7 Powerful Communication Skills That Will Make You a Helpful Leader

Inspire others and deliver a authentic message.

In 2015, American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko worked together on the International Space Station, circling the planet for 340 days. Kelly has flown to space four times in his 20-year career as NASA astronaut.

While he acknowledges that personal issues or politics can potentially get in the way of a mission, he says there’s always an opportunity to find common ground. When he talked about working with Kornienko he said,

“Even when you are not the greatest of friends, you can work together for something you both believe in, feel strongly about and has mutual benefits.”

It’s a leader’s job to articulate a shared vision, define the objective, and set a group of core values that resonate with everyone. Kelly made it point to share his stories and experiences to be more transparent and inform the public about the scope of the mission.

His friendly leadership communication style helped build public interest and support for NASA’s work.

Great leaders are intentional not just for what they bring to the collective effort, but how they convey it. Their words express confidence, encouragement and decisiveness to the people that they lead.

Here are seven ways great leaders connect with people when they communicate with them.

They Are Honest

“No legacy is so rich as honesty.”— William Shakespeare

Great leaders know that for communication to be effective it has to be real. They realize that they can’t have people trying to figure out what is true and what is false. Great communicators say what they mean because they know half truths lead to mistrust.

Honesty builds trust.

They Are Savvy In Body Language

“Body language is very a powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words — Deborah Bull

Great leaders are constantly monitoring people’s reactions to their message. They are quick to pick up on things like facial expressions because they understand this is an important factor in how their message is being received.

Great communicators use this knowledge to tailor their message and adjust their communication style to the person they are speaking to.

Observation informs communication.

They Are Great Listeners

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.” — Bernard M. Baruch

Great leaders know that what they hear is often more important than what they say. When someone else is speaking, great communicators don’t interrupt or talk over people.

They actively listen, fully focused on understanding the other person’s point of view.

Communication is a two way street.

They Acknowledge Mistakes

“When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it.”— Paul Bear Bryant

Great leaders admit mistakes as soon as they occur. They don’t wait for someone else to tell them about their mistake. Great communicators hold themselves accountable with their words.

They don’t treat themselves differently from others on their team when mistakes happen, even if no one else will find out about it.

Mistakes are recognized and addressed with humility.

They Know Their Audience

‘The most important thing to remember is that you must know your audience.” — Lewis Howes

Great leaders don’t worry about sounding important, swelling their own ego, or showing off how much they know to everyone.

Great communicators think about what people need to hear and deliver the message in a way that people will be able to absorb it.

This doesn’t mean that they tell people what they want to hear. It means they tell people what is meaningful for them to know.

Bad news is given the same attention as good news.

They Ask For Feedback

“No matter how good you think you are as a leader, my goodness, the people around you will have all kinds of ideas for how you can get better. So for me, the most fundamental thing about leadership is to have the humility to continue to get feedback and to try to get better - because your job is to try and help everyone else get better.” — Jim Yong Kim

Great leaders never assume the message people heard is the one they intended to deliver. Everyone does not interpret what you do or say in the same way.

Great communicators check with who they are speaking with to verify that their message was understood correctly. If it was not, they don’t blame the person receiving the message.

The message is repeated or changed so that it can be better understood by it’s intended audience.

They Are Authentic

“Authenticity is when you say and do the things that you actually believe”. — Simon Sinek

Great leaders don’t try to be someone they’re not just because they have stepped in front of a crowd or behind a podium. Great communicators know that when they stay true to who they are and what they believe, others will be drawn to their message.

They also know that the opposite is true if they are perceived as putting on act or not being genuine.

Authenticity promotes faith and assurance in your leadership.

Great leaders know that great communicators stand out from the crowd. They project honesty, authority and self confidence.

Top priority is given to these skills because they are fundamental to leadership success.

With strong communication skills, you’ll master the art of having difficult and meaningful conversations.

Your ideas will not only be heard, but also understood and you will leave a memorable impression on each person that you meet.

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