Ask any leadership expert, consult any leadership book or blog and one of the constants that you’ll find is that it’s crucial to craft a vision and, more importantly, to be able to communicate it clearly, so that there are no misunderstandings.
That’s the only way to have everyone on the same page, with no ambiguity regarding what you’re saying.
Your ability to express an idea in a truly memorable manner can improve loyalty, drive productivity, and solve long standing problems.
One way to make communications both clear and unforgettable is to enhance them by using some kind of visual.
One of the best known examples dates to the late eighties and may be an urban myth, but it could just as well be true—not that it matters.
It’s a perfect example of communicating a vision using a visual aid guaranteed to solve a problem, change stubborn behavior and get everyone on board.
Last year, according to a radio report, a middle school in Oregon was faced with a unique problem. A number of girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.
Warnings and posted notes didn’t help. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had clean the mirrors every night.
To demonstrate how difficult it was to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance guy to clean one of the mirrors. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it into the toilet and then cleaned the mirror.
Since then there have been no lip prints on the mirror.
The ability to get the point across can be found in leaders at all levels in any type organization.
Have you used visuals to clarify or enhance your communications?
译文:
领导者需要沟通
无论是询问有经验的领导者还是查阅有关撰写领导才能的书籍或博客，都会得到相同的答案，其中的一条就是创造自身行业的远景目标固然重要，但更关键的是要将其表达清楚以避免在沟通中产生不必要的曲解误会。
只有让所有人都对你的意思表达没有异议，才可以让他们跟领导者一起向着同一目标前进。
领导者真实难忘的表达方式能够提高员工忠诚度，刺激生产力以及解决一些长期驻留的问题。
想要让沟通变得清楚明了又难忘的一种方法是增加可视化的效果。
这当中最为人们所熟知的实例要追述到18世纪末的那个不知是真是假的城市神话--但是这个已经不重要。
因为这是一个利用可视化增强沟通效果从而保证问题的解决，顽固行为的改变使所有人行为一致的最好事例。
“去年，据一则新闻广播报道，饿勒冈州（美国）的一所中学遇到一个很特殊的问题。一些女孩子开始在卫生间中使用唇膏。这些都还正常，但是当她们涂上唇膏之后，会在镜子上留下数十个唇印。
学校的口头和书面的通知警告都没能制止这个行为。最后校长觉得必须采取一些不一样的手段。她召集所有的女学生和学要的保洁员到卫生间见面，告诉她们这些唇印给每天晚上清理镜子的保洁员带来了非常大的不便。
为了表现清理的难度，校长请保洁员示范怎样清理其中的一面镜子。保洁员拿出一个长柄橡胶清洁器，在抽水马桶中浸泡了会儿，然后开始清洗镜子。
在任何一个组织的各层领导者中都可以发现这种让表达清晰明了的能力的事例。
你也曾经使用过这种方法来让沟通更顺畅明白吗？