Premium member, Catherine Hollyman writes…
When I tell people I’m a leadership communications coach, I often get asked why a leader would engage a communications coach – surely, they know how to communicate?
Yes, you do – but just like a sports coach or a business coach my role is my job is to make sure your communication is effective and optimised for success. That you are developing and delivering the right messages, at the right time, in the right way to reach, resonate and connect with your intended audiences.
5 signs to look out for…
1. Time (or rather a lack of it!)
You have a million unread emails in your inbox and your diary is triple booked. As a result, you communicate ‘on the fly’, reducing the impact of your message and potentially sending mixed messages over time. You need structure and a plan to bring consistency to your communication.
2. Self-confidence and self-assurance
You have a tendency to shy away from or delegate your leadership communication responsibilities – in particular presentations and speaking engagements – to others. You need to step out of the shadows and start demonstrating your credibility as a leader by sharing your ideas, knowledge and expertise more publicly.
3. Low engagement amongst your team
People work in silos and the culture isn’t great – you need to develop a clear mission, vision, direction and set of values that inspires and unites your team and connects with each individual so they know what they are contributing towards every day.
4. Your business or team is going through a period of change
There is confusion, distrust and unrest amongst your customers, team members, peers, and other stakeholders. You need to demonstrate compassion and provide them with clarity and certainty in a period of uncertainty.
5. You’re looking for your next career move
Or you want to attract more customers to your business. You need to establish your personal brand and build your leadership presence and profile so you are recognised as an expert in your field.
Yes – you know how to communicate. But when you are pulled in so many different directions, communication can easily slip to a nice to have.
But as a leader you are constant communicating something to your team, customers and networks. So a leadership communications coach is there:
- To ensure you are constantly communicating at your best and with purpose
- To equip you with the knowledge, skills and resources to inform, inspire and influence your audiences
- And finally, to help you connect with your stakeholders so you can contribute with maximum impact and really fulfil your potential as a leader.
Catherine Hollyman is a Premium member, communications coach and the founder of Behind The Scenes Communication. If you’d like to learn more about speaking with impact and influence your audience, she’d love to help.
Catherine has just launched a group coaching option for her Communicate to Connect program. It includes 13 x 1-hour coaching sessions and ongoing support. To register your interest, simply fill in this form and Catherine will be in touch.
