An Easy Way to Improve Your Ability to Lead and Influence

What is one thing you can do today that will dramatically increase your ability to lead and influence?

Increase your face-to-face communication with individuals and groups. I believe face-to-face communication has more potential to impact lives today than it has in quite some time. Even before Covid-19, communicating face-to-face was a powerful and underutilized tool. With the challenges presented in today’s world, face-to-face communication has been replaced by other communication forms. In my opinion, this makes face-to-face even more influential. It is a powerful tool made even more potent by the times in which we live.

Even before the challenges of Covid-19, the ease of communicating using email and texts lulled many into patterns that reduced face-to-face communication. It is often easier to communicate via screens. But easier is not always better. Obviously, as a blog writer and social media participant, I am a big supporter of screen communication. But there are some adherent advantages to face-to-face communication that leaders should consider.

Recently I recognized I was not utilizing face-to-face communication as well as I had in the past. Understandably, this died off with the event of Covid-19. But now we know that by taking the necessary precautions, communicating face-to-face can be done safely. In my opinion, leaders should do this more often. Doing so is sure to increase a leader’s ability to lead and influence others.

Under conviction to increase this personally, this article emphasizes why face-to-face communication is powerful and why we should be using it more often. This article explores the benefits and how utilizing face-to-face communication is an easy way to strengthen our position as leaders and maximize our results.

The Advantage of Non-verbal Cues

Unlike most screen-to-screen communication, face-to-face communication enables you to read non-verbal cues. You have the distinct advantage of observing body language. Body language is an excellent indicator of how communication is impacting another person. Are they tracking with what you are saying? Do they seem to understand? Do they have a puzzled look on their face? Are they fidgeting, moving around like they are uncomfortable?

What are the points in your message that incite emotion? What points cause people to raise their voices or change the pace of the conversation? These are areas that have meaning behind them. They mean something to the person you are engaging.

When you are standing face-to-face, you often know through non-verbal indicators, where you agree and where you disagree. You gain a better understanding as to where to focus your attention to improve your communication. This understanding does not happen when communicating in other ways, like texting or email.

Stronger Connection and Respect

Face to face communication is becoming more unique. As this happens, it takes on a deeper meaning. People appreciate face-to-face communication, and this is especially true in the days we are living. By increasing its use, you will drive home the point that you consider the other person valuable.

You are taking the time to have a conversation when most people quickly write an email. You are demonstrating that they are significant and deserve your attention.

As a leader, face-to-face communication drives home the point that this person is valuable and worth the time. You will gain their respect by making face-to-face communication a priority with those you lead.

Proper Emphasis and Priority

With face-to-face communication, you have the opportunity to emphasize and prioritize your message.

You can utilize emotion and inflection to express and drive home your points. It also enables you to identify the same in others.

Another point worth considering is when you send a text or email, you never know which part of your communication people will gravitate to.

Sometimes there is something in your message that draws a person’s attention. At times this may not be the crux of your message. As a result, it derails the intent of your communication. The person receiving the message focuses on a peripheral point, and your communication is ineffective. Unfortunately, with no follow-up or interaction, you have no idea this is the case when texting or emailing.

Face-to-face enables you to resolve these issues. You can ensure the emphasis and priority aligns with your intentions. Face-to-face communication allows you to keep the message on its intended track.

Increased Engagement and Understanding

Face to face communication offers the opportunity for participation. Engaging others in your message tends to make it more memorable. Besides this, dialog enables the ability to learn from the person or group you are talking to. Those you talk to provide points you may not have considered with your message.

With participation, you can learn how the message impacts others. You can also learn if there are any obstacles to the points you are making. Understanding obstacles or sticking points enables you to adjust your message to address these issues and more effectively lead.

Face to face communication provides a great opportunity to understand the person or team of people. You have a great opportunity to identify and understand differences in perception. How many times have you thought of opposing opinions and asked yourself how a person can believe such a thing? Most people stop there and do not try to engage and understand.

With face-to-face communication, you have an opportunity to engage and express genuine, humble curiosity. It is hard to convey this via screen communication. But face-to-face allows you to ask the why questions and learn the root causes of differences of opinion.

The trust and transparency that is hard to convey with screen-to-screen communication are much easier to develop face-to-face. When people sense they can trust you because they have seen you be transparent, they are more apt to discuss differences. This gives you a higher probability of getting to the root causes of those differences. Identifying and understanding root causes is a huge step to drawing people together, even if they still remain true to their beliefs. It builds respect that can be the foundation of a stronger relationship.

Improved Probability of Response

People are more likely to comply with requests made face-to-face than text or email. Text or email blends in with all the other messages that come that way. It is hard to prioritize. Many emails or text messages are never followed up. If a person does not comply, they often assume they will get another email or text if it is “really important.” This is common. But a face-to-face request tends to be stronger. They are set apart from the many requests that come from a screen. This makes a difference in how people respond. Generally, we underestimate the power of a request made face-to-face, and we overestimate the power or a request made via email or text.

More Effective Conflict Resolution

In conflict resolution, people are more likely to respond well when face to face. There is a level of respect in showing the courage to look eyeball to eyeball with another person you have differences with.

If you are humble and genuine, the chances are great that you will find common ground. The person you engage with will have a tendency to make the resolution a priority. Face to face has the best chance of cleaning the slate between yourself and another. Even if you do not find the perfect resolution, you will gain a level of respect that helps any relationship.

Do the Work and Engage

What opportunities do you have to increase face-to-face communication? There are many situations you can apply this powerful tool and improve your leadership and influence. It could be one on one relationships that would benefit from a boost in respect. It could be a group you lead at work. It could be a group you lead or coach outside work or in your church. Think through the people you communicate with and how you are communicating with them. Are there places where you can convert from screen-to-screen communication to face-to-face communication?

Get started today, and you will improve your leadership and influence in the lives of those around you.

Do you want to communicate more about this subject? Reach out to me. I would love to help you on your journey. Contact me via email or DM me on Twitter @Men_of_Grit.

If you have comments, questions, or feedback, put them in the comments section below. I am always interested in hearing from you.

In your corner,

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

More from Men of Grit:

What value is there in knowing your destiny is guaranteed and will be better than your best day in this life? Read: The Powerful Impact of a Man that Knows His Destiny

Are there times to be selfish as a leader? Read: When Leaders Need to be “Selfish” to be Strong

How many times have you experienced frustration in making lasting changes in your life? Read: Tremendous Advantages of Connecting with High-Value Brothers