Appropriate verbal communication is an important prerequisite of successful leadership. A leader should sound strong, but not arrogant, humble, but not timid. He should also know how to use humor intelligently.
If you want to find out whether you speak correctly, just take a closer look at how the people around you respond to your words. If you feel that they do not listen to you or that you sound too arrogant, you need to improve. How? The Fast Track server recommends the following steps to improve leaders' communication skills.
1. Do not make things up
Share as much information with your subordinates as possible. However, if there is something you are not supposed to talk about, do not talk about it. Just say: "Unfortunately, I can't talk about this." It's much better than excuses.
2. Beware of too much enthusiasm
If you constantly repeat words like "great", "unbelievable" or "incredible" no one knows when you are giving praise for something that is truly exceptional.
3. Do not speak like you are in high school
A leader's words should exude credibility. Therefore, be careful not to talk to your employees or customers in the same style as you talked to your friends in high school. These include expressions "huh?" after every other sentence, too many "so's" or evaluating things as "cool".
4. Sound strong
Do not use words that show that you're not sure what you're saying. These are terms such as "some", "kind of" and "sort of". Be as specific as possible.
5. Beware of the vague "but"
No employee should hear a phrase like: "Your work is good, but you should improve." This sounds as if you said he worked poorly. Instead, you should describe what specifically is good and what is bad.
6. Speak clearly
Articulate, speak slowly and loudly enough. When you hear repeated requests to repeat yourself, you probably mumble or can't control the volume of your voice. Your listeners start to feel your insecurity and arrogance.
7. Beware of words your listeners do not know
Limit jargon as much as possible. This is also an example of when a customer or employee does not understand you, you immediately begin to look arrogant and that you are wasting everyone's time.
8. Speak politely
Do not forget to say "thank you" and "please". Let others finish talking before you say what you think. Learn to listen actively.
-Kk-