Billionaire Richard Branson knows a thing or two about being a successful leader. The British business magnate, who co-founded the Virgin Group in the 1970s and has a net worth of $2.5 billion (Rs 20870 crore) according to Forbes, has been managing people since he was 16 and running a magazine called ‘Student’.
The entrepreneur, who was knighted at Buckingham Palace in 2000 and is a frequent mention in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, has reiterated countless times that to be a successful leader you need to possess one important skill: communication.
In a blog post he’d penned down a few years ago, Branson had reportedly stated: “Communication makes the world go round. It facilitates human connections, and allows us to learn, grow, and progress. It’s not just about speaking or reading, but understanding what is being said—and in some cases what is not being said. Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.”
Billionaires Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and Warren Buffet, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway agree with Branson’s judgement. Inc Magazine quotes Buffet as having once told an MBA student: “At your age, the best way you can improve yourself is to learn to communicate better. Your results in life will be magnified if you can communicate them better. The only diploma I hang in my office is the communications diploma I got from Dale Carnegie in 1952…Without good communication skills, you won’t be able to convince people to follow you even though you see over the mountain and they don’t”.
So how do you become a better communicator? Here’s all you need to know.
Billionaire Richard Branson lists this one skill you need to become a successful leader
When he said “It’s not just about speaking or reading, but understanding what is being said—and in some cases what is not being said”, Branson was referring to the power of listening when it comes to communication, instead of just saying your piece and moving along to your next task. This is extremely important because it will help create a safe space for your team and promote a speak-up culture that can ensure a smooth running of operations.
According to Harvard’s global survey research, which included nearly 50,000 data points across 834 organisations, “speaking up lives at the intersection of the top six most vulnerable behaviours” at the workplace. The results found that most employees fear speaking up and voicing their views to their superiors, in the fear of losing their jobs. However, if they are managed by a leader who actually takes the time to listen to their problems and value their opinions, it will help create an environment where employees feel safe enough to challenge the status quo, discover their purpose across roles, and take on new responsibilities; thereby contributing greater values to the company.
However, to be a successful leader, you also need to invest in your own skills as an effective speaker. As the former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi once said: “You cannot over-invest in communication skills—written and oral skills… If you cannot simplify a message and communicate it compellingly, believe me, you cannot get the masses to follow you.”
