INSTANT MBA: Leaders Must Be Great Speakers

"It’s important not to be ambiguous or vague about what you want, because then people waste a lot of energy trying to figure out, well, what is she thinking? What does she want? Why is she reacting this way? And so there is a certain kind of clarity and an absence of ambiguity about goals that I think is critical. And I think one of the marks of being a more mature boss is finding that perfect balance between clarity about goals and purpose."

Schulman says it's important to be clear and concise when you're a leader. If people look up to you and want to hear what you have to say, a cloudy, convoluted message isn't going to cut it. Your employees want to know that they can trust you. If you want to establish a strong bond with them, it's important that you learn how to clearly and confidently articulate your vision for the company. Schulman also believes that every leader needs to speak up and be aware that what they say matters and impacts their colleagues greatly.

"People want to hear from you. They want your opinion. And if you don’t ever speak up and weigh in, then I think the people you lead will feel frustrated, wondering why you’re hanging back and not saying what you think. But if you’re constantly giving direction and speaking, then you’re really not encouraging conversation. And no matter how democratic you’d like to think you are as a boss, you learn that your voice is louder than others."

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