Leadership and Communication : Concepts, Contexts, and Tools

Managers and leaders spend a great deal of time on communication; it binds together all the communications in the organisational system. In other words, communication is the glue that impacts on the effectiveness of communication in the entire organization, therefore the style of leadership communication has a profound impact on how the organization works. If too much ‘glue'is used, the consequence is information overload, which hampers effective communication. If there is too little glue, individuals and entire organizations may find themselves in a pathological state of disorder, with people filling the information vacuum with rumours and gossip. Leadership communication can be involving and participatory, motivating colleagues to be creative and put in as much extra effort as is necessary. Leadership communication can also be power-based and patronizing. Such a style of communication will cause tensions and conflicts within an organization. In this textbook, the author shows how information and communication are parts of a special type of interaction, namely situations in which you want to gain trust or influence people. With a plethora of case examples and practical exercises to get stuck into, this engaging book helps students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and contexts described in each chapter, such as communication strategies, influencing techniques, communication and values, and communication and trust. The second half of the book offers six personal communication tools, and six personal coaching tools, with assignment to each of the coaching tools. In addition, the book provides 66 exercises to the six personal communication tools. Ideal reading for those taking leadership and communication courses, this textbook takes a practical approach to the key issues in organizational communication that will prepare students for their careers in business.