Remember the WHY

As leaders, we are constantly communicating.  In fact, effective communication is one of the core competencies and responsibilities of every good leader.  Funny how often it is overlooked or taken for granted.

The only way a leader can truly win the hearts and minds of others is to help them understand not only the task at hand (the “what”) and the strategies to accomplish it (the “how”), but also the overarching purpose (the “why”).  The “why” is what gives meaning and motivation to the task.  It helps people see themselves in the story and have a sense of fulfillment about what they’re doing every day.

In a culture that focuses on execution (getting things done), you may be inclined to dive into a task without taking stock of the bigger picture. As urgent as the task or directive might be, step back and ask yourself if you have clearly explained the overarching purpose and benefit of it.  In other words, have you explained why it matters?  In a few short sentences, you can add important context and meaning that could make the difference between an average result and an exceptional one. 

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April 2013: Be Visible

As a leader, it’s important that you are visible to the people you’re leading.

Visibility takes many forms. For some, it’s about being in the public eye -- being on CNBC or the speaker circuit. But strong leaders understand the most important form of visibility comes from enabling important stakeholders (beginning on the inside of their organizations) to connect with them on a personal level and get a feel for who they are and what they care about

Many leaders are ‘time bankrupt’ these days, often sacrificing their visibility to the pressing issues du jour.  And, the prevalence of electronic communication makes it easy to fall into the habit of transmitting messages to people without ever seeing them – or letting them see you.  As a leader, your job is to galvanize others to achieve a goal. The more personally connected people feel to you, the easier it is for them to passionately embrace the mission. 

Today, consider how you can be more visible – how you can interact more meaningfully and personally with the people who matter most to the achievement of organizational goals.

July 2012: What's in it for them?

Whether you're in an informal or formal role as a business leader, thought leader or opinion leader, your job is to bring others along...to influence and inspire people to buy into, commit and act on a goal or mission.

Leaders often overlook the importance of making their messages relevant and meaningful to their audiences. Whether it's an employee, customer, peer, partner, investor, social media follower or other stakeholder, they're asking one central question: what's in it for me? When you frame your communication to address this essential question, you help people personally connect with your messages which increases the likelihood that they'll buy into, commit and act on them.

Before you communicate, ask yourself, "what does this audience really care about?" Different groups of people care about different things, and if you customize your messages to address their particular questions and concerns, your communication will rise to a new level of effectiveness. It takes a little more work to tailor your communication in this fashion, but it's well worth the extra effort.