“Looking back, you realize that everything would have explained itself if you had only stopped interrupting.” ~ Robert Breault
Regardless of how you analyze the numbers, interruptions are one of the biggest drains on our ability to effectively communicate with others in the workplace.
Unfortunately, I have found that this is an area where quite a few leaders fail miserably when it comes to interacting with others. This could happen for a number of reasons.
It could be they:
- Feel the need to have all the answers because they are the leader.
- Have a low level of self and social-awareness (EQ) and so they are unaware of the impact their interruptions have on others.
- Believe that what they have to say is more important than listening to the other person.
- Might believe they know what the other person is thinking and so by interrupting they think they come across as being intelligent.
- They might believe that they don’t have the time to listen because they are so busy and interrupting makes them more efficient.
- Honestly believe they know what is best for everyone based on their years of experience or position.
Regardless of the reason, the cost of this ineffective communication style can be damaging not only to their ability to effectively lead others and their reputation, but to the morale of the folks they are supposed to be leading.
How Well Do You Listen?
As a leader, if you were being honest, how many times would you say you interrupt others in a normal conversation? How many times do you enter a conversation so focused on your agenda that you fail to truly listen to others because your agenda takes precedents over what your people have to say?
I have a friend who regularly participates in conference calls with their senior leadership team. It is ironic how many times he has shared after a conference call that the senior leader, once-again, interrupted the person speaking and then reacted before they had all of the information.
What usually ends up happening, is that once the person is able to share the rest of the information, the senior leader looks like a fool.
Now for the record, this doesn’t make them a bad person, it simply makes them a less effective leader and a poor communicator. Regardless of how results-oriented and efficient they believe they are being.
Damaging Your Leadership Brand
You see your reputation is your brand. It is your promise to others about what they can expect when they interact with you.
Regardless of what you say, it is your actions and your interactions that defines your brand.
When you open a can of Coca-Cola you know what to expect. When you go to Nordstrom’s you know what to expect. The same thing holds true for when you go to Walmart.
You don’t have a Nordstrom’s experience at Walmart and you don’t taste Doctor Pepper when you open a can of Coke!
So what do others experience in a conversation with you?
In other words, what is your leadership brand that others experience when interacting with you?
5 Ways To Improve Your Leadership Communication Brand
If you want to improve your leadership brand overall, here are a few areas to focus on in the area of communication that will help.
Be sure to focus on:
- Hearing others first before sharing your thoughts and opinions?
- Reflecting back to others what you heard them say to make sure you were understanding what they were attempting to communicate?
- Making sure your words AND your actions were congruent?
- Speaking less and listening more?
- Helping others get what they need, knowing that you will get what you need more frequently and with a lot less push back?
Imagine the impact that focusing on these 5 keys areas would have on your brand, your reputation, and your ability to influence others?
Who knows you might just influence others to follow you instead of running away!
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