Secrets to Business Success Part Three: Communication

Over the course of the last two Growth Coach articles, we’ve been looking at the T.L.C.s of successful business management – Time, Leadership and Communication.

We’ve talked about how time is a truly limited resource and how successful business leaders delegate minor and de-prioritize minor tasks. We’ve also addressed that great leaders focus on ensuring that team members want to do what needs to be done to make a company more successful. The final element of TLC is Communication.

3 Speaking Traits of Great Communicators

Speak to Express Not to Impress

Being a great communicator is really like being an artist and the key is speak with the purpose of expressing instead of impressing. We all know the individuals that just love to talk. They speak in terms which are often vague and sometimes meaningless. You can ask these people for the time of the day and suddenly you’re in the middle of a 30 minute lecture on how to build a watch. Speaking to impress builds gaps, speaking to express builds bridges.

Speak From Experience

Additionally, great communicators make sure they have earned the right to speak on any particular subject matter. It’s difficult to consul someone on a broken heart if you’ve never had one. It’s difficult to offer business guidance if you have never actually managed a business.

Speak With Passion and Care

When communicating with your staff, subordinates, superiors, etc., remember that communication does not begin with being understood, but with understanding others. Properly chosen words are a powerful tool and, if you can communicate those words with true passion, that’s more powerful still. Your audience may not remember everything you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.

It has been said that the real art of communication is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. Always make sure the things you say are said the way you mean them to be heard.

Learn to Be a Great Communicator

Not everyone is born a great communicator, but everyone can learn to be one. If you’re having trouble being the communicator of your business, consider one of our group workshops.

Gary Furr, MBA
503-312-3145