IntroductionAn important step in becoming an effective leader is developing effective communication skills. Communication is the transmission of meaning from one person to another or to several people, whether verbally or nonverbally (Barrett, 2006). Effective communication allows leaders to lead. Effective communication only occurs if the recipient understands the exact information or idea that the sender intended to convey. As a leader, it is important to study the communication process. Communication skills, including the ability to solve problems, work in teams, and adapt to diverse audiences, are essential in today's workplace (Levy & Murname, 2004). Since the most successful leaders communicate well, understanding how your communication works and how it could work better is essential to achieving similar success. The purpose of this article is to evaluate my communication skills and develop a recipe for successful communication that other leaders can use. to assess their communication skills. I will describe my approach to assessing my communication skills and outline my development plan for improving these skills. MethodsAccording to Chambers (2001), communication is a complex process. The ability to compose a message, deliver it to another, listen to feedback, process it, and continue to communicate in an understood way requires skills that take time to develop. The best place to start is to understand what communication skills need to be developed. The first tool I used to complete my self-assessment was a comprehensive communication assessment tool developed by IHC Health Services (see Appendix A). I chose this instrument because I wanted to begin my assessment by measuring my overall understanding of the...... middle of paper ...... communicator. My second goal is to understand different communication styles and adjust my communication style. to the needs of others. This goal will be achieved once I have mastered the art of modifying my behavior to better match another person's style. This skill will need to be practiced and honed until perfected. It will take time to master this skill.ConclusionImproving communication skills should be a priority for all leaders. Becoming an effective communicator takes practice. Identifying communication skills to work on personally is the first step to becoming a better communicator and leader. Great leaders recognize the importance of good communication. Responsible leaders strive to avoid communication mishaps and keep communication flowing throughout their organization..