In my recent post about what it takes to be a successful musician in the 21st Century, one of the skills that I mentioned was Communication Skills.  What do I mean?

Musicians need powerful communication skills in many different settings:

• In ensembles to make sure that the group is on the same page musically, listening carefully to each other so that the music flows;
• In collaborations with other artists to maximize the synergies and create a powerful experience for the collaborators and their audiences;
• Engaging their audiences so that the audience members will appreciate the music and have a deeper and richer understanding of the performance;
• Teaching so that their students understand how they can improve and grow and learn;
• Creating something new, be it a festival, a non-profit organization or an ensemble, and getting people on board to support the new venture
• Networking so that they can meet and connect with other people.

Effective communication is a powerful leadership skill.  It starts with knowing who you are as a communicator and what are your strengths.  One way to do this is to know your communication style.