Communication is indispensable to leadership, be it spoken, written or nonverbal in form. Effective communication is a primary tool for separating real leaders from individuals who just happen to occupy leadership positions. It helps us discern between the contenders and the pretenders.
There is one form of leadership communication that matters more than all the rest combined, however, and that's the leader's behavior. What we do as leaders - how we succeed or fail at modeling the behaviors we expect from others - vastly outweighs what we say. There are simply no "I'm above it all" excuses in this realm.
The principles of effective leadership have been under unrelenting assault for several years now in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Suffice it to say in abundance that decent, thoughtful leaders who understand their stewardship role know they have no choice but to visibly and symbolically behave in ways that are moral, ethical, strategic and necessary for the times. Communicating behaviors that are antithetical to this higher purpose - and even flaunting those negative behaviors - contributes mightily to the bankruptcy of anyone in a leadership position.
There is one form of leadership communication that matters more than all the rest combined, however, and that's the leader's behavior. What we do as leaders - how we succeed or fail at modeling the behaviors we expect from others - vastly outweighs what we say. There are simply no "I'm above it all" excuses in this realm.
The principles of effective leadership have been under unrelenting assault for several years now in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Suffice it to say in abundance that decent, thoughtful leaders who understand their stewardship role know they have no choice but to visibly and symbolically behave in ways that are moral, ethical, strategic and necessary for the times. Communicating behaviors that are antithetical to this higher purpose - and even flaunting those negative behaviors - contributes mightily to the bankruptcy of anyone in a leadership position.
Image courtesy of PAVE.