IT managers who have great communication skills are rare, and it is the key skill that will set you apart from your peers. I tell every class that if I were a young manager the one thing I would invest in would be my communication skills.
OK, I realize this is probably not what gets you excited. Before you stop reading, consider a few benefits that come with IT managers who become effective communicators.
- They get what they ask for – Good communicators know how to discuss the business value of projects and IT initiatives. When you communicate benefits and justify the cost of things, , , senior management buys in.
- Effective communicators develop partners – More importantly, they develop partners with their clients (senior managers and department managers). Clients need to know what’s going on with IT support and keeping them up to date creates trust.
- Strong communicators develop respect – No one knows what you are doing unless you communicate it. Effective communicators know how to deliver IT successes with facts and numbers that demonstrate how well IT support is working.
- Effective communicators motivate their staff – Leadership is dependent upon effective communication. Strong communicators rally their troops when they provide vision and coach the team to succeed.
Your career will take on a whole new path if you develop strong communication skills, , , it is the key trait required to succeed in your management role. Develop all of the following skills and watch your career take off:
- Presentation
- Negotiation
- Writing
- Listening
- Coaching
ITLever™ 