Communication is key for senior execs: Scott Addison writes for Business Leader

When it comes to corporate leadership, communication is clearly an integral part of the job. But it’s not always the case that someone who’s good at strategy or operations will innately be a skilled communicator. In a guest article, Infinite Global’s Scott Addison discusses authenticity and personality and its impact on leadership.

“In the public imagination, the individuals that run an organization and the organization itself are often inextricably linked. What leaders say about the business or anything else inevitably reflects on the company, with potential ramifications for its brand reputation, sales, and share price.

That reality clearly represents both an opportunity and a threat. When leaders have vibrant personalities or interesting views, they tend to appeal to the media and can connect powerfully with the audiences the business wants to reach. But equally, one misstep and they can quickly become the focus of attention for all the wrong reasons, and their public profile can become a liability.

Business leaders today have to communicate with a huge range of different audiences and stakeholders, in an environment where their every word can be picked up and endlessly picked over. It can be difficult to get it right all the time.

Be authentic but measured, have interesting things to say but don’t be needlessly controversial, choose which battles to fight and when to let things go, make sure you can back up your arguments and know how to deal with debate. It’s a big ask for leaders and their comms teams to manage – but done well, the rewards are great.”

Click to read the full article here, and find out more about Infinite Global’s profile-raising and reputational management services for senior executives.