Listening and communication are perhaps two of the most timeless leadership skills yet they are also the ones that are changing the most! In my new book, The Future Leader, I talk about these two as the skill of the Translator.
You can’t be a leader without people who are willing to follow you. But people won’t follow you if they don’t feel a connection.
One of the most important roles of leaders is to be coaches and motivate, inspire, and engage with their people. You have to believe your job is to help others reach their full potential and become more successful than you.
If you want to succeed as a future leader, you have to think like a translator.
Are you in the middle of the dining table or on the side?
Think about a dinner party–the person in the middle of the dining table is someone who can drive conversation, keep things moving, avoid awkwardness, and get everyone talking and having a great time.
How someone stands and holds themselves while they communicate is very telling. Are they angry, dismissive, or bored? Or are they engaged and excited to join the conversation?
When you talk, what do people hear?
More than just the words you say, how you say them matters even more.
If you want to improve and grow in life and your career, you have to know how to receive feedback.
Are you actively listening to someone or just hearing what they are saying?
Active listening requires effort but shows that you care what someone else says.
Erica Dhawan is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and the best-selling author of a very timely book called Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance. She is best known as the leading authority on 21st-century collaboration and teamwork in a digital-first workplace.
Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. Her TEDx talk has over 26 million views. Her books include Do Nothing: How to Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving and Speaking of Race: Why Everyone Needs to Talk About Race–And How To Do It.