Communication – The key to Successful Leadership!
It seems to me that we are making the art of leadership too complicated. There are umpteen theories that all have one thing in common – they work for some and for others they don’t.
Would Virgin group be what it is today if Richard Branson hadn’t mastered the art of communication?
Most people who suddenly find themselves in a leadership position swiftly realize that the top position is completely different from what they imagined. And worse, there is no manual.
Lonely at the top
There is no school for becoming a successful leader. New leaders frequently feel lonely since there are fewer people privy to high level information. It can be overwhelming. So much so that the fact that a leader’s success depends on communication is frequently forgotten.
Too many theories confusing
Richard Branson is an excellent example of a very successful leader who masters the art of communication. To the extent of jumping from high buildings to get the attention needed to promote a new Virgin venture. Don’t think anybody would dispute how successful he is. But the confusion caused by all these theories and schools of leadership actually led one guy straight out of university to have the audacity to make a comment in a discussion on Linkedin that he had a lot to teach Richard Branson. Indeed? What are the odds of he, or anybody else, becoming as successful a leader as Richard is? Pretty slim, I’d say considering that very few ever become as successful as Richard Branson is. And the success of Virgin is very much down to his exceptionally good ability to communicate.
The tasks of a leader is, simply put, to vision where a company is heading (strategies, future accomplishments, managing the destiny of the organisation and so forth), find the people the organisation needs to fulfil it’s vision, make choices and take decisions. Leaders also have to continuously serve, learn, correct, evaluate and motivate.
The leader’s most powerful tool
And how are you going to succeed with all that if you don’t master the art of communication ? Both internally and externally it’s the most powerful tool a leader has. It’s crucial to communicate with others about trends that affect the future of your business and stretch your thoughts by discussing your ideas with friends, associates and other great thinkers.
What can be achieved without constantly communicating?
Ideas are an extremely powerful force. By communicating ideas to people you engage their minds and help them see new possibilities and new opportunities. Strong and evocative ideas energize people and incite action. As leaders, our ideas are important. Leaders need clear ideas and philosophies about how to win in the marketplace, how their organisation should operate and how to develop their people.
Leaders succeed because they are able to focus and deal with the 5% of issues that are crucial, build support, create followers, put out fires fast and finish what they started. How would that be possible without communicating? Especially since many decisions are instant so a non-communicative leader would fail miserably.
Successful leaders spend much more time communicating their decision than actually taking the decision. Lots of time is also spent on coaching and motivating others. And, tedious as it can be, repeating the decision to get maximum effect. But despite that most people wrongly believe leaders spend most of their time making decisions. Leaders who only take decisions will fail miserably since communication is the key ingredient. Not communicating enough is hence the main reason for failure and not, as many believe, that they were following the wrong theory. And don’t forget that leaders live in the future so the more your communication enlightens you about tomorrow the better a leader you will be!
(Photo: Flickr linniekin)
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Tags: coaching, communication, correct, decisions, destiny, discuss, evaluate, find people, focus, followers, future. choices, ideas, leadership, learn, motivating, Richard Branson, serve, strategies, success, support, vision
February 6th, 2010 at 04:09
Some good points, Catarina.
Communication is absolutely critical to leadership – something that is too often neglected. If you do not communicate properly, how do you expect to be able to inspire people to follow you?
Richard Olivier, son of the famous Shakespearean actor Sir Laurence Olivier, has written a great book called 'Inspirational Leadership' (and runs a course by the same name, which I was able to attend a few years ago). Drawing on Henry V, arguably Shakespeare's greatest leader, he shows the importance of being able to inspire in order to get he best from your people.
As the global economy emerges from the worst downturn since the last World War, leadership skills are going to be central to rebuilding businesses and the economy in general…
February 6th, 2010 at 10:34
Glad we agree Guy!
February 6th, 2010 at 11:44
[...] Thomas on Why He Skips the State of the Union | The Weekly Standard 2 Tweets Communication – The key to Successful Leadership! | Catarina's World It's beginning to seem to me that we are making the art of succeeding as a leader too [...]
February 13th, 2010 at 17:43
Excellent post. Communication is one of the most overused words in management yet the least well practised. People think they are communicating or assume everyone has gotten the message, but haven't … especially in this day of technology.
As a leader, it is key to remember that communication happens in everything we do, whether in written form or orally, one-on-one or in a meeting. It is also important to remember that if we are not communicating well internally, we are not likely doing well externally.
Cheers,
David
February 13th, 2010 at 17:46
Glad we agree David.
April 7th, 2010 at 06:48
I was extremely pleased to locate this site.I wanted to say thanks to you for this excellent read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to look at new stuff you post.
April 11th, 2010 at 10:36
Thank you. More to come!
April 15th, 2010 at 16:24
This is my first visit here, but I will be back soon, because I really like the way you are writing, it is so simple and honest
April 16th, 2010 at 15:27
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up! And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time!
