Leadership in contemporary organisations is dominated by the language of function. Largely as organisations have evolved to privilege the functional behaviours of its members. Unsurprising given the globalising of modern society. And modern societies often prefer speech rooted in events and people over and above the apparent abstractness of ideas or imagining. That we are cultured in speaking primarily about the physical world is hardly surprising. ‘How are you?’ being a frequent and revealing opening remark for us, over ‘Who are you?’ or ‘What are you thinking?’. Social media reveals the focus on what people are doing, or haven’t done. Chief Executives’ language can often then tend to be orientated towards this form of speechness. Trapping them in a world of apparent ‘constant action’. Their journey through the very functional ranks of middle-management can create pressure to be the centre of successful doing. This podcast discusses our challenge as CEOs and Board members to consider our language as leaders in the coming complexities of future trading: Click here (early reference to the writer Mikhail Bakhtin and his ideas)

Pic: how well do boardroom spaces enable leaders to vary their speech?