Action 5: Communication

You are likely good at knowing what to say and how to say it. It's essentially a prerequisite for holding the leadership role you do. Your communication connects your team to the overall vision and goals you are working towards. You listen deeply to the thoughts and opinions of others, and you find a way to inspire the kind of unity your business needs.

Because when you are on point, you recognize how important quality communication is, and how quickly poor communication can throw others into a tailspin.

In these moments - when you are on point - communication is not a challenge.

The communication challenge in leadership will come – as it does so often – when you forget that most of your communication happens when you least expect it. When you aren't on point. And that’s the communication that illustrates your character. The people you lead pay attention.

The totality of communication is much bigger than how you listen, what you say and how you say it. Profound Leaders understand that communication involves your actions, even when you aren't paying the most attention. Everything you do and how you do it communicates something to others. And Profound Leaders remain on point even when it doesn't seem necessary.

A leader I recently worked with said to me, "I try to ask the question, what are my actions communicating to my team? If I want them to be on time, am I on time? If I want them to be prepared, what does it mean when I am not prepared? That's the kind of communication that can get me in trouble."

Every action – from how you dress, to your promptness, to the preparedness of your work, to how you treat each team member, to having your office door open or closed – communicates something. Profound Leaders regularly ask themselves what does (this action) communicate to those around me?

I know it seems like this level of awareness is intense. Maybe even excessive. But no one said leadership was easy.

It's hard to argue otherwise. Because as soon as you do, you'll realize what you are truly communicating to the people who look for you to lead.

Go. Be Profound.