You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere. ~ Lee Iacocca

When we think about our idea of successful leaders many traits come to mind. Some of those leadership qualities are:

• Ability to inspire others
• Ability to empower others
• Positive attitude
• Responsible
• Honest
• Trustworthy
• Integrity
• Innovative
• Perseverance and determination
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS

If you take a look at many of those skills listed above, the way leaders communicate is how they inspire others, express their positive attitude, show they are responsible, trustworthy, responsible and so on.

“The art of communication is the language of leadership.” ~ James Humes

When great leaders have command of their communication skills they have the ability to nurture the skills of those who “follow” them. When this happens there is an opportunity for the followers to evolve into leaders.

Open Communication: Defy Me!

Most companies I have worked for large or small, have desired hiring “like-minded people.”  However, like-minded doesn’t mean employees are exactly alike in thought, action, communication, etc.

One of the companies I worked at had an incredible boss/mentor/leader who often told us at staff meetings, “I want you to share your ideas and thoughts; “I want you to disagree with me!”  

How cool is that! It’s hard at first when you are not use to voicing your unwarranted opinions. But she fostered the environment for us to grow, think and act on our own as well as a group. Overtime we were able not only communicate ideas with our boss, but also with our managers and colleagues.

Now, we didn’t always disagree with her, but she wanted us to become comfortable to come to her (even privately) and pitch our ideas or discuss potential improvement of other organizational programs and processes — We were her team and she treated us as such.

Of course this doesn’t mean the boss always said yes. However, she would kindly thank us for the input and/or provide further explanation or gives us recommendations to tweak our ideas so they would be approved.

In the end, she fostered an environment where we could express and share our thoughts (i.e. confront her) and she trusted and respected our opinions. As a result, we all felt vested in the company.

Bright Idea!

In fact, one year at the same company our bosses created a contest called, “Bright Idea!”

All employees were eligible to participate and submit business proposals for an unlimited number of ideas for new products to process changes. For each idea the company utilized/implemented the employee got a cash bonus. The winner earned the grand prize: Big Cash-money!

Collectively the ideas shared earned the company a revenue increase (I worked with some really bright people)!

Of course this doesn’t always mean the boss always said yes, but she would kindly thank us for the input and/or explain why we must continue to something a certain way or gives us recommendations to tweak our ideas so they would be approved.  In the end, she fostered an environment where we could express and share our thoughts (i.e. confront her) and she trusted and respected our opinions – we all felt vested in the company.

Remember, bosses, leaders, advisers, and professors are human. We don’t have all the answers and we make mistakes; we are all human.

There is a level of finesse to approach your supervisors or bosses to discuss differences of opinion/suggestion. This is an article that may help get you there:    http://www.nydailynews.com/jobs/disagree-boss-losing-job-article-1.961759

It is okay to communicate and make decisions based on your ethical views; often your unique ideas can benefit the business!

You don’t need to be a leader to think, act and communicate like one!

Reference

Brox, D. (2011, October 5).   How to disagree with your boss — without losing your job. Retrieved March 16, 2013 from http://www.nydailynews.com/jobs/disagree-boss-losing-job-article-1.961759