A Great Manager Is A Great Communicator
A Great Manager Is A Great Communicator
Who is a great manager? Well, this question can have many answers but anyone running a management training program or management training course will tell you that – A great manager is a great communicator. This does not mean however, that all the other skills that a manager possesses are redundant. That is not what it means. But, unless you are a good communicator you cannot be a good manager.
Management training programs and management training courses will point out that good communication skills are of paramount importance to a manager. A manager has to be a great communicator if he wants to become a great manager. A great manager is one who has a vision. But, this vision will stay just that unless you communicate it properly. Communicating a vision doesn’t mean you have large message boards with your vision written on them placed at strategic locations. It might be effective to catch attention but to retain that attention you are going to have to do something else. You have to make sure that your team understands your vision and shares your vision with you. Apart from articulating your vision good communication is essential to conducting business on a day to day basis.
Most management training programs and management training courses will focus on the communication skill. It is important to understand that conversation is not communication. A good communication through conversation takes place when
• You ensure that your message is understood
• You must receive and understand the message sent to you
• You have some control over the flow of the conversation.
So, communication skill is not just about speaking but listening as well. Good communication should avoid ambiguity. If there is a chance that a message might be misunderstood then it should be clarified. Remember, that words often have different meanings in different context and cultures. For instance dry country can mean without water or without alcohol; suspenders can keep up pants as well as stockings. So, it depends on the context and the culture. How can you avoid this? Here are some tips to do that
• Repeat the message for confirmation
• If necessary write back the message
• Give proper background before speaking. This will make people aware as to which context you are going to speak about.
• Similarly, ask others about the context in which they are speaking
If you have attended management training classes then you would have had a session on management training. Here you would have been told that just like any other activity you have to plan and prepare for your conversation. State clearly and firmly; whatever it is that you are going to say. Do not lose your temper if someone else does. Be assertive. When asking question assess the situation carefully and depending on the kind of information that you want ask either open ended or close ended questions. If all you need is confirmation, then close ended questions are enough. But, if you need more information then you have to go in for open ended questions.
Communication is a two way street. And this is something that all management gurus agree on. Check on any management training manual or book any you will see that this point is being made. So, just like others listen to what you say, you have to listen to what others say. Also, nothing is more intimidating than silence. People become nervous of silence and try to fill it up with information. So, this is a great way of gathering information. At the end of any conversation summarize what has been said. Also, emphasize the outcome of the meeting.
Management meetings are an integral part of a manager’s life. The meeting can be with your superiors or subordinates. For each type of meeting your preparation and presentation has to be different. Meetings can be formal or informal. Whatever type of meeting, you have to be prepared if you want the meeting to be effective.
All management training programs or management courses specify that communication skills are one of the most important skills of a manager. So, if you want to be a great manager, then be a great communicator
A Great Manager Is A Great Communicator - To learn more about this author, visit Sean McPheat's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
A great Manager is a Great Communicator
Who is a great manager? Well, this question can have many answers but anyone running a management training program or management training course will tell you that – A great manager is a great communicator. This does not mean however, that all the other skills that a manager possesses are redundant. That is not what it means. But, unless you are a good communicator you cannot be a good manager.
Management training programs and management training courses will point out that good communication skills are of paramount importance to a manager. A manager has to be a great communicator if he wants to become a great manager. A great manager is one who has a vision. But, this vision will stay just that unless you communicate it properly. Communicating a vision doesn’t mean you have large message boards with your vision written on them placed at strategic locations. It might be effective to catch attention but to retain that attention you are going to have to do something else. You have to make sure that your team understands your vision and shares your vision with you. Apart from articulating your vision good communication is essential to conducting business on a day to day basis.
Most management training programs and management training courses will focus on the communication skill. It is important to understand that conversation is not communication. A good communication through conversation takes place when
• You ensure that your message is understood
• You must receive and understand the message sent to you
• You have some control over the flow of the conversation.
So, communication skill is not just about speaking but listening as well. Good communication should avoid ambiguity. If there is a chance that a message might be misunderstood then it should be clarified. Remember, that words often have different meanings in different context and cultures. For instance dry country can mean without water or without alcohol; suspenders can keep up pants as well as stockings. So, it depends on the context and the culture. How can you avoid this? Here are some tips to do that
• Repeat the message for confirmation
• If necessary write back the message
• Give proper background before speaking. This will make people aware as to which context you are going to speak about.
• Similarly, ask others about the context in which they are speaking
If you have attended management training classes then you would have had a session on management training. Here you would have been told that just like any other activity you have to plan and prepare for your conversation. State clearly and firmly; whatever it is that you are going to say. Do not lose your temper if someone else does. Be assertive. When asking question assess the situation carefully and depending on the kind of information that you want ask either open ended or close ended questions. If all you need is confirmation, then close ended questions are enough. But, if you need more information then you have to go in for open ended questions.
Communication is a two way street. And this is something that all management gurus agree on. Check on any management training manual or book any you will see that this point is being made. So, just like others listen to what you say, you have to listen to what others say. Also, nothing is more intimidating than silence. People become nervous of silence and try to fill it up with information. So, this is a great way of gathering information. At the end of any conversation summarize what has been said. Also, emphasize the outcome of the meeting.
Management meetings are an integral part of a manager’s life. The meeting can be with your superiors or subordinates. For each type of meeting your preparation and presentation has to be different. Meetings can be formal or informal. Whatever type of meeting, you have to be prepared if you want the meeting to be effective.
All management training programs or management courses specify that communication skills are one of the most important skills of a manager. So, if you want to be a great manager, then be a great communicator
A Great Manager Is A Great Communicator - To learn more about this author, visit Sean McPheat's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
good article, thanks,
Commented on A Great Manager Is A Great Communicator. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
|||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Sean's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Internet Marketing Campaigns Venture Capital Guide Improve Web Site Conversions Measure Customer Loyalty QuickBooks Self Quiz |
|
 | ||
 |
Write The PR
Press Release Builder | |
 |
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Marketing Blogs of 2009 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||