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The fear of public speaking is overrated.
I hate to break it to you, but this fear does not even rank on the top 10 fears in the modern world. This surprised me as well as I researched for this piece. Instead, things like spiders, snakes, dogs, not being good enough, risk, failure, rejection, all rank - but not public speaking. In the modern functioning business world public speaking skills are essential for success for any business leader.
To me, communication is very personal. How we effectively communicate with others matters on many levels. In the end, being an effective communicator is the goal. To outwardly convey a message, that is received as intended, with desired awareness or action taken. In a nutshell, there it is.
Active Listening in the workplace (and the rest of life) does not come naturally for many--myself included, and I lead this group! Those who master this skill build better relationships, find more meaningful clarity, achieve goals, maximize potential, and develop superior problem-solving skills. For these reasons alone, and there are several more, we as leaders must enhance our listening skills.
What drives employee engagement? Commitment in the family business requires priority from everyone. The word "priority" might be a strange qualifier, but let me explain.
I believe commitment begins on a personal level. Without the foundational personal commitment skillset established as a priority, one cannot have high professional or organizational Commitment abilities.
Further, I think a connection links character with commitment. Commitment reflects what you want, and Character indicates how you will do it as a leader. Therefore, developing and maintaining a family business organizational Vision, Mission, and Values Statement is imperative. If you are serious, a family governance constitution formalizes with priority all family expectations, deliverables, and responsibilities.
Our communication style effects our unique personal effectiveness. The words we choose matter if we wish to communicate effectively personally, professionally, and organizationally! It's a mindset thing. If you work with me, you know mindset is everything. Our mindset establishes our tone. If the mindset is out of balance, desired outcomes, and thus profitability, will no doubt follow suit.
What is one typical effect of growth for a business? Effective business communication is my answer. This might surprise you, but business growth depends on the ability of the team at all levels to communicate effectively. Internally and externally. Communication is a system. Those who understand this can make measured improvements and teach others how to do the same. The business will experience growth at all levels if implemented effectively, with intentional work. If left to circumstance and interpretation, communication variables will rule the day and fall short of desired outcomes.
To me, it boils down to identifying critical inputs and outputs. Communication at the personal, professional, and organizational levels is a system. If done correctly, the team, customer, and company will have their needs met. Done incorrectly…you know the drill. Wasted resources, frustration, loss of customers and valuable team members, and profitability suffers.
Managing a family business can be a complex and challenging endeavor. Along with the usual layers of responsibilities, there's the added complexity of family dynamics that can make things even more interesting. Business culture and personal relationships can become intertwined, which can be either a blessing or a curse.
Effective business communication and relationship building are both essential components of a positive work environment. Studies have proven that humans have a natural desire to relate to other human beings, and humans hope to connect with other humans and be accepted into the tribe.
