Communication - Best Communication Practices for Leaders

With good communication leaders leave no doubt where everyone stands. It is a skill that can be mined and refined. Good communicators have clear intentions, listen well, are open to feedback, give good feedback and typically if you are a good communicator people know exactly what their roles are and what needs to be done, they trust you and are likely more willing to share their truth with you. The way we communicate as leaders will have a direct affect on building a culture of success. Skillful leaders will use communication to build capacity, trust, curiosity, and cohesion within their teams or organizations.

What we discuss:

• Know who you are communicating with. Use good nonverbal communication.
• WHEN YOU ARE IN CHARGE TAKE CHARGE. Avoid the leadership vacuum where nobody wants to make a decision. This happens most when times are tough and people lock up in fear of making a poor decision. Even if you make an incorrect decision be ready to pivot and say ok that didn’t work let’s do this instead. That’s real leadership, the ability to make mistakes and learn from them.. 
• Sometimes saying something gets the ball rolling on new ideas and directions and group creativity has a kick start. 
• Self Honesty, Self Awareness, builds trust
• Build curiosity, ask quality questions that will pull out self-honesty in people which will bring out more opportunity for advancement.
• Speak with care and pay attention to people.
• Clearly define your role and clearly define other people’s roles and make sure they have the tools necessary to do their jobs.
• Provide clarity on what to do and make sure you do it and give feedback on progress.
•  Set specific, measurable, and realistic goals for yourself and others. Or themes.
• ATHLETES/EMPLOYEES should be clear on where they stand with you. 
• Why are you not getting promoted? 
• Why are you not getting more playing time? They need to know
• Have an open mind + Control your emotions 

4 things that drive me crazy:

1: “Can I be honest with you?” What are you typically not honest with me?

2. “In my opinion”...replace with I believe

3. “I’m not sure, but” or “I could be wrong, but”

4. “Just a thought” replaced with ``Have you thought of?...

5. “This is probably a stupid question”. If your question is valid, ask it, if not don’t.

• Think Big, Act Big, Commit Big
• WE SEE IN PICTURES NOT WORDS

3 of the hardest things for people to say:

1. I’m sorry
2. I was wrong
3. I need help

• Be a player led team not a coach fed team
• Include the team in decision making and problem solving and to some vision building
• Better pre-game speeches and between period, quarter, halftime summaries and regroups. (ask the right questions)
• What is going well? What is that we need to improve on? What can we change or improve immediately?
• Praise in person, discipline in private

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KEEP CRUSHING IT!

Mizuno


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