Effective communication is the most important aspect in being an effective leader. Being able to understand one's teammates and communicating with them is crucial, in order for a team to work together properly.
Characteristics of an Efficient Leader
Before discussing about how to communicate effectively with teammates, it would be better to discuss what are the characteristics of an efficient leader.
First is having ability to make quick decision when necessary which requires good understanding of situation at hand followed by the capability of explaining it persuasively to their teammates including making them accept that decision especially if they are not convinced by you in the first place.
Furthermore, team members must be given proper responsibilities according to their skillset and task assigned must be completed within allotted time frame similarly distributed evenly among team members where each member acts autonomously.
With that in mind, the next part would be how to communicate with teammates most effectively. Here are some strategies:
1) Be clear on what teams' goal is. Each member of the team must know exactly what is needed to be achieved for them give their best shot. This allow each members to dedicate themselves into thinking about their assigned task and not getting distracted by other things that may not relate directly to what they will be doing.
2) Eliminate any kind of doubt or uncertainty as much as possible where there isn't a single doubt among all team members and targets/deadlines are clearly communicated between leaders and subordinates along with who will do certain tasks if there's more than one person sharing responsibility. Any questions asked must be answered immediately where leaders should not hesitate to answer them truthfully.
This become more effective if trust among teammates are built quickly either by being truthful or by following through promises given e.g. if leader assigns task A to one member who does it successfully, this give other team members the impression that leader is trustworthy enough so when they are assigned another task later on, they can leave it in their hands without worrying much about deadline or results.
3) Leaders should be null to deal with stress well by being self-sufficient and seeking help from their teammates rather than depending on others all the time since nobody is perfect and only way for a good team to get good results is working together as a unit while individuals depend on each other.
4) Lastly, if teammates are not happy with their leader, they will become reluctant to share ideas and try harder to think of ways to undermine your authority. As such, leaders should be able to work well under pressure and adapt quickly when plans take wrong turns or unexpected changes happen in order for them to be more persuasive and inspire confidence in their teammates.
Every child has the right to good quality education. Yet, there are several factors that determine how successful a student will be in school which include their social skills. Effective communication is important because it allows children to interact with their peers and communicate their feelings.
There are four basic skills that every child should acquire when it comes to effective communication. These key skills will allow children to successfully learn how to communicate with others in order to meet certain needs like learning, friendship, and healthy self-esteem.
Basic Skills for effective Communication
The four basic skills for effective communication are:
1) Listening; 2) Speaking; 3) Nonverbal Communication; 4) Reading (and writing). Under each of these categories, there are more specific key skills necessary for effective communication which are important for students to learn when they are young.
Listening
Listening is essential in order for one to be an effective communicator. If children do not listen, it will be difficult for them to respond or participate in a conversation effectively. This skill is ranked as the most important nonverbal communication skill because listening requires making eye contact and focusing on what someone else is saying. Children must also refrain from interrupting people while they are speaking and allow them to finish their thoughts before responding (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2012).
Listening skills can help children meet their social needs with friends by allowing them to act responsibly with other people. It can also help with self-esteem by giving children confidence that they matter and their voices deserve attention (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2012).
Speaking
Speaking is another important communication skill necessary for effective communication. When children have strong speaking skills, they are able to effectively share their thoughts and ideas with others in a way that can be heard and understood.
Again, listening plays an essential role when it comes to speaking because if one does not listen to what others have to say before responding, they will not be able communicate effectively (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2012). Speaking also helps meet the social needs of friendship.
When children speak up during group projects or conversations at school or in the community, they are more likely to meet friends who share similar interests and standards (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2012). Children may also use speaking skills in order to get their needs met when they are not being met by others.
Nonverbal communication Skills
Nonverbal communication is any form of communication that does not rely on words or spoken language alone. Examples of nonverbal communication include facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, touch, tone of voice, distance between people, appearance and personal space (Curriculum Associates Inc., 2012).
Nonverbal communication also includes the effective use of silence at appropriate times during a conversation (Curriculum Associates Inc., 2012). Children's abilities to effectively use nonverbal communication can affect both their social and self-esteem needs.
For example, children who make positive eye contact with adults and other children may be more likely to make friends who share similar interests (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2012). Also, children who are able to use gestures or facial expressions to express their thoughts and feelings will be more likely to feel confident in themselves because they know that they can effectively communicate with others (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2012).
Reading skills and writing
Reading skills and writing ability play a crucial role in effective communication. When children do not have strong reading and writing skills, it can affect every area of their lives including social situations at school and home (Curriculum Associates, Inc. 2013).
When children struggle with these types of skills early on in school they may become frustrated which could lead to acting out in the classroom or withdrawing from work (Curriculum Associates, Inc. 2013). These behaviors can impact relationships with both peers and teachers.
For example, if children are non-compliant with their classroom work or do not complete assignments on time, they may receive lower grades which could lead to problems at home with parents (Curriculum Associates, Inc., 2013).
Conclusion
effective communication is extremely crucial especially for a team lead by a leader who want results from his/her subordinates. Leaders must understand the people he/she leads and build trust between one another.
With that in mind, it is important for leaders to make decision fast yet convincing enough so that teams' goals can be achieved without any doubts left unanswered where tasks assigned are completed within time frame and with successful results.