Being a leader is like being a parent…it is a monumental task. Whether you are leading entire organizations, small groups, or just one other person, the responsibility you have is immeasurable. You could literally be the one person that guides another to the next step on their career path. As a leader, you have the ability to inspire others, shape their lives, and teach them invaluable skills that will serve them for life. You have probably heard the saying “with great power comes great responsibility” and nowhere is that truer than in a leadership role.

When awarded a leadership position, there are usually many pre-requisites and responsibilities that are lined out for us. “Communicate well” isn’t always listed in the job description, but it should be. And, even if “great communication skills” is listed in the job requirements, that is such a broad and undefined level of skill that it’s hard to know if your skills meet the...

If you have been around here for a while, you know that I talk a lot about communication (I mean, it IS my thing…so go figure) and I talk mostly about how communication is the key element to success in so many areas of your life, especially your business or professional life.

So much of what we discuss here at 10-4 has to do with how communication influences this or that and how you can bolster your success by improving your skills. Today I am going to keep it simple and give you my three-step practical process for ensuring your communication is flowing like water! 

I learned this process when I was in the military, where communication in a platoon of 50 plus Marines, is paramount to mission success! This simple process helps you maintain open communication and ensures everyone has the information they need to be successful.

The simple process consists of 3 questions you ask yourself:

1. WHAT do I know?
2. WHO needs to know it? 
3. HAVE I told them? 

Let’s apply...

In most situations, there are multiple ways to get something done. Communication is no different. While there are usually many ways you can say something, some ways are better or more effective than others.

Think about the last time you asked someone to do something. If you said "Hey, do XYZ for me" you might be met with rolling eyes or even get ignored all together. But if you say something like "I'd appreciate your help, would you please do XYZ for me" then you are more likely to get that person to help you!

Asking for help isn't the only situation where how you phrase your request can make all the difference in the response you get. In this blog post we will discuss 5 ways to rephrase what you need to say so that you will get the response you desire!

1. Try replacing "I'm sorry" with "thank you." Instead of saying "Sorry I'm late" try saying "Thanks for your patience" or "Thank you for waiting for me." This simple rephrase immediately takes your words from a place of stress and...

Communicating is something we all do. Everything we do communicates information in some way: a baby cries to communicate hunger, a child screams to communicate fear, some people fold their arms to communicate disgust, we use language to communicate everything.

While communicating for basic needs is ingrained in us at birth, communicating at a professional level has to be learned. Culture, community, and one's own abilities have a big impact on the communication skills they develop.

Regardless of your own level of communication skills, there are few things you can do to ensure that you always communicate effectively. Here are 5 C's of effective communication that will help you improve your skills and take your communication to the next level!

1. CLARITY: Clarity is the foundation of effective communication. Without clarity, your message or information will be lost or will have less of an impact than you want. If your information is unclear, people may not receive your message the way...

Tact is one of the traits that many leaders lack, but all should possess. Tactful leaders can engage and communicate with their subordinates in a manner appropriate to the situation without crossing the line into toxic territory. Tactful leaders have the self-awareness to know when they are being too aggressive or pushy. They can assert themselves without being aggressive and can be firm without being a bully. Subordinates will respect a tactful leader but will fear or shy away from a toxic one.

What is Tact? Tact, according to the dictionary, is "the ability to speak or act in a socially acceptable way." Tactful people are able-minded and can communicate without offending. They know when it's appropriate to be assertive and just how far they can go before they step into aggressiveness.

Think of a time when you had an encounter with a leader who was very tactful in their communication. How did that make you feel? How did that experience shape your view of that leader? How can you...

Do you feel like you are struggling be a confident leader? Leadership is not for the faint of heart, and it can be difficult to know how to build confidence when you find yourself in a leadership role. If the phrase "fake it til you make it" comes to mind, you are not alone. Leading others is not something that comes naturally to everyone, but you will have a much easier time leading with the right tools in your belt. Read on to learn about some easy tricks for building your leadership confidence.

1. Get familiar with what it feels like when you ARE confident so that you can mimic those feelings at any time - to do this, pick something you are really good at, anything at all, and talk to a friend about it. That feeling you get as you tell your friend all about XYZ that you are skilled in, THAT is confidence. Now you know what it feels like, and you can start to mimic those feelings in other situations.
2. Focus on what you do well and build from there. Leadership is a journey, not...

Leadership is a tough role. One of the hardest parts of being a leader is understanding how to lead and how to communicate what you expect from those in your charge.

One of the most important skills you can have as a leader is how to set expectations. When you're not clear about what your leadership expectations are, it's difficult for those who work under you to do their best work.

This blog post will give you some tips on how to be an effective and successful leader by understanding and communicating your leadership expectations through three different lenses: the first-hand perspective of someone working under leadership, the second-hand perspective of someone observing leadership from afar, and finally with third-party stakeholders such as colleagues or shareholders.

As someone who has both led, and been led, I can think of more than one occasion where the one doing the leading, did not clearly communicate their expectations, so not only was the end result not what they...

“Daring leaders say the unsaid, unsurface what’s been pushed down, and bring to light the stuff that’s in the shadows and in the corners.” ~Brene Brown, Dare to Lead~

But how do they do it? By learning to communicate openly, honestly, and vulnerably. They ask the hard questions, have the hard conversations, and aren’t afraid to get uncomfortable, in order to help others succeed.

Anyone who has been in a leadership role can tell you that communication is one of the top skills of a good leader. I completely agree, however, too often, even the best leaders lack the skills necessary to communicate effectively.

When tasked with a leadership role, there are usually many responsibilities that are lined out for us. Communication isn’t always in the job description, but it should be. As a leader, you must be able and willing to have the necessary conversations to make your teams and, as a result, your organization stronger.

Being a leader is a monumental...