Because you need to be able to manage and inspire your workforce, you need to be able to convey your message clearly. Additionally, strategic leaders are often involved in the work, which means communicating directly with customers and other stakeholders. If you can converse easily, you can engage other people more in your chosen strategy. While most of the traits on the list are qualities that anyone can improve and train, communication skills are perhaps the easiest trait to master – you don't need to be a natural at communicating, as you can implement simple strategies to improve your skills. The key to good communication comes from: • Learning to listen – Don't listen passively and wait your turn to speak, but engage in the listening process. Pay attention to what the person is saying and also repeat the key points in your head. • Use the BRIEF method – When communicating with a person, you should use the BRIEF method to keep your message concise and clear. The acronym stands for background, Reason, Information, End and