Genelle Aldred is a Communications and Media Advisor to C-suite clients. As a broadcaster, she has worked as a journalist, newsreader, and commentator for the BBC, ITV, ITN and Sky News. She is also a sought-after keynote speaker, podcast guest, and roundtable facilitator. Genelle also has senior leadership experience in TV Channel Management, digital strategy, and as a Director of Communications. She brings this deep and wide experience to her comms practice and is able to train as well as advise. Genelle’s recent TEDX, book, and TV appearances prove she is still on her game and can bring that expertise to her clients.
As the landscape of media communications continues to evolve, leaders must adapt by staying true to their values, leveraging their own channels, and using emerging tools like AI strategically. Most importantly, they must ensure that their messaging is consistent, clear, and authentic, both externally and internally. Leadership communication is about more than just making noise; it’s about making an impact that aligns with long-term goals and inspires trust across the board with all stakeholders.
Media communications have transformed into something vastly different from what we once knew even five years ago. The evolution continues at such a pace that leaders need to stay not only current but ahead of the curve.
Navigating the balance of strategy and authenticity
The leadership messaging conundrum is getting the balance between strategic, trickle-down communication and authenticity. Leaders today are expected to do more than manage—they need to inspire. Employees, stakeholders, and clients all look to leaders to set the tone and not just in strategic direction. The modern workforce is more discerning. They crave leaders who are genuine, empathetic, and capable of engaging in difficult conversations with compassion – it all needs to feel real.
While media training is essential, many leaders spend more time communicating internally than they do with the press. Yet, they often overlook the need to be just as prepared for internal communications as they are for external media spots. Town halls, all-staff emails, and one-on-one meetings are where trust is built or broken. After all, the people reporting up to you are the ones who will execute your vision, or not. How you land your messaging with them is crucially important. Leaders must be equipped to handle difficult questions, manage conflicting interests, and communicate clearly in these settings.
However, this doesn’t mean sharing everything. There is also a balance to strike between transparency and the need for discretion, timing is also important. Leaders must ensure that, even when they can’t say everything, they remain honest and true to their core values. It’s important to remember that many of your team are hanging onto your every word.
A well-prepared leader is one who avoids the pitfalls of people-pleasing—telling different groups what they want to hear. In today’s world, mixed messaging can be catastrophic, especially when information can be shared quickly and widely. Communication coaching and advice is a must have for all senior leaders, an external and trusted voice is a secret weapon to getting this right.
The halo effect of external thought leadership
Many aspire to be seen as thought leaders but thought leadership is a title bestowed by others, not one you give yourself. You earn it by sharing ideas that others follow. This means that content should be targeted carefully. Who is the audience? What do they want or need to hear? What unique perspective can you bring?
Once you clarify these questions, you can ensure your content has a purpose beyond merely existing in the digital ether. Strategic communication should be intentional. Avoid the temptation of mission creep—where leaders speak on multiple topics without cohesion—diluting your core message.
This is crucial as a leader’s words can create a halo effect on their organization. This can be a positive influence, helping to drive the company’s messaging forward, or it can backfire, damaging the brand’s reputation. By working on mastering your messaging it creates a positive and aligned message between the people leading an organization and the brand.
It’s also about being selective in how your organization’s voice is projected and ensuring that those who speak on your behalf reflect your values. Employees are extensions of your brand, and their words and actions can influence how the organization is perceived. Ensuring alignment across all spokespeople is important. In my experience, the more senior a person, the more likely they’ll go rogue, and more junior people are often too scared of the consequences to go off message. The more resistant people are to training, the more likely they are to need message clarity and discipline.
Crises require clarity, silence and delay is deadly
Strong leaders are those who navigate crises effectively. They step up, communicate, and manage the situation with transparency. The truth is, that many crises are about managing perceptions, not just addressing the facts. In this day and age, perception often becomes the reality that organizations must grapple with.
When crises occur, silence can be fatal. Leaders who delay communication, waiting until they have a “perfect” response, allow others to fill the void. Speculation, misinformation, and fear can spread rapidly. Instead, frequent updates—however brief—reassure stakeholders that you are on top of things. Even an update of “no new updates” keeps people informed and alleviates uncertainty.
Are you missing the 24/7 broadcasting opportunity?
Organizations often overlook their own channels as powerful broadcasting platforms. LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter are not just social media—they are 24/7 broadcasting stations. You have the ability to share your message whenever and however you choose. While external media attention is always valuable, don’t discount the power of your own platforms. Repurpose content, create new formats and think of your channels as a constant stream of programming. This way, you can engage with stakeholders directly and consistently.
However, you have to navigate this landscape effectively, it’s crucial to ask the right questions about what you want to achieve upfront. When creating content that may go online, consider where it might be used in the future and how it aligns with your brand’s long-term values. A simple solution to avoid potential pitfalls is ensuring that the messaging you put out remains true to your values—this is the safeguard against trends shifting and taking your words along with them.
Social media is a time-travel machine
Today, a piece of content is no longer confined to the moment in which it was created. A video clip you recorded a year ago can reappear in a different context, reinterpreted, perhaps misinterpreted, by a new audience. One piece of content can be turned into a dozen different formats: video clips, articles, infographics, or shared alongside other leaders’ thoughts. And while this is brilliant for prolonging content’s lifespan, it also means it can pop up in unexpected ways and at unforeseen times.
Imagine something you said during the COVID-19 lockdown—when the world’s view of diversity, inclusion, and work was evolving—surfacing today. What was true and relevant then might not hold now, and this is where the challenge lies for leaders. The internet is a time machine that can bring your past words into the present, often without context. This reality should make all leaders think more carefully about the content they create and share. It shouldn’t make you avoid it, but you have to think about several possible outcomes.
Leaders must stay strategic, not just reactive. It’s essential to maintain consistency in messaging, aligning it with your long-term goals rather than catering to short-term trends. Stakeholders respond to clarity, and a streamlined, thoughtful message builds your reputation while managing their expectations. It’s back to navigating strategy and authenticity.
Tech efficiency needs human intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping how we prepare and deliver messages. As a leader in media communications, AI tools allow you to transcribe speeches, sort through thoughts, and even stress-test messages. While AI helps streamline the work, it’s crucial not to lose the human touch that makes communication truly impactful. AI can make things efficient, but it is still up to human intelligence to make things exceptional.
Embrace the technology, use it to your advantage, but remain the driver of innovation. Machines can sort through data, but only humans can add the nuance, emotion, and authenticity that resonate with audiences.
The world in which we operate is changing rapidly, and we must keep pace with it. If you lean into communication it can change so many things for the better in your organization. You don’t have to figure it out on your own, there are enough comms and media advisors to help you navigate how to shape the future.