Leadership communications and engaging your team

What does leadership look like when you’re balancing growth, change and constant pressure? Inspiration from the Business Leaders Summit.

This was the question at the Business Leader Summit at Central Hall Westminster a few weeks ago, and what a line-up. 900 business leaders in the room, representing around £28bn in revenue. A unique opportunity to step back and think.

The theme of the day was optimism, and it came through strongly. Despite everything going on, there was a real sense that the UK still has brilliant businesses, strong innovation and plenty to build on.

It was great to hear from NatWest Group, Rigby Group, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade as well as the CEO of M&S each bringing a different perspective on leadership, growth and the realities of running and scaling businesses today.

A few things really stood out.

The importance of staying optimistic as a leader, even when the noise around you suggests otherwise.
The need to keep evolving your business model and thinking ahead to what the world will look like, so that you can be one step ahead.
The role leadership plays in setting a confident tone, especially when you’re balancing day-to-day delivery with long-term transformation.

It was a powerful reminder that the hardest part of transformation is often just how much there is to do.

What came through consistently is that great leaders acknowledge progress, stay focused on what needs improvement, create space for honest feedback, and move quickly when decisions are made.

The role of leadership communication in business transformation

[Questions to ask yourself]

1. Are we being honest enough about where we are today?

Transformation communication has to start with reality. Are leaders clearly explaining what needs to change, why it matters and what happens if we stay as we are. Purpose and performance is important here.

2. Are we giving people a clear role in the transformation?

The strategy will be meaningful when people can see where they fit and what’s in it for them. Are leaders translating the business ambition into something that teams and individuals can understand, talk about and action? This is where internal communications is critical - helping to turn business strategy into simple messages, manager conversations, team actions and opportunities for celebrating progress.

3. Are we communicating progress quickly enough to build belief?

Transformation can feel overwhelming and tiring. Are leaders showing momentum, recognising progress and helping people believe that change is working and we’re heading in the right direction?

#StrategyCommunications #LeadershipCommunications #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessTransformation #ChangeCommunication #OrganisationalChange