Eye contact with the person you’re speaking with shows you are being straight and are interested.  A good leader doesn’t constantly look over her shoulder at everything else going on around her.

When people sense that you have genuine concern for them, they are willing to listen to what you have to say.  Liking people matters so if you have trouble with most personalities you might not be the best candidate for leadership.

Don’t be a poor communicator and only focus on yourself and your own opinion.  Instead of thinking what you’ll say next listen to the other person’s response.  How often have you been in a conversation with someone who goes off topic on her own tangent?  A good listener is a great leader.

A good communicator can talk to anyone, from any back ground.  Read, know what’s current in the world and in your community, then find your audience and practice talking.  My guys have grown up with some meaty topics at the dinner table and share my gift of gab and the ability to communicate with anyone.

The fastest way to open a conversation is with a smile.  A genuine smile crosses communication barriers of culture, race, age, gender, education, etc.  A smile is the icebreaker.