How do your leadership communication skills rate?

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Quiz Questions

1.
My team would describe my communications as 'effective' (timely, relevant, delivered in a way that makes sense)
- A.
  Strongly agree
- B.
  Agree
- C.
  Disagree
- D.
  Strongly disagree
2.
My team would describe my communication style:
- A.
  Authentic, genuine, open and transparent
- B.
  Authentic when it's about our team, but can be less genuine when it's a message from senior leaders, or something uncomfortable
- C.
  Occasionally authentic but there's definitely a wall I've put up; and I often keep things to myself
- D.
  Not authentic at all - I have a 'work persona' but it means people find it hard to build a relationship with me; and I never let people know what's happening.
3.
When I have two-way conversations with people, I:
- A.
  Offer opportunities for them to speak, and then demonstrate my deep listening skills
- B.
  Listen to what they're saying but can jump to 'solutions mode', relate it back to my own experience, and/or not really answer their questions
- C.
  Tend to talk over people, or at them, and don't allow a lot of opportunities for questions or comments
- D.
  Don't have two-way conversations - I communicate mostly via email or other one-way channels.
4.
I try to anticipate what questions my team might ask, and try to address them upfront
- A.
  All of the time
- B.
  Some of the time
- C.
  Not often enough
- D.
  Never
5.
When I'm communicating about something new (a process, initiative, strategy, etc) I:
- A.
  Always give the context (the 'why'), even if I think my team should already know it
- B.
  Sometimes give the context, it depends on what we're talking about
- C.
  Rarely give the context, I assume they should already know
- D.
  Never give the context as it really doesn't matter, we just need to get stuff done.
6.
I avoid using jargon and 'corporate speak', and aim to use simple, clear language
- A.
  Strongly agree
- B.
  Agree
- C.
  Disagree
- D.
  Strongly disagree
7.
I take the time to plan my communications, especially around complex issues or changes
- A.
  All of the time
- B.
  Some of the time
- C.
  Not often enough
- D.
  Never
8.
When it comes to communicating about our organisation's strategy, I:
- A.
  Find out what the strategy means specifically for our team, and unpack that with them
- B.
  Usually try and figure out what it means for our team, but I haven't done a lot of research to get to specifics
- C.
  Rarely find out what it means for our team - I wait for someone from higher up to tell me!
- D.
  Never relate it back to our team - I just share the materials that senior leaders give us to share.
9.
If I don't know the answer to a question, I:
- A.
  Acknowledge it, commit to finding the right answer, and report back
- B.
  Acknowledge it, commit to finding the answer, but often get side-tracked or don't report back
- C.
  Say 'I don't know', and direct people elsewhere for the answers
- D.
  Try and come up with a response that sounds plausible because it's embarrassing not to know the answer when you're a leader.
10.
When I talk to my team, I pay attention to their body language.
- A.
  All of the time - it helps me understand how they're really feeling
- B.
  Some of the time - especially if it's animated!
- C.
  Not often - only if it's really distracting!
- D.
  I've never thought about noticing it!
11.
When I give a presentation, I:
- A.
  Focus on making sure my team or audience understand the content by making it engaging, relevant, and using storytelling
- B.
  Cut straight to the point, but present the information in a few different formats so people understand it
- C.
  Get pretty nervous so plan it out really well and deliver it exactly to the plan... I don't necessarily take note of people's reactions
- D.
  Use my PowerPoint slides as a security blanket and keep the Q&A as short as possible
12.
I am very comfortable speaking in front of my team
- A.
  Strongly agree
- B.
  Agree
- C.
  Disagree
- D.
  Strongly disagree
13.
Before I communicate, I think of the most effective and appropriate way to share my message, including the channels and materials I'll use
- A.
  All of the time
- B.
  Some of the time
- C.
  Not often enough
- D.
  Never
14.
I make sure I take into account cultural considerations when I communicate with my team
- A.
  All of the time
- B.
  Some of the time
- C.
  Not often enough
- D.
  Never
15.
When I talk to people, I try to see things from their perspective
- A.
  Strongly agree
- B.
  Agree
- C.
  Disagree
- D.
  Strongly disagree
16.
I make sure my team feel well-informed by:
- A.
  Constantly seeking out information about what's happening around the broader organisation and sharing the relevant or interesting news with my team
- B.
  Sharing information I get sent as a leader when it's relevant
- C.
  Directing them to the intranet or online news platform
- D.
  I only share information about our team; the rest is irrelevant
17.
I regularly gather feedback from my team about my communication and use it to improve
- A.
  Strongly agree
- B.
  Agree
- C.
  Disagree
- D.
  Strongly disagree
18.
If I've asked for something to be done and it hasn't been actioned, I am most likely to:
- A.
  Chat to the team to find out why it hasn't been done so I can understand the barriers
- B.
  Send an email asking why it hasn't been actioned
- C.
  Send an email expressing my disappointment (or frustration) and once again asking for the action to be taken
- D.
  Take a guess at why it hasn't been done and who's responsible and send them a private message
19.
Finally, the kicker! The way I communicate has helped earn me respect from my team.
- A.
  Strongly agree
- B.
  Agree
- C.
  Disagree
- D.
  Strongly disagree

