Know what all great leaders have in common?

They’re great communicators.

Notice I didn’t say great talkers. Just because someone can talk a good game doesn’t mean he or she is a great communicator (even though everyone pictured above are or were masters of both).

Often it’s the opposite!

I know a ton of great talkers, but virtually none of them are great leaders – heck, most aren’t even mediocre leaders.

But listen, I won’t bore you with the typical characteristics or qualities (great listener, personable, passionate, clear and concise, attentive to nonverbal cues, etc.) that make great leaders great communicators.

Instead let’s look at the not-so-obvious characteristics and qualities that make a difference.

Great leaders are great communicators because they:

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Leaders, supervisors, managers, etc., have been doling out information via slide presentations for eons.

And the majority of these presentations have been bad.

I’m talking “pull your hair out” bad!

I was always under the impression you want your audience to pay attention to your presentation and absorb the knowledge you’re imparting, but I’ve seen so many slide presentation mistakes that I guess I was wrong!

So if you want to join the masses and make your audiences wish they were deaf and blind, here’s exactly what you need to do.

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There’s one course that every company should make mandatory for all its employees: How not to be annoying in a meeting!

We’ve all been in meetings with annoying and obnoxious people who seem oblivious to the niceties of meeting etiquette.

In fact, as soon as you read that sentence, I’m sure a number of people popped into your head.

But in case you’re patient as a saint and have no idea what I’m talking about, let me point out some of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to annoying business meeting behaviors:

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Let’s get real, you can bet that even “Honest Abe” Lincoln told his fair share of little white lies.

Simply, no one is perfect.

Even the NFL believes the Patriots’ Tom Brady is lied about DeflateGate.

So are your employees, bosses, job applicants and customers always honest with you?

Not likely!

Their lies may not be as big as Richard Nixon’s, Bernie Madoff’s or Lance Armstrong’s, but more than likely you’re hearing a few tall tales.

“On any given day you may be lied to anywhere from 10 to 200 times,” says Pamela Meyer, author of “Liespotting: Proven Techniques to Detect Deception.”

“And strangers lie three times in the first 10 minutes of meeting each other – remember that the next time you’re interviewing potential employees.”

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