“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.” It would be difficult to find an adult in the U.S. that wouldn’t recognize the communicator that spoke these famous, nation-changing words. When strong & inspiring leadership is coupled with incredible communication skills, there isn’t a lot that you can’t change or make happen. People followed Martin Luther King Jr., because he not only provided leadership, but he inspired them.
THE REVENUE – PROFIT – EMPLOYEE & CUSTOMER SATISFACTION LINK
It’s important for leaders to talk with their teams to share organizational goals, progress, and to communicate change. However, studies show that leaders who can supplement information by engaging with their teams and making them they feel valued, inspire higher performance, and will energize their team members at a deeper level, achieving greater success. According to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson, the single highest driver of engagement is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their well-being. Less than 40 percent of workers felt so engaged. Check out more numbers released in the same study:
88% – The percentage of fully engaged employees who believe they can positively impact the quality of their organization’s products and services.
38% – The percentage of disengaged employees who feel the same way
A 2011 University of Missouri Study found, “The relationships among the CEO, the employees and the customers are all linked”, and “CEO’s who are positively involved with their employees are able to boost both customer satisfaction and increase the number of customers who intend to do repeat business with the company.”
Leaders your involvement with employees makes a difference to your profitability! Incidental interaction with employees counts, but it will pay to create opportunities to engage with your teams. Take advantage of them by being prepared and find out what is important to them, let them know you value them, & be prepared to proactively address challenges.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Know ahead of time what you want to convey and practice communicating it so that it resonates with your team! They will know the difference and appreciate your involvement and effort to connect with them. Think you’re already a great communicator & leader, so you don’t need to practice? Would it surprise you to know that the August 28th 1963 March on Washington at the Lincoln Memorial was not the first time Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave the iconic I Have a Dream speech? He gave that same one for the first time a couple of months earlier on June 23, at the March on Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. Well not exactly the same speech. While the March on Detroit speech was very similar in content, certainly stirring and motivating to those who attended – one could argue that the one he gave in Washington just over 2 months later, was even more powerful. Undoubtedly Martin Luther King Jr. was a naturally-born effective communicator and speaker – but practice makes perfect, even for the best of the best.
Listen to excerpts and compare the two I Have a Dream speeches:
CLICK HERE to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’ I Have a Dream speech delivered at The March on Washington August 28, 1963.
CLICK HERE to listen to the I Have a Dream speech delivered at The March on Detroit on June 23, 1963.
