A Leader’s Responsibility and Impact as a Spokesperson

by Frank L. Williams

Leaders often shoulder the responsibility of serving as the official face and voice of their business, association, non-profit, or governmental body. For better or worse, their words, tone, and non-verbal communication impact how key stakeholder groups view the organization. This is especially true in the midst of a crisis. Some leaders take this responsibility seriously and do their jobs well. Others adopt a fly-by-night approach, often without regard for how their performance impacts those they are charged with leading. Even worse, others look like a deer in the headlights when the going gets tough.

Let’s consider some of the many ways a leader’s performance as a spokesperson can impact their business or organization:

• Customer confidence: People want to have confidence in the companies they do business with, and that confidence can be shaped by the leader. This is especially important for larger, high-ticket purchases or engagements that will have a long-term impact on the buyer.
• Organizational credibility: Credibility can be defined as “the quality of being trusted, reliable, and believable.” A strong, credible spokesperson can boost their organization’s credibility among key publics. Conversely, a poor spokesperson can dramatically undermine their organization’s credibility. 
• Employee morale: Many leaders underestimate the impact that their word choice, tone of voice, or even non-verbal communication have on employee morale. This applies to both formal communication and informal communication. A snide, off-hand comment at the water cooler can have the same adverse impact on an employee as an unnecessarily negative company-wide email.
• Organizational culture: I’ve heard numerous definitions of organizational culture, including “the way we do things around here” and “the personality of an organization.” In many ways, a leader acts as a thermostat whose actions, words and tone set the internal temperature of their organization.
• Member recruitment and retention: Leaders of associations and other membership organizations have a tremendous impact on their ability to recruit and retain members. A strong, passionate leader who communicates effectively and articulates a positive vision can attract and engage members. On the flip side, a negative, disengaged, or unlikable leader can drive members away.
• Investor confidence and stock prices: While writing this article, I searched for “examples of CEO comments negatively impacting stock prices.” The search revealed multiple examples of poorly chosen words or posts from CEOs of publicly traded companies adversely affecting investor confidence or causing stock prices to plummet. 

A leader’s communication can have a tremendous impact on those they serve. Wise leaders understand that responsibility, choose their words wisely, consider their non-verbals, and manage their tone. 

Need help preparing yourself or someone on your team to be a more effective spokesperson? Let’s have a conversation!