We have put up a significant number of posts focusing on the importance of effective communication as a key contributor to success. If there is anyone left who believes technical knowhow on its own is sufficient for an effective project or business leader, think again.
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which runs GMAT testing for MBA applicants world-wide carries out their Corporate Recruiters Survey each year. The survey asks the recruitment companies that hire from leading business schools, to state what they are looking for in MBA hires.
Good communication skills outranked other core business competencies as the number one skill for the corporate recruiters looking to hire MBA graduates in 2009. It is interesting to note that this is no one-off. Communication skills have been consistently ranked in the top three in the last few years and this is not the first year they have been in the number one position.
Stakeholders (ie, people) expect to be communicated with on a regular basis. Therefore everyone in a leadership role has to be more open, honest and transparent, and be able to communicate with confidence, style and passion to inspire people; because if you don’t, you’re not going to be leading for very long.
Good communication skills, while crucial, are not the end game; you need style, substance and content, and if you can deliver it, then you’ve got the winning combination. For more on this report see: http://knowledge.insead.edu/contents/Communication-skills-steveknight-090918.cfm?vid=305
Given the significance of this data, it’s no surprise The science and art of communicating effectively has been one of our more popular workshop for a while.
Pat Weaver
Lynda Bourne
Aavssitedev's Blog