The Power of Communication- Part 1

Angeles Arrien in The Four Fold Way presented three universal powers: power of presence, communication and position. Memorable leaders exemplified all three: Martin Luther King and his unforgettable speeches, Ghandi and others who stand out.

The Power of Communication

Being skilled as a communicator amounts to merging content, context and timing. Obama appears to be a master orator who gains fans outside the U.S. quite simply because he is an effective communicator speaking from a real and genuine place. His core energy and presence, which carries the words, is aligned. The listener has no doubt that his word is good.

There was a time when a handshake confirmed a business deal that, even if it went wrong, the parties could be trusted to sit down and come to an agreement out of mutual respect. It was all in the trust that went with what you said was what you meant...to the heart and core.

When a saleperson does not speak from his own truth, but relies on formula, ultimately it is detected. Robots may be able to communicate but relationships are made with sincere people. Oddly, a quick look at sales blogs reveals not much in the way of the basic skills, even less about the need to be really you in terms of how you communicate with customers.

Self-leadership as it applies to sales at least, is a simple place to gain clarity. It is not in the words. Mastery is found in the zone of awareness where you are attuned to all of the cues that inform timing, , choice of words and the tone - the genuine feeling that each word carries.

Right now, everyone is a leader and leads themselves through each interaction. How you communicate is not a matter of being a master of the language, though that helps, but is more a matter of being a master of assessing the situation and speaking to what matters from a place that is true. Being impeccable with your word is a simple place to start. In environments where there are unwritten codes about conforming or adhering to a party line, that is much easier said than done.