Just because you’re communicating, it doesn’t mean you’re doing it well. At the core of every great relationship is great communication. The same is true of great teams. Effective communication is necessary for any leadership team to work together cohesively, engage employees, and create loyal customers. Some of the symptoms of poor communication include disconnection, gossiping, and inefficiency.

Communication makes the world go round. It facilitates human connections and allows us to learn, grow, and progress. It's not just about speaking or reading, but understanding what is being said -- and in some cases what is not being said. Communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.

If you’re seeking to become a better version of yourself, there are plenty of people and organizations willing to offer (or sell) a helping hand. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that there are helpers. We need their lived experiences and expertise to help guide and direct us and their frameworks help make sense of our complex lives.

In many cases, salespeople get a bad rap. And the number one reason most people state for not liking salespeople is that they push their agenda without listening to, acknowledging or meeting the needs and wants of the consumer. This disconnect is commonplace in many interactions between customers and service providers. In fact, these are prevalent complaints in many relationships.