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 leadership 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 services).
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.