I’ve previously addressed the keys to achieving success and having a mindset of success. When it comes to becoming a successful communicator, there are three fundamental steps to consider. All too often, communication is something that people engage in all day, every day, but they don’t think to improve upon it. It’s interesting that for something that is so important in our day-to-day lives – both personally and professionally – many do not invest the time and resources to hone the skill and be the best communicator they can be.
As I’ve mentioned numerous times, more than anything else, your ability to communicate will be a determining factor of how successful you’ll be in life – that’s a fact. The following are three critical steps to improving your communication skills immediately:
- Mindset – It’s important to first recognize the importance and necessity for good communication. It’s not only crucial for your professional success, but to your personal life. Developing into a better communicator transcends professions and personalities – it becomes a part of who you are and improves all aspects of your life.
- Skillset – Once you’ve committed to improve, it’s time to incorporate a set of tools to help you develop better communication. In my book, A Climb to the Top, I lay out ten fundamental tactics on how to speak in a manner that others will listen, be inspired, motivated and provoked to act on what you say. My goal in writing A Climb to the Top was to strip away all the extraneous “stuff” that you often see in other book and dive right into what I call the “10 Commandments of Great Communicators.” Anyone who reads the book will walk away with ten new tools for
- Performance – Finally, you need to practice what you’ve learned. To become successful, you need to actually do and apply the skills that you’ve gone out to learn and discover. This doesn’t need to be a keynote, or high-profile speech, it can be at your next team meeting, or one-on-one with your manager. It could be with your spouse or at the next personal event that you have for church, school, etc. Any opportunity you have to speak and communicate, you’ll want to apply your new-found skills. As you do, you will improve tremendously and it will become second nature for you.
The individuals I coach who transform into great communicators and extraordinary leaders have one thing in common: a keen sense of self-awareness. To be self-aware and translate that understanding into success is easier said than done. Getting started is usually the hardest part. To master these steps requires a true desire to improve, experiential learning, and some patience. Like an athlete, it can be helpful to have a mentor or coach who can uncover your blind spots and provide the feedback necessary for sustained improvement. Take my assessment today and see how you might be able to improve your communication skills to be a more effective leader.