April 16th, 2010 at 14:23
Thank you. At least it's something that you agree with my opinion regarding leadership
April 18th, 2010 at 00:24
I couldn’t agree more…
April 18th, 2010 at 12:54
Yes, it’s amazing how communication is frequently overlooked when it comes to leadership isn’t it?
April 18th, 2010 at 17:00
Your blog is so informative … keep up the good work!!!!
April 19th, 2010 at 12:29
Thank you. Glad you like my blog.
April 27th, 2010 at 17:06
Leaders don't seem to have too much trouble telling the rest of us what they think we ought to do.
April 28th, 2010 at 10:15
Rashid most likely the "leaders" you refer to are not leaders but managers. There is a huge difference between leading and managing.
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:43
Not sure how a leader can be visionary, inspiring and really sell his/her message without communicating?
May 3rd, 2010 at 14:00
If people say his message is a bad one, that he misled his followers.
May 3rd, 2010 at 14:22
Arnold, then he is communicating, albeit in a dishonest way.
May 3rd, 2010 at 14:22
Arnold, then he is communicating, albeit in a dishonest way.
May 5th, 2010 at 13:20
Wonderful thing I have learned. Please keep it up and expecting further like this. Too many managers forget how to communicate.
February 3rd, 2011 at 00:46
Communication is key in everything. The same way leadership doesn't come with a manual, neither does parenting. In order to be good at both, one needs to be able to communicate effectively, practice the art of active listening, and use a lot of common sense
February 3rd, 2011 at 01:13
Great post Catarina. No doubt, communication is vital to leaders and for that matter everyone. I've always believed "its not what you say… it's how you say it." When I coach my clients, I help them to develop communication that is effective and whenever possible a win win situaion. Skills such as injecting empathy (sincere of course), make a difference too. One example of when empathy was sorely missing was when the head of BP came to the US after the oil spill and said "I just want to get back to my life". I can't remember his name, but I don't think he's working for BP anymore.
February 3rd, 2011 at 06:21
Hi Catarina,
You bring some great points. A few years ago there was an article in a magazine about great leaders and one guy mentioned was the CEO of Kimberly Clark. His attributes were the ability to not only communicate well but as he was humble he enabled others in sharing his vision and get their input which led to better results.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:31
Agree with you completely Julie.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:32
Yes BP really communicated badly didn't they. A very good example of crisis communication going bad, isn't it.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:33
Excellent point Susan. Being humble is a vital part of communication. Communicating in an arrogant way turns people against you.
February 4th, 2011 at 06:40
Agreed. In my line of work I get many calls from disgruntled business owners who are fed up with the previous designer. The biggest complaint is communication. The good thing is it gives me the opportunity to earn a new client and turn their frown upside down when it comes to designers. Communication is key and I agree with your points and would add that being kind and humble would only ensure success.
February 4th, 2011 at 12:41
It's amazing isn't it that so many people are bad at communicating. And that they don't understand that it's key to leadership.
February 4th, 2011 at 21:38
This is a magnificent post. Too many societies are dysfunctional with communication, and leaders must certainly have it mastered in order to inspire and motivate. Thank you.
February 4th, 2011 at 22:11
Great post, Catarina. You are so right, there is no manual. It is amazing that in a world of super fast communication, it seems we are communicating less. Perhaps it is people are talking more and listening less instead of making it a 2 way street.
Having just finished reading Richard Branson's "Busines Stripped Bare" the comment by the young man really made me smile and shake my head. Can only imagine the comments on the LinkedIn thread. Aloha. Janet
February 5th, 2011 at 12:40
Thank you Janet. Pity that so many people, including the young man, think there is a manual. And when a "new manual" i.e. theory is launched they change tactics.
February 5th, 2011 at 12:41
Glad you liked my article and agree with me Sebastian.
February 17th, 2011 at 12:02
Said something very similar to a colleague recently. We are over-complicating leadership – that said I think pairing it down to communication is also too much. Two simple (but also incredibly hard) things matter:
Listen well
Tell compelling stories
Get those right and you are 80% there as a leader.
December 16th, 2012 at 16:48
Thanks Catarina…
So often it seems that people get hung up in the mire of the minutia and forget the big picture. communication is so key in any relationship, but as a leader, CEO, manager, etc. communication is critical. The lack of good communication can be the beginning of the end. Great communication, as seen in the case of Sir Richard Branson, is a classic example of amazing success. Thanks for the great article.
December 16th, 2012 at 17:19
My pleasure Martin.
Richard is a wonderful example. Don't know him, but we have a lot of friends in common so I have met him several times. He really knows how to communicate and make people feel good when he is around.
December 16th, 2012 at 20:10
This is a must read article on leadership.
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December 16th, 2012 at 20:15
Thank you Dumont. Glad you agree with me.
