Nothing is worse for me than to see a leader who is a poor communicator. As a former TV host, I interviewed plenty of executives and I was shocked how ill-prepared they were to talk on camera. My concern for them actually lead me to take a giant leap and start this company.
For Christmas this year, I received two inspirational gifts from my parents. My dad made me a wood lid jar to match the awesome new business card holder he made earlier in the year. Inside the lid is an inspiration quote from Yoda. I love it because I know it’s my dad’s way of saying, “GO FOR IT!”
My mom’s gift says the same thing. She gave me a leadership Bible which made me laugh in the first few chapters.
John C. Maxwell’s Leadership Bible outlines the great examples and the great failures of leaders in the Bible.
I laughed because Adam royally screwed up. Nothing I didn’t already know but I never heard the breakdown described as poor communication.
For years living in Wisconsin winters, I’ve said, “We’d all be naked, warm and frolicking in a garden if Adam and Eve had just listened to God.” Now this new Bible not only confirms my rant but goes on to say the Garden of Eden debacle was all poor communication.
Since I’ve made a living on communication and am now helping others communicate better, the Adam and Eve lesson is not lost on me. In fact, I’m going to include their interaction in my keynote speech for women leaders.
Please allow my loose interpretation. 🙂
First, Adam didn’t give Eve the correct information. He told her they would die if they ate the fruit. Since the information wasn’t the whole story, the snake was able to say that’s not true… take a bite. Who knows what Eve was thinking when she took the life or death gamble but obviously she had some doubts about Adam.
A true leader knows how to communicate.
When she took the bite and lived, Adam’s position as a leader was an epic fail. Then he ate the fruit too! Crazy. God said, “What have you done?”
Welcome to the first “Let’s Throw Each Other Under The Bus Party”!
Eve basically said, “The snake made me.” Adam said,” The woman You gave me – made me do it.” Wow! Double tire marks. It’s God’s fault and Eve’s.
For 2017, how about giving your team all the information and when something goes wrong – own your mistakes. Great communication will lead to more frolicking and less toiling in barren lands.
Let’s talk about a communication plan for you and your leadership team. We are trained broadcast journalists who know how to write a clear message. Plus we can teach you how to deliver it with style.
