Page 54 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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GREAT COMMUNICATION SECRETS OF GREAT LEADERS
Brainstorm. Gather a team together and start putting down ideas. What

is it that we want to say, and how can we say it? Do not become overly
complex or detailed. Remember, it’s the message that you need first.
Content comes later.
When it’s over. By starting with the endpoint, you focus on the out-

come, your audience. By working backward, you can derive what you
want to say and how you want to say it.
A word of warning: Do not feel that the audience must like your message.
For example, if you are a union steward and you want to describe what the
union will request from management, chances are that the membership will
listen and will like what you have to say. You are their representative, after all.
By contrast, if you are in management and your task is to present the com-
pany’s side of the issues, you can be certain that much of what you are saying
will be met with skepticism.
WHAT A LEADERSHIP MESSAGE DOES:THE FOUR I’S
Leadership messages must communicate information as well as open the door
for participation by the listener. As such, the leadership message must do these
four things (see Figure 3-2): 2
Inform people of what the issues are and what they need to do. Leaders
owe their people an explanation of the situation, whether the news is
good or bad. Good examples of leaders who kept their people informed
are Jack Welch of General Electric and Rich Teerlink of Harley-
Davidson; both of these CEOs let people know what was going on
in the business as well as attending and participating in events where
stakeholders and other people voiced their ideas. Both men also spent
time listening to customers, which meant that they were personally
informed about issues, and that when it came time to communicate
internally, they did so from a credible platform of knowledge. Also
keep in mind that even when there is no news, leaders need to be seen
and heard frequently. Absence in this case does not make the heart
grow fonder, it gives rise to gossip.
Involve others by soliciting their input. Herb Kelleher, founder of
Southwest Airlines, was a master of getting other people involved. By
traveling around on his airline, he met and mingled with employees at
all levels of the organization, from executives to ticket agents and bag-
gage handlers. His openness shattered the imaginary barrier between
boss and employee, and in so doing invited people to raise issues and