December 17th, 2012 at 14:55
You're correct that today, communication from the top has taken on an entirely different scale and meaning, thanks, in large part, to digital and social media. Except while the “few” will always influence “the many,” we are now in a world where the many influence many more. Put another way, we are moving from mass communications to masses of communicators — both inside and outside corporations.
Love your headline! Check out the theme — "Communication: The Core of Strategic Leadership" — and speakers at the National Summit on Strategic Communications (www.strategicsummit.com) on April 22-23 in Washington DC.
December 17th, 2012 at 15:05
Very thoughtful article. I agree with you.
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December 17th, 2012 at 15:20
Thank you and glad you agree with me Bob.
Pity not enough members of C-suite use social media. It's better in the US but in the rest of the world very few use social media the way they should. Regarding social media it's essential that a company has guidelines for how employees use social media. If not, there could be unpleasant surprises.
If I will be in DC in April I will check out your seminar.
December 17th, 2012 at 15:22
Thank you Bindu!
December 17th, 2012 at 17:57
Perhaps the problem comes from higher up. Do we promote people with good communication skills or do we attempt to teach communication skills to those whom we promote?
Substitute the word communication with the word leadership and we come closer to understanding the problem.
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December 17th, 2012 at 18:14
Love this Catarina. Even with college programs for leadership and leadership trainings, you really don't know who will be a recognized or great leader until they start communicating. Good one. Thanks.
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December 17th, 2012 at 18:48
Thanks Pat. Glad you like it.
December 17th, 2012 at 20:14
Being an effective leader one must also learn how to listen and understand, only by doing so can one communicate more effectively with the various stakeholders. Else, the communication ends up being nothing more than a marketing gimmick.
Also good leaders should know the mode to use for each communication. At times, face to face meetings are vital, on another occassion a mass email would work.
Communication across borders also involves knowing about cultures across the world. A lot of hard work goes into effective communication. But as you said, communication is the most powerful tool a leader has.
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December 17th, 2012 at 20:59
The challenge has been and always will be in the art of conveying your vision when you're in a leadership role of any kind. When that skill is present, one can move mountains and motivate others to help make that happen. Communication is not always limited to speech making, it also comes in the form of actions and the day to day communication with the many who are part of an organization. It can be subtle or not so subtle, but it is still an art and one that any leader should strive to acquire to be successful.
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December 18th, 2012 at 11:55
Glad you agree with me Lubna.
December 18th, 2012 at 11:56
Good points Susan. Glad we are of the same opinion.
December 18th, 2012 at 15:39
Another excellent post Catarina. Sure strategic planning and decision making are part of a strong leaders job, but without strong communication skills, then how can you expect to get your own team behind you never mind the rest of your market? Communication is actually everything – sometimes even ahead of the actual product itself.
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December 18th, 2012 at 15:49
Thank you AK. Glad you agree with me.
December 18th, 2012 at 21:56
Catarina — I couldn't agree more. The reason why most leaders fail is because they lack basic communication skills. I've held senior communications positions in companies and PR agencies and I saw it all the time. Before the Internet, it was easy to keep employees in the dark. But now a CEO's most important job is communicating the good news — and the bad, because if s/he doesn't, then the message will become totally distorted by employees and enemies posting on social media.
December 18th, 2012 at 22:36
A lesson that many school administrators have yet to learn. It usually their way or the highway, which only adds to all the frustration and futility of trying to teach in the USA educational system. Sorry if I sound like a broken record by always using school examples…
December 19th, 2012 at 12:01
True Jeri. And it applies to school administrators all over the world, unfortunately.
December 19th, 2012 at 12:01
Good points Jeannette. Glad we agree.
December 19th, 2012 at 18:28
Communication is key. It’s too bad that many people who reach the upper levels of management forget this.
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December 19th, 2012 at 18:46
Glad we agree. You know, I think how good C-level executives are at communicating varies from country to country. My impression is that you find more in Europe than anywhere else.
December 19th, 2012 at 22:57
Good post about the importance of communication. I just came from a Toastmasters meeting, so communication is front & centre in my mind. TM also focuses on leadership skills and you're right in that being able to effectively communicate is necessary in order to be a great leader. Happy Holidays.
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December 20th, 2012 at 11:59
Glad you agree with me Doreen.
December 23rd, 2012 at 06:45
I find that good communication is only one aspect of being a good leader. I have found that having clear expectations for my employees and for myself to live by is key and we all need to hold each other accountable to those expectations. I also feel that building relationships with my employees as well as empowering my employees to make decisions and be an important part in the development of ideas. Leadership is a skill not a position or title. The more leaders that we can create in our organizations the better we will be as an organization.
December 23rd, 2012 at 11:40
Good points Kirby. You are right. This article however only deals with one aspect of leadership. The subject of leadership is far too big for one article. It takes a book, or series of books. If you are interested you can search on leadership in search on the right side and you will find many other articles dealing with different aspects.