Communication Strategy of a Leader in an Organization
Introduction
Effective communication skills are important when it comes to the achievement of success in the world of business. When the people within an organization can work together in a conducive environment and with proper communication, the organization does not struggle to achieve operational efficiency and high productivity. The interaction between management and employees plays a huge role in the determination of efficiency within an organization and the smooth operation of the organization. Effective communication increases the chances of projects running smoothly and challenges being avoided in the execution of roles within a firm. Therefore, a good leader has to be an excellent communicator. A good leader needs to effectively communicate with their subordinates and the employees of the organization to explain what is expected of them, to provide them with information on the direction of the firm, to motivate them, and to understand and resolve any issues that they may have.
Elon Musk’s Communication Strategy
Elon Musk is an example of an organizational leader who is a good communicator. Elon Musk’s communication strategy can be analyzed from the strategy that he used to release his master plan for Tesla’s future. Musk published the document on the company’s website, rather than printing it and providing it in hard copy to the employees. The document was short, clear, straightforward, and jargon-free. There was no need to hold long lengthy meetings and discussions to communicate the plan with the employees. Every employee was able to read and understand the plan, which made it easy for Musk to follow up with communication tied back to the plan. Musk also uses tweets and the website to communicate with his employees. He tweets daily and provides innovation articles and updates (Malhotra & Malhotra, 2016). Musk also uses the present tense when communicating. He makes sure that the employees know that he participates actively in all ongoing conversations and uses the present tense to capture the attention of listeners who are tricked into feeling that the future is now. Musk is also able to convert any complex or technical concept into a language that is easy for everyone to understand while maintaining an authentic voice. Rather than providing long messages or giving lengthy speeches that are technical and beat around the bush, he communicates in a clear and short message, often posted as a tweet or notification on the website.
According to Mair (2016), good organizational leaders have to possess an effective communication skill set to be able to communicate with customers, investors, and other organizations. They also need to effectively communicate their vision to the employees and other stakeholders in a way that ensures that they understand and believe in the vision. A good leader should communicate a vision in a way that makes the followers “feel as if the project is just there ready to get taken” (Mair, 2016). Elon Musk achieves this goal by using the present tense in his communication and using few, clear, sentences when communicating his vision. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can be used by organizational leaders to communicate effectively with their followers and shape the public image of their organizations (Malhotra & Malhotra, 2016). By using tweets to communicate, Musk increases his influence and establish a direct and personal connection with his employees. By sending daily updates on the company and innovation, he effectively communicates with his followers while informing the public of the company’s progress and plans.
Conclusion
Elon Musk is a good example of an organizational leader who has mastered the art of effective communication with his followers. Through the use of social media and the internet, Musk passes his message to employees, communicates his vision for Tesla, and motivates the employees towards the fulfillment of the vision. Every good leader must ensure that effective communication within their firm is maintained.
References
Mair, M. (2016). Enlightened entrepreneurship: the success of Elon Musk.
Malhotra, C. K., & Malhotra, A. (2016). How CEOs can leverage twitter. MIT Sloan Management Review, 57(2), 73.
