Communication of Leadership

<p>With the crisis of leadership in the western democracies there has been a growth of interest in how leaders outside of the west emerge and consolidate their positions. This book analyses the communication strategies of six charismatic non-western leaders: Mahatma Gandhi Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Ayatollah Khomeini Mohammed Mahathir and Lee Kuan Yew. The book addresses the following questions in order to arrive at a better understanding of communication and leadership:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>How do leaders communicate? </li> <p> </p> <li>Do leaders communicate more by words or actions? </li> <p> </p> <li>Do leaders have unique communication strategies? </li> <p> </p> <li>Are leaders moral beings or impostors?</li> </ul><p>The book describes how each of these leaders designed a unique style that integrated verbal and non-verbal modes of communication. It argues that leadership style is performed through the cumulative interaction of non-verbal modes – dress body language physical possessions symbols and symbolic actions – with verbal strategies for communicating visions values and legitimacy. </p><p>In order to understand how each of these leaders undertakes a dramatic ‘performance’ of leadership Jonathan Charteris-Black uses Erving Goffman’s notion of ‘Front’. Noting the inherent similarities between the mutual dependency of actors with audiences and leaders with followers the book suggests that leaders – like actors – use metaphors and symbols to satisfy followers’ psychological and symbolic needs and that leadership is communicated through impression management metaphor and media choices. </p><p>A fascinating and well executed study this book will interest students and academics working on leadership applied linguistics communication studies and politics.</p>