Whether you are the head of your household, the manager of a department, a mother of children, or the pastor of a church, you have been entrusted with the privilege and responsibility of leading. Leading doesn’t just mean you have a title and tell others what to do and they listen to you. Leading entails guiding and teaching others to do something.

You’ve probably heard it said that children will do what their parents do and not what they say. However, the importance of your communications should not be underestimated. Children learn to speak by hearing their parents and others speak; they also learn to write by seeing written letters and words.

You are teaching others through your spoken and written words.  Here are several ways to lead through your communications:

1.  Instructions

You can provide step-by-step instructions on how to do something. This may come in the form of a how-to article for your website, an official policy or manual at work, or a kind reminder on a post-it note for your teenager.

 2. Counseling

You may counsel or provide individuals with guidance in a particular area through a one-on-one talk, a phone call, or a written letter.

 3. Examples

If, like me, you are called to teach others to write and speak, you can do so by speaking and writing well. Others will learn from your examples.

Leading isn’t always a big or glamorous feat. It often consists of the little things we do day after day to show we value others enough to invest in their development. Considering that someone is listening to what you say and reading what you write, how will you lead through your communications?