Page 27 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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WHAT IS LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS?
CHAPTER 1
well as his or her place within the organization. The leadership message is
essential to the health of the organization because it stems from one of the core
leadership behaviors—communications. Of all leadership behaviors, the abil-
ity to communicate may be the most important. Communications lays the
foundation for leading others.
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS? 5
Leadership communications consists of those messages from a leader that are
rooted in the values and culture of an organization and are of significant
importance to key stakeholders, e.g., employees, customers, strategic partners,
shareholders, and the media. These messages affect the vision, mission, and
transformation of an organization. The chief intention of a leadership message
is to build trust between the leader and her or his constituency. Traits of lead-
ership communications (shown in Figure 1-1) reflect:
Significance. Messages are about big issues that reflect the present and
future of the organization (e.g., people, performance, products, and ser-
vices).
Values. Messages reflect vision, mission, and culture.

Consistency. Messages exemplify stated values and behaviors.
Cadence. Messages occur with regularity and frequency.
In its simplest form, leadership communication is communication that
flows from the leadership perspective. It is grounded in the character of the
leader as well as the values of the organization. It is an expression of culture
as well as an indicator of the climate, e.g., openness, integrity, and honesty.

FIGURE 1-1 Leadership Communications Model

Significance

Cadence Values

Consistency