The Role of Communication in Leadership

The Role of Communication in Leadership

When we discuss the role of communication in leadership, we open the door to an interesting, many-roomed house of ideas. It is another example of the ask ten people, and you’ll get ten answers kind of topic. I’m convinced that there are a number of roles that effective communication serve in leadership, but I would contend that one of the most important roles is that of aligning your team with your vision and the effort it will take to carry out that vision.

Alignment

I looked up the proper definition of the word alignment using the trusty go-to source, dictionary.com, and I came across a meaning that perfectly suits my thoughts: alignment is a state of agreement or cooperation among persons, groups, nations, etc., with a common cause or viewpoint. Bingo! Can you imagine what it would be like if the team you lead had agreement and cooperation about a shared vision? You’d be unstoppable!

Striving for Alignment

As a leader, what would it be like if you considered adopting the idea that the most important role of communication in leadership is that of striving for alignment? From the newest member of your team to the top dog in your organization, when envisioning the role of communication in leadership as the opportunity for our communication to further bring people into agreement or cooperation toward meeting shared goals, a common cause, or viewpoint, we can’t help but see a remarkable improvement in how well we move the ball forward toward success.

Maybe easier said than done, right? I understand.

Sometimes this means it is best to hit the pause button. Communicating with the goal of alignment always implies responding and not reacting. This is where your commitment to intentional communication comes in. In my last blog, we discussed looking at how seriously you take the importance of communication. I suspect you probably gave that topic some thought. Intentional communication is vitally important and when paired with the goal of alignment it is game changing. Intentional communication and alignment are two corner stones on which your effective communication house will be built.

Communication is a fascinating subject, and if you’d like to do a deeper dive and even talk about how you can improve your communication, please reach out! I can’t get enough of this topic, and I welcome your ideas on it. We’ll chat more about communication next time. Until then, be well!