Have you ever driven in thick fog?  I mean the kind of fog that you can barely seen in front of you.  Maybe you usually go above the speed limit, but in this thick fog you barely can go half the speed limit.

You are cautious and slow to make decisions because you are worried you will get in an accident.  This is similar to what it feels like when we communicate without clarity.  Instead of being a light in the fog we make the fog more dense.

Know your audience

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Teddy Roosevelt

Many people have made this quote a common phrase, but applying it can be a challenge. When we communicate, we want others to hear what we say. Picture a parent talking to their child and sharing their “wisdom.”  If all they hear are lectures from mom or dad, they tune them out.

The same is true for communicating with people either one-on-one or in a group.  We need to know them and understand them before expecting them to understand us.  When we understand where they are coming from we can more accurately communicate with them.

Know your point

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Albert Einstein

I must confess there have been quite a few times I have provided directions to a group of people and then looked at the faces in the room and saw confusion. If I miss the confused faces, someone may raise their hand and say, “Could you repeat the question?”  This is code for “I am confused.”  Typically, this has happened because I have made something more complicated and, therefore, unclear.

As leaders, the more clearly we know what we want, the better we can explain it to others. Some great communicators keep it simple by expressing only three simple points or providing memory tools such as acrostics and rhymes. Think of Nike. What has historically been their point? Just do it. The more we understand what we want to communicate, the easier it is to communicate it.

Make it visual

“The soul does not think without a picture.”  Aristotle

I was talking with a leader about the vision of the team he leads and I did not clearly understand the vision the first time I heard it.  Then I saw a visual representation of the vision and it became crystal clear to me.

We may need to draw a physical picture, use analogies or metaphors, or even share stories to help capture people’s imagination.  The more visual the more it sticks.  I remember movies more than books and leaders who tell stories make the communication stick.  Paint a picture in people’s minds that makes a point.  The mind is a canvas and clear visual communication can paint a masterpiece.

When you think of these three areas, which do you need to work on?  Need help to grow your communication with your team?  Contact me about communication workshops to help you communicate and connect more effectively with those you lead.  Lead well.

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