Communication | 12 Sessions
Improving Listening Skills
Listening is one of the most important skills a leader can have. Among other reasons, it is key in building trust and reaching solutions. And like any other behavior, a leader shouldn't assume that they already know how to do it. In this video, Dr. Cloud teaches leaders how to improve their listening skills.
Traits of an Effective Communicator
Effective communicators know that it's less about the content and more about the connection. Once you've connected, you must then stay authentic. Storytelling, and the sharing of experiences, serve as an authentic point of connection and provide clarity in messaging. Learn from Dr. Cloud about what we can take away from effective communicators in order to grow in our own communication.
Topics for Regular Team Communications
The executive function of the brain allows it to prioritize in order to take action. You are able to attend to what is relevant, inhibit what is not relevant, and access memories. Leadership communication should act in the same by keeping what's most important in front of the team such as the mission, values, and strategy. Watch for more tips from Dr. Cloud about what to regularly communicate to your teams.
Measuring Effectiveness of Communication
In evaluating our communication, the first component is subjective; did you communicate what you hoped to communicate? On the other side, you must ask, are those that I'm communicating to receiving the message? And externally, are you getting the intended results from the communication? In this clip, Dr. Cloud walks us through how to evaluate our communication so that we may course correct as needed.
Bad news falls into a soil, so you must start by asking where it's going to land. Ideally, in the soil there is a lot of trust and belief in your leadership which is something to keep in mind as you're building your culture. When people hear bad news, they need to leave with a clear understanding of the truth, but also a hope that is greater than the bad news itself. Listen as Dr. Cloud walks leaders through how to deliver bad news in a way that leads to cohesiveness and forward progress.
Impact of Increased Electronic Communication
Electronic communication comes with pros and cons. One of the most clear downsides of electronic communication is the inherent lack of boundaries due to the nonstop access it allows. But perhaps the biggest resulting problem is distraction and lack of focus; it's essential that leaders put boundaries in place in order to stay present and handle the onslaught of communications. In this video, Dr. Cloud teaches us how to manage the impact of increased electronic communication.
Communication Through Middle Management
Effective communication requires the appropriate dosage of the message so that the listeners are able to metabolize it. As a leader, your organization needs to hear from you, but that message must also be communicated by your generals on the front lines. That requires that your voice be delegated to middle management through systems that ensure clarity so that the message is not lost in translation. Watch for more wisdom about how to communicate effectively in a layered organization.
The Role of Affirmation
Affirmation is essential because when people feel something positive, it facilitates connection. Neurologically, the brain needs to hear five to seven positive comments in order to metabolize one piece of negative feedback. And in addition to general affirmation, your people must hear specific praise from you in order to feel understood. Click play to learn more about the role of affirmation.
Mistakes in Communication
One of the worst mistakes you can make in communication is predictability that indicates a lack of connection between the leader and the team. There is no substitute for genuineness in communication because people can spot smoke a mile away. People must also understand how the message is relevant to them in order to fully engage. In this video, Dr. Cloud explores these and other common mistakes made in communication.
Communicating During Times of Change
When you are in a season or organization of constant change, your messaging must communicate that as a norm. If you can reach that point, change will no longer feel disruptive but simply the force that's taking you from point A to point B. The leader's role is to help the team find their bearings along the way. Listen to grow in how to communicate during times of change.
Balancing Transparency Against Oversharing
Confusion about this concept often leads to vacuums of communication in which people fill in their own blanks because a leader was not appropriately transparent. Leaders must ask themselves what someone really needs to know in order for them to take the next step. Discernment is required to share appropriately; people ultimately want to know if they are being deceived. Watch as Dr. Cloud shares about how to utilize transparency to build connection and trust.
Symptoms of Poor Communication
A common symptom of poor communication is triangulation in which someone who has an issue with another does not go to them directly. When poor delivery is at play, people are torn down instead of built up. Divisiveness is another clear indicator that something has gone awry in communication. Listen to learn more about how leaders can spot poor communication and adjust.