The Leadership Expert Simon Sinek, in his now famous Ted Talk “Start with Why” explains that;

“ People don’t buy what you do they buy why you do it”

What is your WHY?

What makes you get out of bed in the morning? 

Why do you do what you do?

What makes it worthwhile?

It’s clear that perhaps we should all be asking ourselves “Why” a bit more often, if for no other reason than to stay on track with our purpose, keep ourselves motivated and ultimately, do the things that matter most.

A key component of getting things done is impactful communication. As John Donne famously put it, “No Man is an Island” and where leadership is concerned, there are few things we do that don’t involve communication with others. This is why we need to be good at it!

So, seeing as we’re all about the “Why”, let’s use this train of thought to improve our strategic communication, especially where team engagement is concerned.

The key to communicating effectively with others starts with understanding them and where team dynamics are concerned, this understanding is a huge asset.

In any communication interaction, consider the other person’s WHY.

Why do they do what they do?

What gets them out of bed in the morning?

Where they see themselves in 1/3/5 years?

If you don’t know, ask them. That’s what questions were invented for! As humans, it feels good when others are genuinely interested in us and as a leader, it’s important to demonstrate this to show it’s not all about the numbers and bottom line.

Once you understand what they want for themselves and their why, it is much easier for you to shape your message so that it aligns to what they see as being their future. Essentially it comes back to that old adage “What’s in it for me?” and when people see the relevance, they’re more likely to be accepting of the message.

This opens the door to strategic communication, allowing you to be PROACTIVE in your communication and maximising the value of your interactions.

The quality of our communication is pivotal to our success – Imagine if we could improve our communication skills by just 2%, the difference it would make to the results we strive to achieve!

Start now and start well.

As Aristotle put it, “We are what we repeatedly do, excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

Make great communication the habit that you invest in and reap the rewards!

Sharon

P.S. Curious to know more about how Executive Coaching can help you to improve your communication and team dynamics? Book a Free Consultation now. 

And here is the link to Simon’s Ted Talk.