Download My Bluetooth Doesn`t Speak Southern

Communication Challenges for Leadership
Cindy Coker, SC Bar



Effective communication is essential to good
leadership.
How we communicate affects our
productivity, our relationships and our daily
life.
Technology is designed to make things more
efficient, more productive, more….
 Yeah, right!






1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Successful communication
Close, but no cigar.
It sounds sort of the same.
Not even close
Command not recognized
Connection failed

1. Successful Communication
Ideas are clearly communicated
The speaker and the listener are on the “same page”
Instructions are understood and followed
Both parties leave the conversation with the same
understanding
◦ May include a conversation that involves correction
of a behavior or attitude –
◦ Successful doesn’t always mean pleasant
◦
◦
◦
◦

2. Close, but no cigar
◦ The other party heard what you said, but missed an
important detail
◦ Misunderstood the intention, the instructions or the
desired result

3. It sounds sort of the same…..
◦ Heard only part of what you said
◦ Misunderstood the meaning or intent

Not even close!
◦ Your mouth was moving…
◦ No idea of what you were saying
◦ Leaves the conversation confused
 Problem when the other party isn’t comfortable
enough to ask for clarification or to repeat the
statement/instructions

Command Not Recognized
◦ 1 of 2 things has happened
 Complete misunderstanding of your conversation OR
 Complete disregard of your conversation
 Lack of respect for the person speaking
 Refusal to recognize the authority

Connection Failed
◦ Communication attempted but no connection to the
other party
◦ No recognition of the individual and their situation
by speaker
◦ Dictatorial behavior on the part of the speaker – or
just pure arrogance
◦ No recognition of speaker by recipient

Tips for successful communication
◦ Actions speak louder than words
 7% - what we say
 38% - the way we say it
 55% - what others see
◦ More than 90% of the impression we convey has
nothing to do with what we actually say
◦ The message isn’t the only thing
 (John C. Maxwell: Everyone Communicates, Few
Connect)

Work on non-verbal clues/cues
◦ Facial expressions
◦ General appearance
◦ Posture
◦ People may hear your words, but
they feel your attitude!

Communication
◦ Learn to handle verbal conflict





Respond rather than react
How would you feel in their place
Empathize
Why are they being difficult
Choose to be compassionate

Examine yourself..
◦
◦
◦
◦
Do I connect?
How do I communicate?
Am I leading?
Am I leaving my mark?

Developing excellent communication skills is
absolutely essential to effective leadership.
The leader must be able to share knowledge
and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and
enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a
message across clearly and motivate others
to act on it, the having a message doesn’t
even matter.
 Gilbert Amelio, President & CEO of National
Semiconductor Corp.