What Do All Successful Leaders Have In Common?

They Can Communicate Well

They understand the power of good communication and how to harness that power to the benefit of their business

They also know that communication, when executed well, is good for the culture of business, for the employees and for the customers

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They Understand What Makes Good Communication

Good leaders know:

1. That there is a need to communicate well and what the benefits are.

2. When to communicate well.

3. How to communicate well.

4. That communication involves talking and listening

5. That everyone must have some time with their leaders.

Knowing how, when and what to communicate is a good skill but when achieved it can cement a team and the culture within it, where everyone prospers.

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Good Communication Should Be With Everyone

Good leaders also know that communication is not just important with their employees and colleagues but with everyone who is associated with their business, including:

• With their co-directors and colleagues

• With their partners

• With their shareholders

• With their employees

• With their teams

• With their customers

• With their suppliers

• With their regulators

• With everyone who has contact with their business

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The Benefits Can Be Great

The benefits can be substantial; good communication can create substantial additional growth in these areas:

• Employee development

• Team productivity

• Customer loyalty

Sir Terry Leahy is credited with accelerating Tesco to become a market leader in the UK, when he was in charge; this was due in part to his commitment to spending 40% of his time on the shop floor talking to his staff and to motivating them.

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The Right Communication With Employees And Colleagues

With this level of potential achievable growth being possible in most businesses, you would think that most business owners would be using communication more and better. But sadly, many are not.

Many do not realise the power of good communication and others do not wish to spare the time or are incapable of it.

Here are some the main benefits:

• Can greatly motivate and inspire employees and colleagues

• Can massively boost team cohesion and productivity

• Can allow employees and colleagues to buy into the leader’s vision

• Can allow the leader and employees to get to know each other well and to create a good working relationship

• Can allow trust to grow between the leader and the employee

• Can allow the employee to feel valued

• Can allow the employee to learn the leader’s strategy and plans better

• Can allow the leader to learn the thoughts and possible worries and fears of the employees

• Can allow the leader to train the employees

• Can allow the employees to contribute to creating the business agenda and strategies

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Motivate And Inspire

Good leaders know that good communication can inspire and motivate others, especially their work colleagues and employees.

Everyone within an organisation should be encouraged to perform their roles well and each should be empowered to grow and progress.

Good leaders should instil great self-belief, great confidence and great optimism, in their team, through their good guidance and their good vision, making each employee think that they can achieve anything.

To everyone, a good leader should be a good source of influence.

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Good Leaders Listen As Well As Talk

Every good leader realises that listening is just as important as talking.

Good leaders know spending time with colleagues and employees is important, and they know it is not just about talking but involves listening to them and hearing what they have to say, too; they appreciate the views, the opinions and the input of others.

Regular ‘face to face’ contact with employees, if for only five to ten minutes, every day or every few days can be extremely valuable to build strong relationships, confidence and productivity.

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Communication Builds Trust And Relationships

Good leaders know that a business can only function well and effectively if the bonds and relationships between the people within the business are strong and healthy.

Mutual trust should evolve from such a situation, further enhancing the working bonds; employees function much better when trusted, and leaders are more effective when they are trusted.

Showing appreciation towards everyone for their efforts and contributions should also be part of the communication process, helping to cement the bonds further. There is nothing more de-motivating for an employee feeling they are not appreciated.

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Communication Is Good For Setting Strategies And Achieving Goals

Good communication is important, if a leader is to relate his vision and strategy well to his employees and colleagues, and for them to understand these well.

The employees should always feel free to have the opportunity to make comments, to ask questions and to make contributions and to be part of the planning process.

Most employees can add great value to planning and strategy, and it is a poor and possibly insecure leader who does not recognise this and encourage this.  

By allowing others to get involved in this way, allows them to buy into their leader’s vision and to help them accept the strategy as partly their own.

Productivity nearly always rises as a result.  

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The Right Communication With Customers

Good communication can also significantly build customer numbers and sales.

Here are some the main benefits:

• Can allow customers to get to know the people behind a brand, encouraging buying

• Can allow customers to buy into the ethics of a business

• Can allow leaders to learn the customers’ views of their business

• Can build strong relationships with customers, building loyalty

• Can create customer advocates

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People Buy People

People are more likely to buy from people that they like; all good leaders know this. and they use communication to present those behind their brand to the customers.

Customers like to align themselves with brands, and if they can see and understand its ethics and vision, and they can relate to these, they are more likely to become loyal to that brand.

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Learn From Customers

The views of customers are the greatest source of learning for any leader and, the better the line of communication, the more the leader will learn.

Such knowledge and understanding should help to set the strategy for the business.

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Build An Army Of Loyal Customers

Every business needs an army of loyal customers, who keep returning frequently to keep purchasing. The foundation and growth of such an army is dependent on building good strong relationships, created by good communications.

Good leaders know that through loyalty, customers will tell others, stoking ‘word of mouth’ and customer advocacy, bringing new customers into the army.

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The Right Communication With Everyone Else

Good communication is also important for others, too.

With suppliers, it could allow the purchase of input costs at lower and better rates and terms, aiding profitability, while business opportunities could be presented through good communications with partners and shareholders, and there are always benefits with appeasing regulators.

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Think How You Could Communicate Better

Many business owners do not understood sufficiently well the benefits that are possible through better communications.

Possibly if they did, they would prioritise the art of communication more and apply it.

I am hoping that you are inspired by this article to think how you could communicate better by devote more time and energy to this vital process.

Finally, I will ask you these questions:

• How much time do you have for everyone in your business?

• Do you regularly talk to your employees?

• Do you listen to your employees too?

• Do you allow your employees and colleagues to contribute to your planning process?

• Are you a good communicator?

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“Good communication is a good art to master well for any business owner”

Please Contact Me,  If You Have Any Comments Or Questions About This Blog Article. I Would Be Pleased To Help You

Robert Viney Is An Award-Winning Business Coach

Top 20 Entrepreneur Coach 2022, Awarded By The Coach Foundation

23 Best Business Coaching Services 2022, Awarded By HubSpot

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