Fact: Good communication is not about you, your opinions, your positions or your circumstances.

Great leaders know this.

Being an excellent leader requires communication that exceeds rudimentary conversation and mediocre interaction. More often than not, problems arise between employers and employees, as well as peers, due to lack of proper communication. Opinions may be lost because of fear of rejection, and ideas are often hushed because of poor communication practices. A great leader reaches past this; they read between the lines, listen closely and get personal with their audience - whether it's one individual or a group of dozens.

Great leaders have clear goals and make impactful statements that they back up with knowledge, relatable stories and truth.  They take the attention off of themselves and instead, make it about the other person and about the team as individuals.

Want to know the other methods and communication tactics that great leaders have mastered? Continue reading here for the Top 10 Secrets to conquering their skills as shared in this recent Forbes article. 

Luciano Pavarotti was quoted as saying, "If I don't practice a day, I know it. If I don't practice for two days, my wife knows it. If I don't practice for three days, the world knows it." Judging from Mr. Pavarotti's career, it is evident to me that he may have never missed a day of practice. In the business world we are measured by our performance much like a world class operatic tenor, such as Pavarotti, is measured by his fans. It takes relentless dedication and practice to be the best at one's craft. Successful people aren't born with talent; they work to improve their skills and competencies by practicing on the job each day.  

A frequently asked question in business coaching is, "How do I practice business acumen?" Many areas of business, in fact, are directly practical; presenting, negotiating, delivering evaluations, deciphering financial statements, etc - and we can practice them all. Still, these skills are not the true essence of leadership success and performance. The great leaders are masters at communication and relationship management in critical environments...while under pressure. It takes communication and relationship management skills, along with critical thinking, for one to navigate through the treacherous waters of leadership. In order for a person to hone their soft skills, they must practice and welcome feedback. Feedback is crucial, and getting it should be no problem in business. The problem is people do not always seek it. We find that they wait for it, avoid it or hope it will never come. Without guidance, we are traveling without a roadmap. To be a successful leader, one must have guidance and the opportunity to experience wins along the way. 

GrowBold 

The Great Debate: Do career initiatives help or hurt employee motivation to grow?

Date: Thursday, May 29

Time:  4:30-6:30 pm

Location: Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale

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HR Strategy Forum

Big Data: How HR can play a more valued role by fully mining Big Data

Date: Tuesday, June 10

Time: 8-11:30 am 

Location:  Silicon Valley Bank, Santa Clara

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Torchiana and Career Partners International 

Webinar: Ex-celerating Success:  The Power of Executive Onboarding

Date: Thursday, June 12

Time: 11 am PDT

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GrowBold

Leading Dynamic Change: HR Partners in the Design of Productive Workplaces

Date: Wednesday, June 25 

Time: 4-6:30 pm  

Location: Onyx Pharmaceuticals, South San Francisco

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HR Star Conference

Date: Wednesday, July 16

Time: 9-4:30 pm 

Location:  South San Francisco Conference Center

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