In episode 14 of the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, Craig talks about how we as leaders need to sharpen our communication skills. It was an excellent espisode – below are my take notes and important take aways.
Like it or not, all leaders are communicators – it’s not a choice. The opposite is also true, all communicators are leaders. Some communicate better than others, but all of us can improve our skills in this area.
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. – George Bernard Shaw
This is an excellent point. Too often we think we have done an effective job at communicating what we wanted to say.
Just because you say something, it doesn’t mean they heard it, believe it, or will do it. – Craig Groeschel
Despite what you might be thinking, the people you are trying to communicate with are not focused on you – they are thinking about themselves. This means to get their attention, you need to focus on three things:
- What do you want them know?
- What do you want them to feel?
- What do you want them to do?
If we don’t understand the emotional aspect of a message, we miss out on a key motivator. If we don’t define the action, you cannot expect them to do it. Think with the end in mind and help show the path.
You don’t have to know everything to be a great leader, but you do need be yourself.
People would rather follow a leader who is always real than one who is always right. – Craig Groeschel