What schools can learn from a Communicator of the Year
By Sharon Aschaiek | May 2, 2018
Communicator of the Year Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors, shares his views on effective communication
When most of us think about Masai Ujiri, we think about basketball. And where I live, we also associate the president of the Toronto Raptors with civic pride and respect, especially given how well the team has been performing lately.
Not surprisingly, Masai knows a lot about communicating well. Of course, that’s not really surprising: in the high-stakes, high-profile role of professional basketball team president, being and effective communicator is critical. Like almost any team leader, Ujuri must interact with multiple stakeholder groups – for him, this includes team members, team administrators, NBA executives, reporters and fans. He must ensure public communication about the team conveys the right message, at the right time, on the right platforms. Achieving the performance and business goals of the Raptors may be what shapes all his communication activities, but they all require a different approach to suit different audiences.
Masai’s approach to communication
Masai’s many strengths in communications were recently recognized when he was granted the 2018 Communicator of the Year Award by the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. At the recent award reception, he shared his personal approach to communicating for success:
Trust: Masai emphasized building trust as the foundation of his communication with others, particularly with the team. Charged with inspiring players to perform their best, he focuses on building strong, positive relationships with them based on trust. Cultivating that trust, Masai says, requires being authentic.
“I don’t like fake people or pretense,” Masai said. “I look people in the eye and I say what I really think and believe.”
Listen: Building trust with others requires understanding what’s important to them, and the only way to figure that out is by paying close attention.
“We all want to talk a good game and give our opinion, but how about others’ opinions?” he said. “To communicate well, you have to be a good listener.”
Respect: Listening and building trust are both intimately connected to and underpin respecting others. Masai prioritizes understanding and valuing the perspectives of his team members, both on the court and in the office. This allows him to lead with a strong, united team and to do a better job at propelling the Raptors to success.
Trust. Listen. Respect. Sounds simple, right? How well do you incorporate these values into the way your school communicates with students, faculty, staff, alumni, prospects, government?
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