Summary: Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

Review and Analysis of Baldoni's Book

BusinessNews Publishing

• Publisher: Must Read Summaries
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9782806243447
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business Biographies
• Index: Business

The must-read summary of John Baldoni’s book: “Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders”.

This complete summary of the ideas from John Baldoni’s book “Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders” shows that in order to be an effective leader, you need to be a good communicator. The author explains how this means understanding that communication needs to be about speaking and listening in order to be effective and improve your leadership skills. By following the step-by-step solutions, you can adopt some of the techniques of today’s greatest leaders and master the art of communication.

Added-value of this summary:
• Save time
• Understand key principles
• Expand your communication skills

To learn more, read “Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders” and find out how you can improve your communication skills to become a truly great leader.

Summary of Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders (John Baldoni)

1. Develop the right leadership message

The main purpose of a business communication is to build trust. Before any leader gets too focused on communicating, they take the time to make sure the message they are planning on delivering is precisely what the organization needs. Developing the message not only involves thinking about what to say but also how to say it. The key points to remember in developing memorable leadership messages are:

1. Understand and specify your main purpose
2. Answer everyone’s unspoken question: “Why?”
3. Use the Four I’s: Inform – Involve – Ignite – Invite
4. Plan your communication strategies
5. Use e-Communication effectively and intelligently
6. Develop a great stand-up message

1. Understand and specify your main purpose

Messages from the leader of any organization have great significance for the people within the organization mainly because they set the tone for what people think, talk about and do. Since the communication will reflect the personality and philosophy of the leader, these messages also play a strong role in shaping the culture and values of the organization as a whole.

To be more specific, good leadership communications can achieve the following objectives:

• Let people know where the organization is heading and what it stands for – by affirming its vision and mission.
• Drive change initiatives – by explaining to people why change is needed and what that will mean.
• Issue a call to action – by introducing and popularizing a key initiative.
• Reinforce the organization’s strengths – and make people feel good about current capabilities and capacities.
• Create an appetite for change – by providing the rationale for why change is required and what steps will need to be taken.
• Promote a specific product, service or brand – by affirming the link between that offering and the organization’s vision, mission or values.

For example, Winston Churchill became prime minister of Britain in May 1940 just as the country was standing alone against Nazi Germany. He then went on to deliver some of the most inspiring messages ever crafted by a statesman. With his speeches, he rallied the resolve of the British people and gave them complete ownership of their own destiny. By crafting his messages to the urgent needs of his people, Churchill secured a place in history as one of Great Britain’s finest political leaders.

“You ask, what is our aim? I can answer with one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. Let that be realized: no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, and I say, ‘come then, let us go forward with our united strength.”

– Winston Churchill

2. Answer everyone’s unspoken question: “Why?”

Before a leader can put together effective communications, he or she needs to understand what role they are attempting to play. As a rule-of-thumb, leaders can cast themselves in one of four general roles:

1. As an expert in this field – or the protector of the organization’s culture. Corporate leaders who are attempting to be an expert will keep close watch on their human resources and constantly evaluate whether the right people are in place and how best to groom the next generation of business leaders. Experts always attempt to make rational decisions on the basis of facts rather than opinions.
2. As a visionary – whose passion is the main driving force in everything they do. These leaders speak from deep within to motivate others. People may doubt their conclusions but nobody will ever doubt their conviction or their passion.
3. As a coach – who wants everyone in the organization to succeed. These types of corporate leaders teach the fundamentals and do more training than anything else. They also attempt to provide a useable framework or formula for success.
4. As a transformer – with a mission to take the organization from where it is now to where it needs to be in the future. When these leaders communicate, they are attempting to sell others on the benefits of coming along with them.

Bearing in mind that leaders may choose to be the expert one day and a coach the next, a good leader always give some thought beforehand as to what they are trying to achieve with each communication:

• Am I attempting to provide enough information to explain something new?
• Am I trying to overcome the anticipated objections of my listeners?
• Am I trying to sell...

Table of contents

• Title page
• Book Presentation
• Summary of Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders (John Baldoni)
• About the Summary Publisher
• Copyright