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GREAT COMMUNICATION SECRETS OF GREAT LEADERS
PURPOSE OF LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS
There are many types of leadership communications. Each of them emerges
from a leadership action that is communicated from the point of view of the
leader—i.e., doing what is beneficial for the organization and the people in it.
Leadership communications are designed to engage the listener, gain com-
mitment, and ultimately create a bond of trust between leader and follower.
They also do something more: They drive results, enabling leader and follower
to work together more efficiently because they understand the issues and
know what has to be done to accomplish their goals.
Specifically, leadership messages do one or more of the following:
Affirm organizational vision and mission. These messages let people
know where the organization is headed and what it stands for. General
George C. Marshall lived and breathed the core values of the U.S.
Army. His penchant for preparation prepared the nation for fighting the
conflict it did not want to fight—World War II. By giving detailed
briefings to Congress, developing a cadre of superior officers, revamp-
ing military training, and supporting President Franklin Roosevelt,
Marshall mobilized the armed forces to go overseas and defeat the
tyrannical powers of the Axis. And later, as secretary of defense, he
helped Europe recover economically, socially, and politically through a
comprehensive aid program that eventually bore his name, the Marshall
Plan.
Drive transformational initiatives, e.g., change! These messages get
people prepared to do things differently and give the reasons why. Rich
Teerlink, former CEO of Harley-Davidson, spent much of his time at
the helm enkindling a passion for the company among dealers, owners,
and employees. Part of this passion was rooted in the need to transform
Harley from an old-line manufacturer into a modern enterprise in
which employees shared in the voice and the vision.
Issue a call to action. These messages galvanize people to rally behind
an initiative. They tell people what to do and how to do it. Rudy Giu-
liani, as mayor of New York City, inherited a city whose citizenry
accepted as fact that high crime, social service failures, and city hall
ineptitude were part of the social contract. Through a combination of
daily meetings with city agencies, public proclamations, and holding
people accountable, Giuliani reduced crime, reinvigorated social agen-
cies, and raised citizens’expectations for public servants’performance.
Giuliani also prepared himself and his government for prompt response
to the horrible events of September 11, in which New York City served