Effective Communication
Leaders: are you asking the most powerful questions?
Questions are an essential part of every leader’s toolkit. Why? Like an open door, questions can be an invitation to enter and explore. A powerful question can be just the opening everyone needs to get engaged and get the conversation flowing, whether it’s about a difficult topic, building the team, or exploring strategic options. When…
Read MoreCommunicate with HEART and watch your people thrive
Communication styles naturally vary from leader to leader. They may even look and feel dramatically different. However, if you want to engage, inspire, and empower those you lead, focus on the most effective communication styles and practices. In particular, the approach I call communicating with HEART. HEART = Honesty + Empathy + Authenticity + Relating…
Read MoreHow to make Curiosity one of your Leadership Superpowers
Have you ever noticed how frequently the best leaders ask questions? They know that being curious makes you a better leader. That’s because curiosity goes hand-in-hand with openness, one of the essential qualities of an effective leader. Leaders with an open mind know they don’t have all the answers. They are also willing to appreciate…
Read MoreBegin with the essentials to communicate effectively with your team
If you lead a team, your ability to communicate effectively is essential to their success. Effective communication drives engagement and is key to the team’s ability to perform at its best. So, what are the essentials of effective leadership communication? To communicate effectively as a leader, make these practices your communication essentials: To fully appreciate…
Read MorePersonal Connections are Key to Communication and Leadership Effectiveness
Communication happens best when you ensure meaningful connections are part of the process. So too does the critical work of leadership, whether your goal is to inspire and develop others or build effective teams and organizations. And during a global pandemic that continues to keep us apart, personal connections have never mattered more.
Read MoreBetter listening makes you a better leader; four ways to listen well
As a leadership coach, I do a lot of listening. In addition to helping clients strengthen their listening skills, I frequently challenge myself to be an even better listener. I make it a priority because listening is the skill most highly correlated to leadership effectiveness. In reflecting on some of my most valuable ‘listening’ experiences,…
Read MoreLeadership strategies for blended work environments
For leaders everywhere, building and sustaining effective communication and connections with employees may be your single most important job as a leader. But what does that mean in a blended and/or distributed work environment, in which many team members may never ‘meet’ you, or spend time with each other, in person? We know that employees…
Read MoreLeaders: Help your team thrive when the going gets rough
In turbulent times, the most effective leaders take the time to care for themselves, and their teams. Their commitment to wellbeing when the going gets rough is often what allows everyone to weather the storm. Here, then, are five concrete strategies leaders can use to help their teams thrive in a difficult time like this one.
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