skills in real scenarios. Experiment with various styles and techniques, always addressing the "what's in it for me" for your audience to ensure engagement and understanding. After each attempt, reflect on the outcomes—what resonated, what missed, and why. This cycle of action, reflection, and adaptation is essential. It solidifies your learning, boosts your confidence, and enhances your effectiveness. Continuous practice and openness to feedback are key. By iterating on quick experiments and focusing on your team's needs and motivations, you’ll discover the most impactful ways to lead.

Practice is not just about putting in the hours – practice makes permanent, not perfect! So, let's make sure you're practicing deliberately and in the right way. Think of it like learning to ride a bike – if you keep pedaling in the wrong direction, you'll just end up going in circles! So, aim to practice with purpose and intentionality. Whether it's honing your listening skills or perfecting your presentation techniques, every bit of deliberate practice counts. So, grab those opportunities, embrace the learning process, and soon enough, you'll be communicating like a pro! ????

Practice is a great way to put theory into action. Set time aside to practice different aspects of communication. It can be deliver presentation, engaging in one-on-one conversations or team conversations. The more you practice, the more confident you become.

As a new leader, recognizing the importance of effective communication is key to success. If you find your communication skills in need of improvement, embrace it as an opportunity for growth. Seek feedback from peers, mentors, or enroll in communication workshops. Practice active listening, clarity, and empathy in your interactions. Remember, honing communication skills is a continuous journey that enhances not only your leadership but also fosters a positive work culture. Embrace the challenge and watch your leadership prowess soar.

Communication is about ME and THE OTHER. I suggest to put the other at the center stage… and yourself at the backstage. Two steps: 1) Change your mindset: FROM ADVOCATING TO ENQUIRING. Defend less your point of view; try to understand better the other’s perspective. This will open you to new perspectives. This will engage more the other. 2) How to do it? Develop two skills: a) ASK QUESTIONS - Ask open ended questions - Ask not “leading” question - Ask following questions based on previous responses b) LISTEN ACTIVELY TO WHAT THE OTHER SAYS - Listen at various conversational levels: data, emotions and values. - Show the appropriate body language to connec - Do not judge nor provide your point of view - Paraphrase what the other answers

Mastery comes from practice and learning. After experimenting, always go back and evaluate what worked and what didn't. And how your mindset works in service of what you'd like to achieve with your communication. Then, plan further experiments incorporating learnings: how you can leverage what worked and leave practices that didn't. One way to keep objective feedback is to have support from other people in your development process. Select a group of people and tell them the changes you are implementing. Ask them to observe you and give you feedback. this is a great way to learn and adjust your action plan.

Analysing your own communication approach is one of the best way to improve communication skills. As each individual may have different communication approach. We should look at whether our communication approach is really being helpful and producing results- Individually and through teams. Which could be well reflected on observing teams morale, satisfaction, their performance etc. An honest review will clearly identify the areas to improve for effective and productive communication skills.

Being vulnerable and organic helps in connecting with the audience/team. Trying to be perfect has a risk of sounding plastic at times. Effective communication also needs content. Relevant reading, discussions, awareness on whats happening around helps in bringing conviction to language.

Communication is an art you must constantly refine to master. You can do it by: - Analyzing what strategies have been effective and which areas require improvement - Acknowledging your successes and recognizing the progress you've made - Developing a strategic plan for continually enhancing your communication skills You need the commitment to start and the consistency to improve. Embrace the process of self-reflection and growth to plant the seed and enhance your leadership capabilities.

Awareness is the key to developing your leadership and your communication skills. You can develop habits that increase your awareness about your communication. Like keeping a journal of how you are communicating and how it is working. Also, reach out for continuous feedback.

Our communication skills are perpetually a work in progress. Here’s a fascinating paradox I’ve observed from coaching leaders and entrepreneurs: the need to be perfect often hinders growth. The fear of “messing up” or looking “inadequate”—especially in new leaders stops them from authentic communication. One actionable strategy is using the practice-feedback loop. Here’s how it works: Deliberately put yourself in situations where you can practice communication in real time, be it leading a small team meeting or presenting a project update. Afterward, actively ask for SPECIFIC feedback. Not just if you did well or not, but what’s something they’d suggest you to more/less of next time.

Understanding your audience and their mindset. Sometimes, the skills needed to communicate down and across is different from communicating up to manage up. And styles vary between individuals. The nuances are fascinating. Some executives just want a superficial summary. I enjoy the actual interaction, the connection, context, story, the emotions involved more than just the content. The mindset of the listener matters, is there an interest to build relationships, respect and trust, seeking to learn more or are they impatient that moment to just want to get the bulleted answer and don't care about the details. I can listen to and absorb the content easily; the connection building has to be intentional too. People notice true interest.

Practice active listening. Communication isn’t just about talking but listening. Give your full attention and maintain eye contact. By practicing active listening, you seek to understand. When you do that you are able to communicate better.

Improving communication skills is essential for any leader, new or experienced. If you find that your communication skills need improvement, here are some steps you can take: 1. Honest Self-Assessment 2. Seek Feedback 3. Set Clear Goals with Action Plans 4. Learn and Practice 5. Follow Up 6. Reflect and Adapt 7. Be Patient and Persistent Remember, communication is a two-way street. It's as much about listening and understanding others as it is about being understood. As a leader, your ability to communicate effectively will significantly influence your team's effectiveness and success.