Quiz Outcomes

1.
The Newbie
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You're at the start of your journey, and that's ok!Welcome to the world of leadership! We always say that management is easy; leadership is hard. So it's okay that you're still getting your head around this. It takes time to learn these skills, and to un-learn behaviours we're used to (or used to seeing from others).It's true you've got some work to do to improve your leadership communication skills. From this quiz, you should have been able to identify some of the key areas you need to work on. For example, you may not be delivering messages with clarity and authenticity, in a way that resonates with your audiences. Perhaps you might be 'telling' rather than 'listening' ... or not paying a lot of attention to how people are responding to your communication.So what can you do? The first step is to seek feedback from your team and your colleagues - what's working well, and what needs to be improved and why? Then, invest more time in planning your communications thoughtfully. Alongside this, investing in training to build your capability in leadership communication will be a great starting point, along with seeking out a mentor who can provide advice and coaching. The good news is that by spending a little more time working on your communications, you’ll be able to connect better with your team and your colleagues, which can help drive productivity and engagement, and everyone will be happier!
2.
The Learner In Progress
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You've got some work to do - but you've got some good foundations to work from!Your team might say you're a bit hit-and-miss with your communications. You might sometimes forget that effective communications is an important part of your role as a leader, or maybe you think you’re being effective but not actively seeking out feedback to continuously improve. Some things occasionally land well, but you can improve your resonance by choosing better channels, thinking about your audience more deeply, or perhaps engaging in more two-way conversation.Some great ways you can improve your skill set include investing in training that will help you better understand individuals' communication styles, so you can begin to adapt your style to the needs of your team. Training or coaching in effective business communication may also be useful.You can also actively seek feedback from your team about what's working and what could be improved. And seeking out a great mentor is ALWAYS a good idea, no matter what level you're at!
3.
The Rising Star
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You are heading in the right direction!You’re on the right track! You've built a strong skill set but there's still room for improvement. But you know that's okay - you're open to feedback and learning more. Your communication usually lands well with your team, and it's helped to build the respect they have for you. So what are the areas you need to work on that you identified in this quiz? Maybe it's being able to share more information from around your organisation; seeking out support or advice for the 'tricky' topics; or paying a bit more attention to body language, and the reactions of your audience.Whatever you identify, you can learn more by seeking out a mentor, investing in training, and always asking for feedback from your team.
4.
The Guru
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Hey there superstar! This isn't your first rodeo, is it?You’re pretty much nailing your communications with your team, which has helped to earn you a great deal of respect as their leader. But that doesn’t mean you should lose sight of continuous improvement. There's always new tactics to learn and test, and new personality types who will come into your team who you will need to adapt your communication style for. Importantly, you can help to mentor your team members so they communicate more effectively with each other, with you, and with your team's key stakeholders. Having those mentoring conversations, facilitating training, and having meaningful feedback conversations are all ways you can help to build your team's confidence and capability!