What the racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart taught me about communication

“In my experience, effective communication solves problems, and poor communication creates problems.” Winning is Not Enough, Sir Jackie Stewart

I believe communication is the key to success in every business relationship.

In his autobiography, Sir Jackie Stewart says that we can do it. We can learn how to communicate – if we just take a little bit of care. Taking just a little care with everything we do in life will undoubtedly take us far.

H

e shares these gems on communication for us to learn from:

It helps to be calm

In the busyness of life, we often respond without listening. We talk without hearing. We snap back a short answer. We don’t think our responses through.

It helps to be calm – even if that means first going for a walk, delaying a reply to a better time, or asking for time to think before we respond.

It helps to be concise

Short, sweet, and to the point will, in most cases, be compelling enough, regardless of who our audience might be.

Over-complicating our message with a drawn-out response does not yield good results.

Waffling along to fill in the spaces we think exist often leads to a confusing message.

It helps to be approachable

As an introvert,  eye contact can sometimes be daunting. At the same time, there is nothing that breaks down barriers more and that makes one feel more special than a few fleeting moments of eye contact. It tells me you see me. And if you see me, there is a chance that you will also hear me and what I have to say.

A glimmer of a smile also helps – even if it is just a brief moment, a smile reaching the corners of your mouth or lightening up your eyes.

A brief nod of recognition – of seeing and knowing who I am – helps communication.

It helps to be even-handed

Excellent communicators can speak to everyone – the famous and the unseen. The gardener, the maintenance man, the housekeeper, the surgeon, and the businessman.

They all deserve our recognition and our respect. This is what makes us human.

Perceptions matter

Only the genuinely foolish believe they can look like they want to, say what they want to, think what they want to, and do what they want to without any consequence.

The way you dress, the way you speak, and the way you conduct yourself matters. How others perceive you matters and cuts through the clutter of information in any situation. 

Those who dress for success, have a firm handshake, and make eye contact are almost always perceived as successful, honest, and having integrity.

You can be kind, talented, honest, and considerate, but if you do not look at it nor portray it with your actions, these traits are wasted.

Rudeness is awkward

Even the best intentions can be met with rudeness. It is how we respond that matters.

Sir Jackie Stewart shares the sage advice given to him by Lord King:  ‘All you can do,’ he said, ‘is drown them in cream and sugar.’   Sir Jackie Stewart. Winning Is Not Enough (p. 436).

This advice works in most cases. Often only because the attacker is called out and taken aback by the response of kindness. 

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