Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monique Waters. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Monique, thank you so much for making time for us today. We can’t wait to dive into your story and the lessons you’ve learned along the way, but maybe we can start with something foundational to your success. What’s the key to developing the ability to communicate effectively?
Effective communication comes with a mastery of the messenger (yourself), the message (your perspective), the medium (your channel) and the masses (your audience). There are no shortcuts.
A best practice that I found central to effective communication is being mindful not to send mixed messages.
As I stress to my clients, a mixed messenger is the enemy of effective communication.
Here are 10 signs a leader may be sending mixed messages:
1, Your mission statement is confusing to others.
2. You lost your staff at “good morning.” They aren’t inspired.
3. If you ask your staff to articulate your vision, you’ll get 10 different interpretations.
4. Your staff only hear from you when your revenue is impacted.
5. Customers can’t explain why they value your services.
6. Your communications channels are sharing different messages.
7. When your organization is approached with storytelling opportunities, staff don’t feel comfortable participating.
8. Customers and staff share feedback but nothing changes.
9. Staff are resistant, unclear how their role fits into your vision for the organization.
10. Your customers don’t know what to expect from you in the future.
In my over two decades of experience, even the most compelling leader can experience these signs. So take inventory!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My career started with a public relations internship when I was sixteen years old. But my journey really progressed when I recognized my purpose. Once I understood my purpose, I crafted a plan and stuck to it, year-over-year. That laid the foundation for a career working with powerhouse elected officials and a host of inspiring executives.
Six years ago, I established H2O Strategies and have channeled my expertise guiding leaders to renounce their mixed messages so they can tell their story, activate their audience and unite their teams.
Here’s how our clients describe our value:
- “support with organizing and setting the strategy for my team”
- “the answer to the thing I knew we needed but didn’t know how to articulate”
- “direction for me as a leader”
- “gave us the tools, confidence and awareness to communicate with boldness”
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Successful people possess purpose, vision and direction. Their mission grounds them, so they are able to plan ahead and therefore, articulate their direction.
They are strategic thinkers who aren’t afraid to go against the grain. When everyone else is neck deep defining progress by the number of white papers and press releases developed, it’s a strategic thinker that dares to ask
“Are we going in the right direction?”
I have advised many leaders in the last two decades and there is one common thread among the successful. Every leader is different, but all leaders can learn to communicate effectively.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
H2O Strategies’ typical clients include growing businesses who have crossed the million dollar threshold, recently appointed leaders, and those who are a year or two into their roles at organizations committed to changing the world.
They are typically referred to us after receiving thoughtful feedback about their team, their message and their growth.
Picture this, a brilliant executive has assumed a leadership position. The leader is energized by the potential to really impact change, so they hit the ground running. It’s only a matter of time before their vision is drowned out by the day-to-day hustle.
Studies show that only 23% of U.S. executives are strong strategic thinkers. Many leaders take a managerial perspective and think if they just do enough media interviews, host enough events or generate the right social media buzz their hard work will pay off.
Our clients have a vision for the future but haven’t quite found a way to communicate effectively. We’ve worked with visionary leaders who see this as an opportunity to invest in their own growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.h2ostrategiesllc.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquewaters/
- Other: Schedule a call with H2O Strategies: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/1f019d80
Hear from our clients: https://www.h2ostrategiesllc.com/about
