Google “leadership skills” and you’ll rarely find results that include “ability to connect” as one of the essential skills to be an effective leader. Most often, “communication” is listed as one of those skills. I would argue however that the ability to connect is one of the most essential skills for effective leaders, beyond communicating. We all communicate, but we don’t all have the ability to connect. In my opinion, the most effective leaders can create some sense of connection, even if perceived, with those they are leading.
I look at my mentors, those I consider effective leaders and what I think they all have in common is their ability to create a sense of connection with others. This sense of connection starts with their interest in serving others and not for self-serving motives. They are genuinely focused on the other person, not themselves. They speak in terms the other person understands. They also seem to find common grounds early in their conversations and these could be as simple as asking about a shared activity/interest. They adjust their styles to match the person/group they are speaking with. This is in contrast with those who seem to only have one style no matter their audience. When I have conversations with them, I leave the conversation feeling as if I was the center of their attention. They ask questions, they are engaged in our conversations. I often leave feeling inspired.
Leadership in my opinion is about influence, not control. A leader’s ability to influence others ultimately comes down to how they are perceived by those they lead. Leaders who can establish connections, who can make others feel like they matter and they are understood are the ones who will have the most influence.
image credit – credit – blogcatalog.com.
March 6th, 2012 on 9:08 am
Great thought and totally on point. I shake my head in disbelief when I see “leaders” walk into a room to give a presentation, hold a meeting, or initiate a conversation and uniformly “communicate” information outwards without any consideration as to the needs or style of the message recipients. Communication is easy–engagement and connection take work. It’s a distinction we need to help our colleagues and students better understand.
March 7th, 2012 on 2:48 am
Thanks Tony. I share your observations as well. I think if “leaders” just ask the question of “why should my audience care?” and take the time to understand the audience’s perspectives/motivations, they’ll be more effective. Personally, what I do when I speak is to try to connect with the audience beforehand. I will stand by the door and introduce myself, ask the person’s name and I actually do it for myself. I feel so much more comfortable when I feel like I’m speaking to those I “know” than just a group of faces staring at me. There have also been a couple of occasions when I purposely reach out to those who I know are critical of the topic I am about to talk about. It’s funny because when I’ve done that, they actually became one of my advocates during and after my talk. I think people just want to be heard and appreciated.
March 7th, 2012 on 3:10 am
Thanks Tony. I share your observations as well. I think if “leaders” just ask the question of “why should my audience care?” and take the time to understand the audience’s perspectives/motivations, they’ll be more effective. Personally, what I do when I speak is to try to connect with the audience beforehand. I will stand by the door and introduce myself, ask the person’s name and I actually do it for myself. I feel so much more comfortable when I feel like I’m speaking to those I “know” than just a group of faces staring at me. There have also been a couple of occasions when I purposely reach out to those who I know are critical of the topic I am about to talk about. It’s funny because when I’ve done that, they actually became one of my advocates during and after my talk. I think people just want to be heard and appreciated.