Category: The Leader’s Playbook

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The Leaders Playbook: Clear, concise, correct communications

“Communications: the imparting or exchanging of information or news.”

“It does not matter what you say, it only matters what people hear and see.”

                                                Frank Luntz from “Words that Work”

Frank Luntz got this quote mostly right.  I have always inserted the words “and feel” to this quote.

As human beings, we rely on communications to connect with each other.  It comes in many forms but in the end, it’s about connecting at a deep enough level to engender trust and confidence in each other and to align our efforts against an issue, problem, or opportunity.  It is not a one-way flow of information.  That’s transmitting.

In my opinion, perhaps the most important skill a leader must have is the ability to clearly and effectively communicate at multiple levels.  Clear, concise, correct, and meaningful communications is something that is absolutely critical to being able to lead people successfully – and we all need to work at it. 

Sound communication is a perishable skill.  I know I will always strive to improve my verbal communications, my written communications (why I write), my non-verbal communications, and my listening skills. 

Great communicators listen well, and pass information which informs, inspires, and connects people and teams to do incredible things together.  So, commit today to do some thinking about how you are going to improve as a communicator.

The Author is currently serving as an active-duty military officer. Any comments or recommendations on this post or on this site are solely my personal views and do not represent the position of any branch of the United States Government.

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The Leaders Playbook: Developing winning, losing, and equal cues.

For some, air to air combat (e.g. “dogfighting”) can be a high-speed, high-stress evolution.  In flying fighters, our goal is to always keep our cool, “stay frosty” (See my previous blog post), and work the problem before us in an antiseptic, unemotional fashion in order to win every time. 

Coming off the Tanker. Copyright by Chris Lofting

As an instructor pilot, I’ve spent a lot of time teaching flight leads and mission commanders about leading in combat.  One of the early things I spend time with them thinking about is the need to develop a set of cues that will help them quickly determine if they are winning, equal, or losing against the enemy. 

These cues can come from a variety of sources including the radio, our geographical location, our altitude, how many enemy airplanes we have shot down, how many we have lost, how many weapons we have remaining, etc.  The sources of information are many. 

The key is that we are mentally thinking about these cues and the context in which we are processing this information, which allows us to quickly understand how the fight is going and make adjustments on the fly. 

I teach the same approach when I’m talking to young leaders regardless of their industry.  I stress to them that regardless of who or what you are leading, whether it’s a flight of F-16s, a Special Forces Team, or a group of Accountants or Consultants, leaders should develop a set of winning, losing, and equal cues to help them be their most effective.

What are yours?

The Author is currently serving as an active-duty military officer. Any comments or recommendations on this post or on this site are solely my personal views and do not represent the position of any branch of the United States Government.