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Executives from Fortune 500 companies rate communication skills as one
of the most important qualities for business leaders to possess. (The
New York Times)
Effective
employee communication is a leading indicator of a company's financial
performance, and is a strong driver of employee engagement.
Two-thirds
of surveyed firms with high levels of communication effectiveness are
asking their managers to take on a greater share of the communication
responsibility, but few are giving them the tools and training to be
successful. (both, Watson Wyatt ROI 2005-2006 Survey)
One of the reasons women generally aren't occupying the top
executive suites of corporations is they tend not to embrace the art of
self-promotion... at pumping themselves up as assets to a corporation. ("Study Finds Women Flunk at Self-Promotion," Seattle Times)
Linguistic
style differences are especially noticeable between genders. In U.S.
businesses, where men's speaking style dominates, women may be ignored,
interrupted, and passed over for promotions - even if they're highly competent. ("The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why", Deborah Tannen, Harvard Business Review)
