Leaders can be great communicators, but it’s not a given. Put simply, if you don’t engage with your wider team and stakeholders and bring them with you, some aspects of the project will fail.

So many talented leaders doubt their ability to communicate effectively. Especially when they are tested by challenging project circumstances or feel that they need to go it alone.  

Leaders don’t need to be extroverts to be great communicators. 

Instead, they need absolute clarity of where the team is now and where they need to get to, the ability to engage the right voices to find solutions, and the humility to listen more than they speak.

It is understood that poor communication is a sure recipe for a poor project outcome.

BUT what is less understood is just what good communication actually is.

Too often experts use lingo and self-satisfying language and visual material to communicate. It doesn’t land with audiences because it’s not communicated in a language that they understand. Imagine for a moment the diverse backgrounds and fields of interest that make up your wider project team including key stakeholders. 

You need to tailor your message to this broad group.

I hear you, but I don’t see you - is real.

I have heard this phenomenon described as listening without hearing. Or in the case of stubborn stakeholders or team members, digging their heels in to resist the change that you’re proposing – I don’t want to listen. Preparing the ground for your audience to see and hear you is just as important as tailoring what you say and do. People need to feel understood and be ready to receive the information that you share – otherwise, it might just be hot air that you deliver.

Being able to tailor your message comes from firstly understanding what outcome you are seeking and what knowledge or agenda your audience brings to this conversation. This will determine how you frame your messaging and what visual and verbal language you use to support this.

In some cases, an audience might need to be primed first. Perhaps a more straightforward approach is to think of it as incrementally setting the scene and planting seeds.

Oren Klaff in his marketing book Flip the Script talks about the inception of ideas in the subconscious mind of those that you’re trying to persuade. I admit it sounds a bit insidious. But when you think about it, we have learned this from an early age, and I’ve caught myself as a parent especially, trying to convince my kids to do their homework or eat healthier food by some form of stealth planting of seeds. All for a good cause!

You can see the correlation between persuading a diverse group of individuals about the merits of a project and convincing a market to want the products and services of a business. You’re effectively selling the transformational qualities that your project seeks to deliver. 

Tailoring your communication so that it resonates with your specific audience is key. 

This can be thoughtfully considered throughout each stage of your project. It’s not a one size fits all approach. Lessons from the advertising and marketing industries can certainly help. Phil Jones in his book Exactly What to Say talks about the power of simple, magic words. He reinforces the sequence and use of open-ended questions that can often determine the success of the conversation and tell you whether someone has listened and understood you. 

In the context of the built environment, this essentially means adapting to suit diverse audiences such as shareholders, regulatory authorities, communities and technical or design teams. It also means being able to translate a design into tangible benefits like the return-on-investment value, long-term local employment opportunities and providing much-needed community amenities - depending on whom you are engaging with.

Seeing this done masterfully is something very special to witness. 

I want to reiterate that being a great communicator starts with having great clarity, surrounding yourself with talented and diverse voices that you trust and being willing to listen - even when there are dissenting voices.

Honing your communication and listening skills will not only help you to sharpen your focus, make smarter decisions but also to lighten your load.

I am keen to spark conversations for leaders within the built environment so that they can share their experiences and lighten their load. I have written a book that is intended as a pragmatic blueprint to support courageous leaders in pursuit of high-quality project outcomes.

Our industry has some amazing opportunities and challenges ahead, that can use collective wisdom. You can check out my new book BUILD SUCCESS or follow me with the links below. 

Enabling your success!