It doesn’t matter if you’re a solo entrepreneur launching your first venture or a business mogul managing a large corporation – communication is crucial.
Business leaders throughout history have recognized the importance of communication. It builds relationships, aligns teams, and gets things done faster. Without it, business owners can’t tap into their networks or move their resources to where they’re most needed.
Let’s examine what some of the most successful people in business have to say about the importance of communication. Use these quotes to inspire yourself, your team, or any partner who works with your business.
How-to Guide: 4 Ways to Run an Efficient Small Business
Download38 Communication Quotes for Small Businesses
Below is a list of quotes from prominent business leaders. Use our free templates to create cards for your office, desktop, or company newsletter.
Importance of Communication Quotes for Small Business Owners
Here are quotes that are relevant to any small business owner.
- “Another key trend is that consumers live on their smartphones and expect the same level of service from a small business that they receive from Amazon, Uber, or Domino’s – informational transparency, automated communications, and seamless interactivity.” – Joe Walsh, CEO at Thryv
- “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker, Management Consultant
- “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker
- “Communication is the real work of leadership.” – Nitin Nohria, Executive Chairman at Thrive Capital
- “It’s not what you say, but how you say it that counts.” – Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
- “Just so everyone knows, we’re not a photo-sharing company. I don’t see photos on ‘Instagram’ as art. They’re much more about communication.” – Kevin Systrom, CEO at Artifact (and co-founder of Instagram)
- “The way you communicate in business affects your daily productivity, customer relationships, and employee engagement.” – Sheryl Sandberg, Chairperson at Leanin.org
- “In an online world, our online words are our emissaries; they tell the world who we are.” – Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs
- “Effective communication is about understanding and being understood.” – Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul and Philanthropist
- “My mother had a definite influence on my leadership style. She would say that whenever you run into challenges or you’re trying to make things happen, you’ve got to understand what makes people tick, what motivates them.” – Shellye Archambeau, Board Director at Verizon
- “Something counterintuitive that I have observed is that showing vulnerability as a leader can often be a sign of strength.” – Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi
- “Now’s the time to communicate, commit to your team and customers’ safety, and invest in the community that supports you.” — Grant Freeman, President at Thryv
- “The art of communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.” – Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group
- “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” – James Humes, Former Presidiential Speech Writer
Communication Quotes for Entrepreneurs
These tips are for entrepreneurs who need to grow their network or work with other businesses.
- “I realized I was more convincing to myself and to the people who were listening when I actually said what I thought, versus what I thought people wanted to hear me say.” – Ursula Burns, Chairwoman at Teneo
- “Good decisions can turn into disasters when communicated poorly.” – Dianna Booher, CEO and Communication Expert at Booher Research Institute
- “You can’t be heard if you’re not communicating.” – Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia
- “The work here isn’t to figure out why they didn’t like you, or who’s right and who’s wrong. It’s to practice being okay with the idea that there are some people who will get you and some people who won’t…and that’s fine.” – Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code
- The quality of your communication will make a profound difference in how you are perceived by others and how successful you are.” — Jonathan Gron, Owner at OwlRatings
- “I’m always one to ask the second and third question.” – Thasunda Brown Duckett, President and CEO at TIAA
- “I believe in manifesting the words that are coming out of my mouth. I’m very careful with what I say because the intention is then out in the universe.” – Bozoma Saint John, CMO at Netflix
- “Before blogs, it was all about physical presence. We used to send out videos and audiotapes to communicate. Blogging and the Internet allow us to engage in a lot more real time conversations as opposed to a one-way dump of information or a message.” – Indra Nooyi, Former CEO of PepsiCo
- “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou, Author
- “I think social media, it in a way forces companies to be more authentic or more transparent because it gives a voice to the consumer and a reach to the consumer that they didn’t have before.” – Padmasree Warrior, Founder and CEO at Fable
- “One of the best lessons you can learn in life is to master how to remain calm.” – Catherine Pulsifer, Editor at Words of Wisdom
Communication Quotes for Teams & Employees
These quotes are related to working in teams and improving collaboration between coworkers.
- “When I began my role at the Dallas Mavericks, I made time to talk to every single employee. I asked them to tell me their story. Some of them would start with, ‘Well my name is and my title is…’ And I would say, ‘Tell me where you’re from. Where did you grow up? Who are you?’ I wanted to understand who they really are and where they came from.” – Cynt Marshall, CEO at Dallas Mavericks
- “Surround yourself with smart and talented people; collaboration is key.” – Steve Chen, Co-Founder of YouTube
- “You need to set a tone at the top that inspires trust – and encourages open and honest 2-way communication. So you hear the brutal facts, and you listen to the good news and the bad news – so that, in the spirit of continuous improvement, you can make changes.” – Denise Morrison, CEO at Campbell Soup Company
- “The way I go about it is that we should all be inviting people into our lives who don’t look like us, speak like us, and don’t come from where we come from.” – Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President at Ariel Investments
- “Don’t be silent in the room. Even if you think you’re gonna make a mistake, that’s better than sitting there quiet because you begin to suffocate… So just get it out there and feel like you have value.” – Rosalind Brewer, Special Advisor at United Airlines
- “I think making sure our culture promotes telling the truth is incredibly important.” – Mary Barra, CEO at General Motors
- “People are really capable if you’re able to give them the confidence to get something done and paint the picture of where we need to go.” – Lisa Su, CEO at AMD Technology
- “If we are to succeed, we must communicate.” – Bob Johnson, Former College Hockey Coach
- “The two words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.” – Sydney J. Harris, Former Journalist
- “Great leaders communicate and great communicators lead.” – Simon Sinek, Founder of The Optimism Company
- “Practice the pause. Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you’re about to react harshly and you’ll avoid doing and saying things you’ll later regret.” – Lori Deschene, Founder of Tiny Buddha
- “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” – Lilly Walters, Author
- “The time to build a network is always before you need one.” – Douglas Conant, Former CEO of Campbell Soup Company
The Importance of Communication in Business
Good communication is a key component of business success, whether you’re communicating with customers, employees, or partners working with your business.
And don’t just take our word for it. The quotes above remind us that even the most successful businesspeople understand the importance of communication.
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