Making a leadership impact – one conversation at a time, when it matters most
When we think of leaders who are great communicators, what often comes to mind are their big public moments. However, the vast majority of leadership communication takes place person-to-person or in small groups – one conversation at a time, one connection at a time.
You can increase your leadership impact by treating each of those conversations as a vital conversation – an opportunity to convey:
You can increase your leadership impact by treating each of those conversations as a vital conversation – an opportunity to convey:
- Who you are – through personal authenticity that creates connectedness
- What matters to you – by setting context for the conversation, and
- How others can contribute – by creating meaning that draws others in
Sounds pretty straightforward ... provided you are able to set the context and the conditions for interaction. However, those opportunities are rare. The challenge lies in keeping conversations vital when confronted with challenges such as:
- Interpersonal conflict between key contributors
- Lack of alignment around business direction
- Times of rapid change and ambiguity
- Silos – departments that aren’t pulling together
- Turnover of high-potential people
- A disconnect between your leadership team and the front line
- Delivering bad news
It is in these situations that vital conversations are needed most. By “vital” we mean conversations that are genuine, courageous, straight-forward, and robust while respecting all parties involved. When conversations are vital, we discover new possibilities and unleash human potential. When vitality is absent, organizations lose energy and are robbed of productivity.
When you, as a leader, want to add more vitality to your conversations, we can support you in a number of ways:
- Help you strategize about how to address a sensitive issue in a vital way
- Facilitate a vital conversation between you and a colleague or direct report
- Gather data from key parties involved, helping you prepare to lead a vital meeting or acting as your meeting facilitator
Next time you want help in planning or facilitating a vital conversation, contact one of our consultants or email us at: info@redkeypartners.com