Don’t Get Lost in Translation: Communication for Mission-Driven Servant Leaders

Imagine if you perfectly communicated everything you intended to communicate in exactly the right tone and pace in every meeting you conducted. What if your organization operated with perfect communication, where your team conveyed every message well and made every decision collaboratively and decisively?

Picture a workplace where all team members feel empowered to express their thoughts and opinions openly, knowing that they will be heard and respected. Ideas would be flowing, sparking creativity and innovation at every turn. There would be no fear of judgment, only a shared commitment to achieving shared goals.

What a world, right?! 😂

Communication is often viewed as the most critical skill for a leader, and it’s not without reason. Effective communication is the foundation of effective leadership. It allows leaders to articulate their vision, build strong relationships, and inspire action among their teams. 

The Importance of Communication for Leaders

Communication is a part of every aspect of leadership. From discussing the organizational vision to providing feedback, handling conflicts, and encouraging collaboration, effective communication impacts all that you do as a leader. In fact, your leadership effectiveness is directly linked to your ability to communicate empathetically and authentically.

The Three Critical Components of Effective Communication

While communication encompasses many areas, there are 3 key components:

Listening

Listening is not just hearing words. Listening is active. Effective leaders listen with their eyes, ears, and intuition, paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues. By practicing active listening, you suspend judgment, withhold your initial response, and engage with what is going on in the present moment. You can assess and respond later. Listening fully allows you to build empathy and trust.

Understanding

Understanding is not just comprehension. Understanding is about being genuinely curious about the underlying meaning and context of what is being said. Leaders who seek to understand before seeking to be understood will be much more effective with their teams. Ask open-ended questions like: 

• What does that mean? 
• What makes you think that? 

Then, repeat what you heard them say starting with, “What I think I heard you say is…”

By asking probing questions and creating open dialogue, you can bridge the gap in understanding that causes misunderstandings and conflict.

“As a leader, remember, YOU are responsible for making sure the message is delivered and received as intended.” – Jon Kidwell

FREE – Helpful Guide to help Leaders Communicate Well and Inspire Their Teams:

Sharing

Sharing is not simply stating your thoughts and ideas aloud. Sharing is about communicating your message with clarity, simplicity, and relevance.  Sharing also involves making sure that your message is received as intended.

When you are preparing to share, ask yourself the question, “What do I want them to know/do?” Make sure you are clear on this answer. 

Then, repeat your message over and over and over again.  Many say that it takes people 21 times to hear something before they internalize the message.

Leaders are repeaters. 

Meaning if it’s worth saying, it’s worth repeating.  

Communicating Your Mission as a Business

Beyond interpersonal communication in your team, leaders must also effectively communicate their organization’s mission and values. This is critical to reinforce a shared purpose and guide decision-making throughout the organization. 

Here’s how you can start communicating your mission effectively:

Get Clear on the Mission and Desired Outcomes

You must communicate the organization’s mission and desired outcomes clearly and concisely. By aligning every task and initiative with the overarching mission, you’ll instill a sense of purpose and direction within the team.

Choose a Day and Method for Delivery

Consistency is key to effective communication. Establish a regular cadence for sharing the mission with your team, whether through weekly meetings, email updates, or other communication channels. It doesn’t matter the day or the time. What matters is that you do it over and over and over again. 

Share Stories with a Consistent Framework

Stories have a unique ability to captivate attention and get complex ideas across in a relatable way. You can incorporate storytelling into your communication strategy by using real-life stories from your team to illustrate the impact of the mission on individuals and the organization as a whole.

I’m going to leave you with a practical exercise. 

Uncommon Leadership Communication Phrases You Should Try.

During discussions, meetings, and decision-making, it’s all too common to find ourselves using the wrong words. This often leads to unintended consequences that undermine our genuine intentions of providing help, service, and guidance. 

Rather than creating an atmosphere of collaboration and understanding, we may inadvertently come across as rigid, closed-minded, or overly assertive. To counter this, let’s explore three uncommon phrases that can help us communicate more effectively.  

1. “I don’t know…”

Recognize that it’s perfectly acceptable – and even beneficial – to admit when we don’t have all the answers. In fact, acknowledging our limitations opens the door for others to contribute their insights and expertise. By demonstrating humility and courage in saying “I don’t know,” we signal our commitment to prioritizing the collective good over our ego. 

2. “My perspective is…”

Our unique experiences, beliefs, and biases shape our perspectives, and they may not always align with objective reality. By starting our statements with “My perspective is,” we acknowledge the subjective nature of our viewpoints. This also invites others to share their own. 

You might even try adding the phrase, “I am not sure, but my perspective (or understanding) at this point is…”. This further shows our willingness to engage in candid discussions and explore alternative viewpoints.

3. “What I think I heard was…”

In meetings and discussions, misunderstandings can arise, which might lead to confusion. Because of this, we must clarify what we understood. By paraphrasing and summarizing key points with the phrase “What I think I heard was,” we create an opportunity to clarify any misinterpretations so everyone is on the same page. 

Effective communication is not only a skill but a fundamental characteristic of servant leadership.

If you want to learn more about communication and how to be a servant leader, check out the Leadwell Podcast. Dedicated to helping mission-driven leaders lead well, Jon Kidwell and his special guests will inspire and encourage you. 

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