August 2012: Don’t underestimate the power of intuition.

Each of us is born with an amazing gift: intuition. It’s our internal navigation system; a source of knowledge from within.  It is constantly sending us messages that tell us whether we’re making the right decisions or moving in the right direction.  These messages come in the form of a hunch, a sense about something; a “gut feel.”

Many of us fail to realize the full power of our intuition because we’re either too frenetic to hear it or we don’t trust it enough to act.  We discount it. We worry that it’s wrong.  We second-guess ourselves.   And in the end, we allow our heads to overrule it – often to the detriment of ourselves and our organizations.

Today, take a moment to write down all the times you have had an intuitive hunch. Note where you listened to your gut. What happened? Note where you didn't listen to your gut. What happened?

What does this tell you about your own intuitive power?  Your intuition is there to serve you.  So let it!

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.

June 2012: Challenge conventional wisdom.

Everywhere we turn in our personal and professional lives, there are assumptions, norms and rules – prevailing thought about what is and isn’t possible. Much of this conventional wisdom perpetuates fear and mediocrity.  It keeps us inside a box.

Whether we’re deciding whether to invest in a new project, make a new hire, sell the house, go back to school, have another child, build a new plant, or sell our large-cap stock, prevailing thought will tell us whether or not it’s a good idea. Most people accept that thought as fact. That’s what makes it prevailing.  Conventional.

By definition, leading requires us to be out in front; to take risks and innovate to find a better way forward.  As leaders, it’s our job to challenge assumptions and question those things that we’re told are “the way it is.”  

If we stay inside the lines of conventional thought, we will only venture as far as their boundaries will allow.  Today, think about how you can start erasing the lines that stand between you and possibility.   

May 2012: Make the complex simple.

Effective leaders are master translators.  They know how to distill complex issues and strategies into simple terms that can be understood and acted upon by people at all levels inside and outside the organization. 

Too often, leaders fall into the trap of using jargon, acronyms, buzzwords or technical language that their audiences do not understand.  Sometimes this is a sign that the leader is out of touch; unaware that not everyone is as steeped in “insider language” as they are.  Other times, a leader will hide behind acronyms and jargon simply because they don’t understand the underlying concepts well enough to use plain language.  Finally, they may fear that by simplifying, they won’t sound smart or sophisticated enough. 

Remember that effective communication is not characterized by jargon and complexity.  It is measured by how quickly and accurately the audience understands, retains and is motivated by the message. 

Today, take a look at your communication with a fresh eye.  How can you make your messages easier to understand by those you’re trying to inform, influence and move to act?

April 2012: Find Your Own Voice

As leaders, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to sound like someone else. We ask speechwriters to make us sound good.  We have ghost-writers pen communications that might be eloquent but fail to reflect our natural speech patterns and language.  Or maybe we do our own communicating but we work diligently to project the expected (and dreaded) “corporate voice” instead of our own.  Remember that your style of communicating – your unique voice -- is a vital element of your authentic leadership.

Even more important than style is substance.  To find your leadership voice, you must also pinpoint the issues and aspirations that mean the most to you and ensure that those messages become an integral, consistent part of your communications platform. 

Remember that when it comes to communications, authenticity trumps eloquence every time.  This is particularly true in the context of building trust, which is the cornerstone of effective leadership.  It’s fine to have other people assist with your communications.  Just be sure they’re capturing the real you.