Strong leaders know effective communication fuels their success. It is single-handedly the most critical way to engage people to achieve outstanding results.
Despite its power, effective communication is not leveraged nearly as much as it should be. Too many people feel undervalued, underappreciated and underutilized. It’s no wonder two-thirds of the workforce is disengaged.
There are ten communication principles embraced by effective leaders. To what extent are you leveraging the following communication principles?
- Respect
By far, the most important communication principle is to demonstrate respect. This is easy to do with someone who thinks like us. However, it is just as critical to channel respect towards people with unconventional ideas or to those who don’t exactly look like an expert. Sometimes, these people (who may not feel the pressure to align to the status quo) can be the wisest of them all.
Channeling respect for people across all walks of life can be challenging in some situations. We can overcome this by understanding their history, seeking their input and appreciating their perspective. We don’t need to agree with everything they say. Respect simply dictates that we listen and consider their perspective. Respecting someone else means we intrinsically value them. Our true feelings cannot be effectively masked. What we feel will be heard by the other person.
- Understanding
Effective leaders seek to understand unique, individual goals across their team. They ask questions. They learn what drives individuals, including which parts of the job are most appealing. They understand individual challenges and frustrations. They make connections. They listen.
- Planned
Effective leaders plan their messages and link them to strategic priorities. They structure messages and deliver them efficiently. They encourage timelines and regular reviews. They ensure single points of responsibility for specific tasks.
- Simplicity
Clarity comes through simplicity. Effective leaders avoid tangents that dilute key 
messages. They rephrase things that are overly complicated. They strip away extraneous details where appropriate. They focus their team on its core competencies.
- Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm is contagious. Effective leaders channel focused passion towards a worthwhile purpose. They know they have to demonstrate excitement before they can instill the same in their team.
- Repetition
Effective leaders reinforce key messages at every opportunity – in meetings, reports and 
emails. They reiterate the ultimate purpose of projects. They link tasks to strategic priorities.
- Feedback
Balanced and constructive feedback is critical among teams. Effective leaders help their team experience mastery while remaining open to improvement. They coach team members to achieve their goals. They encourage self-reflection. They ask for feedback in return.
- Trust
Effective leaders foster a trusting environment grounded in freedom, support and appreciation. They dispel fear and encourage innovation. They accept setbacks as part of the process and keep people focused on the ultimate goal. They champion a positive environment where interpersonal relationships are strong and people feel good about coming to work.
- Collaboration
Effective leaders foster a collaborative team mentality. They gain upfront agreement. They meet regularly to provide support, input and encouragement. They mutually agree upon deadlines and hold people accountable.
10. Outcome-Focused
Ultimately, all actions should focus on the outcomes we hope to achieve. Effective leaders help their team to truly own their individual work. They avoid directing them with each step but provide support as appropriate. They provide an appropriate level of autonomy.
Overall, these ten communication principles enable us to lead a thriving team. Our team receives the support and focus it requires. Collectively, we achieve outstanding results. And that makes our role as a leader pretty fulfilling.
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