Foundational Communication Competency

I was camping with my girlfriend and some friends and we were working on packing everything up. I received directions from one person that I then needed to relay to another person, and when I had successfully done that I took a moment to think about what had just happened. I can’t remember all of the specifics, but it had something to do with packing the car and the order of events we were about to take. The communication was completely impromptu, not prepared at all, but very effective.

A few things I did in that communication,was I catered the message to be most pertinent to the receiver. I also gave them a reason why what I was about to tell them was important. I answered their follow up questions before they needed to ask it, and I shared a clear plan that they felt comfortable moving forward in their role.

The things I just listed, I didn’t think about them. I didn’t brainstorm the different elements I wanted to include in the message and think it through. It all came out naturally as part of the way I communicate, which I believe comes from years of leadership experience.

Taking that moment to step back and realize the nuances of my own communication style was really rewarding. Not only was it validating to see the progress I’ve made and my skill in practice, but it gave me a renewed confidence to be assertive in similar future situations. And the best part is it all happened subconsciously!