Core Skills for Leadership Communication

Your ability to lead is directly related to your ability to communicate.  Leaders who have strong communication skills find it easier to inspire and influence people than those who do not.  And further, the communication style that you exhibit and use in your organization will shape how the entire organization communicates.

Communication skills for you as a leader are more elaborate than those of the rank and file.  Although they begin with similar core abilities, leadership communication skills spiral outwards to the application of these skills in more complex organizational situations.  Skills areas are divided into three levels which we call core skills, managerial skills and corporate skills.  The higher up you move in the organization, the more complex your communications skills become. 

Let’s examine the skills necessary at each level, beginning with the three core skills.

The first core skill is writing.  Although it may seem that you write less as you move up in the organization, the writing you do becomes more important.  E-mail and memos that you write carry weight.  Reports that you compile have importance.  Even the periodic column that you write for your company’s quarterly newsletter has impact.  That’s why your ability to plan and write both simple and complex documents – from e-mail to annual reports – is critical to your success as a leader. 

The second core skill is speaking.  You may be writing less, but you’re probably being called upon to speak more as you move up in your organization.  This may include business presentations at management meetings, speeches at company functions, and even appearances before the press.  Whatever the situation, members of your audience must always detect confidence in your delivery.  Content must be lucid and relevant.  Your voice must be clear and resonant.  Body language must be controlled and eye contact consistent.  As you speak, your message and your image must both project leadership.

Finally, the last core communication skill is strategy.  Writing and speaking are important skills, but how you write and how you speak affect how your audience will receive your message.  That’s why before sending a message out, it’s good to do a complete assessment of your message, your audience, and the channels available to you.  Communication strategy means planning to say the right thing at the right time to the right people over the right channel. 

It's said that leaders are made, not born, and you never know where a strong leader will come from.  Regardless of their origins, however, emerging leaders with strong core communication skills have got a head start.