IT IS ALL VERY well to have talent and drive, but if you cannot get others to accept your ideas or follow your lead, you will never get close to fulfilling your true potential.
It is no coincidence that most high fliers seem to know by instinct that inspiring others is a matter of effective communication. After all, that is the key to sharing ideas, building synergy, gaining co-operation, and getting things done effectively.
On the surface, the basics of good business communication could hardly be simpler: one person talks or writes; others listen or read.
But just think how many times you have struggled to stay awake during a tedious presentation, or how often you have avoided wading through a management report that seemed irrelevant or incomprehensible. The chances that you absorbed any of the information are, at best, slim.
There is a lot more to getting a message across than simply delivering information. You must ensure that the intended message is well-received and understood.
The first step should be to know your target audience. Create a tailor-made communication plan from the outset. Without that, you will waste your time in repetitions and explanations, and end up getting misunderstood. You may even end up having to take corrective measures.