One of the most important skills a leader needs is communication. Putting in place effective communication strategies will help guide your team and make them more productive.
Communication is one of the most important skills a leader needs, because without it, you're lost. Poor communication means you can't get through to people – they won't feel inspired, they won't know what they're supposed to be doing and they won't work as a team. Nail your communication strategy and everyone pulls in the same direction.
If you want to communicate more effectively, the first thing you need to do is listen rather than talk. The best managers focus on what their employees are saying, processing and not thinking purely about when they can jump in and what they'll say next. If you don't listen, you can't really engage in any meaningful conversation.
You also need to think about who you're talking to, because different personalities prefer different methods of communication. Introverts are more likely to favour a one-to-one meeting over a big group discussion, whereas extroverts like that platform and are often at their most creative when they have it.
If there's an important topic to discuss, it's best to do it in person then follow it up with an email detailing the conversation. For example, if you're working on a project with lots of moving parts, people like to have tasks bullet-pointed in writing so they can keep track.
Bear in mind setting and subject. A sensitive topic should only ever be discussed behind closed doors and one-to-one, while something which affects the whole team should be raised as part of a routine group meeting.
Finally, keep the communication regular and always have an open door. Communication is a two-way street, after all.
Listen before you talk
Think about different personalities
Put important information in writing
Think about setting and subject
Always have an open door
