As most of us know, the actual content of a message is just a small part of communication. Don't get me wrong -- it's important, which is why we do so much via email, but we all acknowledge that there are other important things to consider:
- Voice intonation -- for example, a sarcastic tone will negate the message we speak
- Eye contact -- which communicates sincerity
- Body language -- our gestures can enhance a message, and often demonstrates how important the message is to the sender of the message
But did you know that reputation has a profound effect on the interpretation of the message? Leadership is a pivotal component in earning a good reputation and respect from the audience. The same message spoken by Barack Obama would not have the same impact coming from Steve Urkel, for example.
At one time, the way to earn the Competent Leadership Award was to serve as an officer. However in the course of performing roles, you could develop leadership skills. The CL manual provides exercises for developing the some of the necessary skills to be a competent leader. The advanced leadership levels require taking on officer responsibilities and being responsible for driving the actions of a group of people.
Though you might not be a manager or might not be interested in becoming responsible for leading of a team, surely you want people to listen to what you have to say, and to take your suggestions seriously. This is called being a "thought leader."
Maybe your a leader already. The way to discover this is to find out if you have followers. The most effective leaders are those who can influence followers outside of any authority over those followers. Think about friends -- do your friends follow your lead?