Skills
The best political and social leaders’ thought-out our history have also been the best communicators. Antonakis et al (2012) argue that it is their ability to communicate persuasively and charismatically with a clear, concise, visionary and inspirational message that captivates and motivates an audience. However, the best communicators are not only restricted to the political and social spheres, but can also be seen in the business world. A the study conducted by Conger (1998) observing 23 flourishing business leaders showed that a large contributing factor to their success was in their ability to use language to adapt to challenging business environments by motivating their employees, articulating a vision and strategy, and thus mobilizing their organizations.
Carlopio and Andrewartha (2012) introduce ten main key skill areas for managers, namely managing stress, self-awareness, effective communication, problem solving, power & influence, conflict and negotiation, motivation, empowering and delegation, effective change management and building teams. Out of these, the purpose of this paper is to address the importance of effective communication as a management skill. It will incorporate the concepts provided by Antonakis et al (2012) and Conger (1998) around charismatic and persuasive leaders. The paper will also identify key shortcomings in my communication style and develop an action plan to address these shortcomings.
The decision to choose communication as an area for my own improvement was largely influenced by my role at SSI (see appendix 1 and 2 for a detailed explanation of SSI and my division). In my role I am very much exposed to the top leaders in Australia – from both a client and candidate (the executive being assessed) perspective. From the client side, whilst effective communication has always been highly regarded by companies, in the more recent years – particularly following the Global Financial Crisis, I have observed an enormous
Carlopio and Andrewartha (2012) introduce ten main key skill areas for managers, namely managing stress, self-awareness, effective communication, problem solving, power & influence, conflict and negotiation, motivation, empowering and delegation, effective change management and building teams. Out of these, the purpose of this paper is to address the importance of effective communication as a management skill. It will incorporate the concepts provided by Antonakis et al (2012) and Conger (1998) around charismatic and persuasive leaders. The paper will also identify key shortcomings in my communication style and develop an action plan to address these shortcomings.
The decision to choose communication as an area for my own improvement was largely influenced by my role at SSI (see appendix 1 and 2 for a detailed explanation of SSI and my division). In my role I am very much exposed to the top leaders in Australia – from both a client and candidate (the executive being assessed) perspective. From the client side, whilst effective communication has always been highly regarded by companies, in the more recent years – particularly following the Global Financial Crisis, I have observed an enormous
References: Conger, J. (1998) “The Necessary Art of Persuasion”, Harvard Business Review, May-June, pp. 84-95 Menkes, J Morgan, N., (2008) “Managing Yourself: How to Become an Authentic Speaker”, Harvard Business Review, November, pp. 115-119 Myers, Isabel Briggs (2010) “The Myers & Briuggs Foundation Source: Carlopio, J., Andrewartha, G. (2012) ‘Developing Management Skills: A Comprehensive Guide For Leaders’, 5th edition, Pearson Australia, Frenchs Forest, p43 Skill