Need vs Want
- You need love, but you desire it from one specific person in a particular way.
- You need respect, but you strive to earn respect from peers and those above you.
- You need success, but you seek it in a specific area of life.
- You need control, but you aim to establish it in the outside world.
Your needs are simple. It is through wants that life becomes complicated.
“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” – George A Moore
Leadership communication
Many believe leadership communication must be sophisticated – marked by a strong voice, overflowing with confidence, packed with complicated sentences and concepts that impress others.
In reality, effective leadership communication is simple, clear, and direct. It delivers the message that resonate with others and prompts them to think or take action.
“Great communication depends on two simple skills – context, which attunes a leader to the same frequency as his or her audience, and delivery, which allows a leader to phrase messages in a language the audience can understand.” – John C Maxwell
Step into their world
The best way to help someone who hails from a different background, is to briefly step into their world. Visit their environment, observe their interactions, take note of their daily challenges. Recognize their small wins and celebrations. When you do, you will gain a deeper understanding of what drives them. You will see their struggles firsthand. You will then be able to meet them where they are and guide them toward where they want to go.
PS: This insight comes from my experience visiting Cachar Cancer Hospital in Assam during my work as a leadership coach.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” – Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’