6 Communication Tips That Will Make You a Better Leader

6 Communication Tips That Will Make You a Better Leader 6 Communication Tips That Will Make You a Better Leader Article by Dan Scalco Whether you manage employees, coordinate a team of volunteers, serve on a board, or are in charge of juggling your familys schedule, your leadership skills hinge on your ability to communicate effectively with others. Here are six communication tips  that will make you a better leader, improve your relationships with other people, and boost your teams productivity and morale: 1. Know Yourself All good communication starts from a place of self-awareness. When youre communicating with other people, you need to be aware of your inner monologue. You dont want to take out your bad mood on someone else. Its also important to know what youre hoping to achieve from a given interaction so you can tailor your message accordingly. 2. Know Your Audience The best communication occurs when you understand the person youre speaking to. Knowing your audiences motivations, learning styles, and preferred communication methods allows you to adapt your message to make it more effective for the context. Making a personal connection facilitates empathy, puts people at ease, and builds trust. Just one caveat: In order to be effective, personal connections need to be genuine, not exploitative. 3. Be Direct, Specific, and Clear Clear communication increases the likelihood that people will comprehend your message and take whatever action you may be asking of them. Its better to over-explain something than to leave room for misunderstanding. Whenever youre delivering an assignment or asking for assistance from someone, focus on providing simple, actionable, and specific instructions. Its helpful to prepare your thoughts in advance so you can communicate all the relevant details. Dont end a conversation until youre sure the other person understands your objectives and how to achieve them. Deliver instructions in a friendly, open way so the other person knows they can approach you with follow-up questions. 4. Pay Attention to Nonverbal Communication Plenty of research suggests nonverbal communication is just as important as what a person says, if not  even more important. Facial expressions, hand gestures, posture, and eye contact all play a major role in affirming or undermining your message. Whenever youre talking with someone, try to be aware of both your own body language and the body language of your conversation partner. In particular, pay attention to whether your body language aligns with what youre saying; this will help you to be a more trustworthy communicator and make you  seem more self-assured. 5. Listen More Than You Speak One of the best ways to encourage open and honest communication within a group is to model active listening. When someone is speaking to you, really listen to what theyre saying. Ask follow-up questions to demonstrate that youre paying attention and to make sure there are no miscommunications. Keep an open mind and focus on thoughtfully responding to what people say instead of immediately reacting.  This practice builds rapport and understanding between the communicating parties. 6. Be Positive and Respectful To cultivate loyalty and boost team performance, prioritize transparent, fair, and respectful communication within the group. Dont hold your status over other people or use coercion or fear as motivators. Instead, focus on bringing an honest, positive, and ego-less attitude to every situation that arises. Serving as a cheerleader instead of an autocrat helps maintain morale and can even facilitate creativity and effective problem-solving. â€" Each of the above tips represents an ongoing practice. You wont master them in a day or even a year. Instead, youll need to commit to practicing these strategies for life. The more you implement these skills, the more theyll start to feel like second nature â€" and the more your leadership abilities will benefit. A version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com. Dan Scalco is the founder and director of marketing at Digitalux, a digital marketing agency located in Hoboken, New Jersey. Throughout his career, he has helped hundreds of businesses save time, increase leads, and maximize sales. Connect with him on LinkedIn.