Adapt your communication style to different audiences. To do this, you must first understand how you typically communicate your vision and ideas. When you speak, observe how others respond to you to get an idea if they respond positively. If they don’t seem to be listening or engaged, you may not be communicating in a way that suits your audience. Know your audience, and experiment with and adapt different communication styles for each.
Be an active listener. Knowing when to listen (and actually doing it) is very important as a leader. It shows you care about others’ thoughts and feedback. To be an active listener, eliminate distractions, don’t interrupt, invite collaboration, ask questions, and take notes.
Break down communication barriers and welcome transparency. Speaking openly about challenges and mistakes fosters an environment of empowerment, experimentation, and trust between you as a leader and your employees.
Have clarity and speak in specifics. Speak clearly and provide specific examples in your instructions and explanations. This can dampen confusion and set up your team for success.
Ask open-ended questions. Such questions have a way of sparking thoughtful introspection and consideration before answers are given. As a result, leaders will get better, more honest answers from their team members.
Empathize with employees’ experiences and feelings. Empathy improves communication by building a better culture based on trust and teamwork.
Show openness through body language. Leaders don’t just communicate through words—they communicate through nonverbal cues. Some tips to convey warmth and friendliness around others are to make eye contact, unfurrow the brow, and smile.
Receive feedback graciously and take quick action on it. It doesn’t help to ask for feedback if you respond with annoyance, anger, or resentment. Be sure to thank others for their feedback, let them know they’ve been heard, and get to work improving on what was suggested.