Hiring smart people doesn’t guarantee success. Unfortunately, that’s a disappointing lesson many organizations waste time and resources on having to learn. Expertise and unique positioning can’t overcome weak communication skills. If you can’t communicate the value of your work to your target audiences, you’re working against yourself. Communication skills are as vital for your key experts as their expertise itself. Here’s why they need help:
1) Don’t Separate the Experts from Communicating the Expertise.
Handing off the findings and work of your key researchers, subject matter experts and most accomplished employees to other staff who are better communicators can dilute the power of both. Your key audiences want to hear from the source and judge the value of what they’re hearing. Make sure those who know the most can communicate well about what they know. You’ll have more resources to tap into and fill your bench with more valuable contributors to your overall success.
2.) Communication is a learned skill and worth developing.
Encouraging and developing the skills of your experts to ‘own’ their expertise helps both them and the organization. In reality, no one is a “born communicator”. Even those who enjoy the spotlight need to learn how to best connect with those they want to inform and influence. Building communication confidence is an investment worth making in any organization, regardless of the title of the communicator.
3.) Communication is a core competency
Communication skills are the glue in every organization, whether the audience is internal or external. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing communications as “soft skills” in the category of ‘nice to haves’, but unnecessary. Communication is a core competency in every industry, and with every level of employee responsible for impacting your brand and your reputation.
We hope you reach out to us for communications training and support but however you do it, do invest in building communication skills. It’s an investment in your own organization’s success.
1) Don’t Separate the Experts from Communicating the Expertise.
Handing off the findings and work of your key researchers, subject matter experts and most accomplished employees to other staff who are better communicators can dilute the power of both. Your key audiences want to hear from the source and judge the value of what they’re hearing. Make sure those who know the most can communicate well about what they know. You’ll have more resources to tap into and fill your bench with more valuable contributors to your overall success.
2.) Communication is a learned skill and worth developing.
Encouraging and developing the skills of your experts to ‘own’ their expertise helps both them and the organization. In reality, no one is a “born communicator”. Even those who enjoy the spotlight need to learn how to best connect with those they want to inform and influence. Building communication confidence is an investment worth making in any organization, regardless of the title of the communicator.
3.) Communication is a core competency
Communication skills are the glue in every organization, whether the audience is internal or external. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing communications as “soft skills” in the category of ‘nice to haves’, but unnecessary. Communication is a core competency in every industry, and with every level of employee responsible for impacting your brand and your reputation.
We hope you reach out to us for communications training and support but however you do it, do invest in building communication skills. It’s an investment in your own organization’s success.
