The Weight of a Leader's Words

People are listening.

May 01, 2025

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As you step into a more senior leadership role, something subtle but significant shifts. Your span of influence grows - not just in terms of decision-making authority, but in how your words are received, interpreted, and acted upon by others.

People start to listen differently. A casual comment can become a new direction. A throwaway line in a meeting can spark days of effort from someone who simply wanted to do the right thing. Even an expression of curiosity - “I wonder if we should look at X…” can land as an urgent instruction if you're not careful.

This isn’t about the ego. It’s about impact. With a bigger role comes a bigger ripple effect. And the closer someone is to the centre of the organisation - or the more junior or removed someone is from the leadership team - the more amplified your voice can become.

Most leaders have witnessed this dynamic: a quick answer given in a corridor turns into “But the CEO said we have to do this.”

Whether or not you subscribe to top-down leadership, the reality is that your words do carry more weight than anyone else’s. Your team wants to deliver, to impress, and to follow through on what they believe matters most to you.

So yes - with an elevated position and great power, comes great responsibility. (Thanks, Uncle Ben from Spider-Man.)

And so the challenge isn’t to say less, but to speak with intention.

Choose what you say carefully. Choose what you share widely.

Importantly though, don’t become overly cautious or buttoned-up. Your people want to hear from you. They’re interested in what you’re doing, what you care about, and what’s on your mind.

Just make sure it aligns with the direction and decisions you've agreed as a leadership team.

Consistency and clarity are crucial. Mixed messages create confusion, second-guessing, and misalignment.

So how do you ensure that the influence of your voice is being used well?

Read on.

Reflect: Your words land with more weight than you may realise.

Even a passing comment can spark action - or confusion. Take a moment to consider the impact your voice has already had, intentionally or not:

When have you seen a leader’s words taken more seriously than intended? What happened as a result?
Have you ever said something that was misinterpreted as a directive or decision?
What kind of feedback (formal or informal) have you received about how people interpret your communication?
How do you currently gauge the ripple effect of what you say?

Refine: Alignment in language builds trust and clarity across your organisation. When leaders speak with one voice, they create confidence. When they don’t, they create confusion. Consider:

What does ‘one voice’ look like in your leadership team, and how consistently are you speaking with it?
Where might you be sharing ideas or thoughts too early, before they’re aligned with the team?
What’s one area where you could be more intentional about how - and when - you share your thinking?

Share: People want to know what matters to you, not just what you expect from them. In fact, sharing parts of yourself helps others connect and engage with your leadership. Think about:

What do your team members want to know about you to better understand your priorities and perspective?
How could you share more context about your decisions, in a way that builds connection without creating distraction?
What’s one small story, insight, or routine you could share to help others connect with you - and strengthen trust and alignment?

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