The most valuable skill in your bag

A golfer has 14 golf clubs of various sizes and use in his/her golf bag.  When asked which one is the most valuable, most, if not all golfers agree, it’s the putter.  It’s not the club that can hit the ball the farthest; it’s the one that accomplishes the end goal. We approach situations in our lives on a daily basis and applying the right skill to make the best of the situation is essential.  There is one skill that is the most valuable skill in your bag and if used correctly brings success.  This skill is communication. Communication is the art of listening, speaking, conveying, and creating.

Communicating effectively in any environment is a skill that is both profitable and powerful.

The very first ingredient in communicating effectively is listening.  Listening is a very powerful part of the communication skill set.  Try this at your next event; Start a conversation by asking a question and don’t stop asking relevant questions until the conversation ends.  End the conversation with “It was nice talking to you”. You will be seen as an effective conversationalist by only asking questions and listening.  Listening communicates that you value what others have to say.  You want to hear and understand their viewpoint.  It communicates, “let’s make this a team project, let’s win one for all."  We sometimes feel that the more we say, the more we are respected or if we have a comment about everything then we will be seen as very knowledgeable.  Actually, it’s quite the contrary.

The next ingredient in communicating effectively is solution-oriented communication.  Being an effective communicator involves communicating the challenges of the day to your team AND motivating your team to specific action(s).  However this is half utilization of the effective skill.  An effective communicator can communicate the issue but he/she can also communicate the solution just as effective.  Don’t just communicate the complaints/challenges about a situation, communicate a solution and people will want to hear what you are saying.  Solution-oriented communication is the skill set that makes a well rounded leader.  How many people do you know that have an answer to everything but the situation or those that have a situation for every answer?  An effective communicator can find (listening) the answer to every situation and can communicate the details of the challenge effectively to the team.

What are your passions?  Can you communicate your passions in as few words as possible?  Can you listen to your teammates long enough to find YOUR passion in THEIR words?  If you can do these things, you will be well on your way to building successful teams. People will seek to work with you because they know you will value their contribution and somehow you will find a common or acceptable ground that the team can rally around and make success happen.  You will be sought after as a valued team member and leader.

One of the overlooked qualifications listed on every employment criteria is effective communication skills.  The technical aspects of a job can be learned, however one has to come to the table with the communication skills to navigate the business and create successful teams.  Many times we come to new jobs with all the skills and experience imaginable but we cannot get anything meaningful accomplished because we do not possess the ability to communicate effectively, build cohesion and gather support among our team.  Without effective communication skills, we become the person that is not the “right fit."

Increase your chances of success by becoming an effective communicator.  Sharpen the most valuable skill in your bag.  Become a better listener and more solution oriented.  Practice! Practice! Practice!

   Effective communication in any Environment is Essential to success

Look for my next post "The best leaders are in Kindergarten"


Future post “Key phrases that defuse conflict”