Communicate Like a Leader Connecting Strategically to Coach, Inspire, and Get Things Done

Draw Them In, Don’t Drive Them Away!


People often get promoted to leadership positions without knowing how to communicate an inspiring strategic vision to the people who report to them. So they focus on what they know: tactics, not strategy. As a result, they become stuck in micromanagement mode.

Dianna Booher wants to prevent micromanagement before it happens by providing you with the right leadership communication skills. Grounded in extensive research, this book offers practical guidelines to help professionals think, coach, converse, speak, write, meet, and negotiate strategically to deliver results. In thirty-six brief chapters, Booher shows you how to communicate effectively to audiences up and down the organization so you can fulfill your most essential responsibilities as a leader.

Winner of the 2018 Axiom Award Silver Medal in the Networking Category.

Dianna Booher is CEO of Booher Research Institute and the author of forty-seven books, which have collectively sold almost 4 million copies. Her clients include twelve of the twenty-five largest corporations in America.

Contents

Introduction The challenge of leadership communication I
Part 1
Strategic Leadership
Think Long-term investment in people and payoff

chapter 1 Communicating as a leader and as a manager 11
chapter 2 have a ready answer for THIS one key question-- always 15
chapter 3 Make sure the team knows the deliverables 18
chapter 4 Build a Culture of Trust 24
chapter 5 Hire Based on Core Character and Competency 27
chapter 6 Nix Micromanaging and Other Negatives 32
chapter 7 Squelch the Urge to Hoard 36

chapter 8 Guide With Strategic Questions 39
chapter 9 Dislodge Log-Jamming Directives 42
chapter 10 Become a Coach, Not a Critic 45
chapter 11 Give Kudos That Count 49
chapter 12 Fire People to Be Fair 52
chapter 13 Energize Rather Than Demoralize 56
chapter 14 Course-Correct Quickly After Bad Decisions 60
chapter 15 Develop Your People 64
PART 2
STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS
Connect With Intent
chapter 16 Be Intentional About Your Communication Standards 73
chapter 17 Be a Leader Who Laughs 78

chapter 18 Respond Promptly in the Age of Twitter 83
chapter 19 Learn to Apologize or Pay the Penalty 86
chapter 20 Keep Your Networks Active 89
PART 3
STRATEGIC NEGOTIATIONS
Look for Mutual Opportunities
chapter 21 Determine Your Goals, Value, and Walk-Away Point 97
chapter 22 Adopt Strategic Negotiation Practices 101
chapter 23 Aim to Do the Second Deal 105
PART 4
STRATEGIC SPEAKING
Persuade Minds and Win Hearts
chapter 24 Increase Your Executive Presence 111
chapter 25 Dump Your Data to a Storyline 117
chapter 26 Engage With Great Stories 121
chapter 27 Be Brief or Be Dismissed 128
chapter 28 Prepare for Off-the-Cuff Comments 131
PART 5
STRATEGIC WRITING
Write to the Point
chapter 29 Let Them See How You Think 137

chapter 30 Trust the TA-DA TemplateTM 142

chapter 31 Use Social Media Strategically—Don’t Spray Paint 146
PART 6
STRATEGIC MEETINGS
Deliver Results When You Meet
chapter 32 Consider a Meeting Before the Meeting 155
chapter 33 Plug Power Into Your Agenda 157

chapter 34 Make Little Meeting Matters a Big Deal 160
chapter 35 Meet Like You Mean Business 164
chapter 36 Know Your Meeting ROI 169

Next Steps 173
Notes 175
Acknowledgments 179
Bibliography 177
Index 181
About the Author 189
How to Work With Dianna Booher and Booher Research 191