LEAD DIFFERENT

Welcome to Lead Different - delivering strategic communication on the edge of AI and upheaval - helping you shift thinking and mobilise change.

This week in:

• Reputation and Trust - Anatomy of a real apology + examples

• Narrative Power - Why storytelling is essential in a strategic reset

• Influence and Framing - From blame culture to owning the problem

• Crucial Conversations - Win the conversation before it even begins

• Internal Comms - The untapped potential driving change

• Getting Clear - Beware words that sound good but signify nothing

• Ask Edith - How to overcome resistance to back to the office mandate

• The Leadership Imprint - Communication lessons from controversial leader, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI

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Reputation & Trust – how to earn trust or get it back

The Anatomy Of A Real Apology

A lot of corporate apologies focus on legal cover or reputation spin. The best ones repair relationships and show leadership in action.

A true apology is simple; yet requires courage and humility from leaders. Its basic structure is:

1. Acknowledge the impact – Name what happened and who was affected.

2. Take responsibility – No deflection, no passive voice.

3. Show remorse – Be human. Be specific.

4. Explain the fix – Detail the action you’ll take.

5. Reaffirm the relationship – Commit to doing better.

A strong apology tells people, you’ve been heard, we take this seriously, and are doing the work to fix it. That’s the path to restoring trust.

For more download the pdf below with an example of an apology to a customer, employees and the public. 👎

Narrative Power – The leadership story playbook

Embedding Storytelling in a Strategy Pivot

Strategy without story feels like a spreadsheet - it tells you what, but not why. The most effective strategies follow a narrative arc: problem, plan, promise.

For example:

“This time last year, we were riding the wave - fast growth, expanding reach. But so was everyone else. Competitors circled like sharks, mimicking our features, slashing prices. The market got crowded and noisy. So we made a call: stop chasing the cheap win. Start owning premium. We pulled back, doubled down on depth. More white-glove service, more substance, fewer shortcuts. Today, the conversation has changed. We’re not just staying afloat, we’re steering the current.”

When leaders anchor strategy in narrative, people don’t just understand the plan, they feel what’s at stake, and see where they fit in.

Influence & Framing – Small moves, big impact

From Blame to Ownership

Language is culture in motion, especially when something goes wrong. Blame-based questions like “Who missed this?” close people down. They trigger fear, not learning.

Ownership framing sounds different: “What did we miss?”, “What made this hard?”, “What would we do differently next time?” These invite reflection, not retreat.

People mirror the tone leaders set. If your framing looks forward, so will your team. And in that shift from blame to ownership you create space for accountability, improvement, and trust.

For more messaging examples moving from blame to ownership, download the reframing Tip Sheet below. 👎

Crucial Conversations – Navigating high-stakes comms

The Power Of Pre-Conversation

Why your real advantage happens before the meeting starts.

Conversations are won or lost in the prep. Yet because we’re so busy, often, we rush into high-stakes meetings with large groups (5, 10 or more people) with minimal preparation.

Even if time is of the essence, it’s important to do the following:

1. Take the time to get really clear: What’s the purpose of this conversation / presentation? What outcome do I want? What does my audience likely want?

2. Approach a trusted collaborator with: “I want to raise something / put forward this idea, can I run it by you first?”

3. Finally, get aligned with two to three influential people in the audience so you have support for your idea when you present it to the larger group.

Being intentional and prepared makes crucial presentations easier to land.

Internal Comms – How to connect, not just inform

The Untapped Potential Driving Change: Your Middle Managers

Middle managers are your built-in comms intelligence network.

They know the temperature on the ground and can spot confusion, friction, or tone mismatch before it spreads. And, they know what people are asking.

Involve them early to shape the message (i.e., your new strategy) and then equip them to carry it.

While they have the credibility their teams trust, they still need support. Give them clear, adaptable collateral to reinforce key messages with confidence, not guesswork.

Stay tuned for next week’s issue which shows how to translate high-level strategy to something relatable to employees.

Getting Clear – Communication that cuts through

Sounds Smart. Says Nothing.

I’m talking about Weasel Words - vague, slippery terms like “leverage,” “synergies,” or “move the needle.” They sound important, but say very little.

When leaders fall back on them, teams nod politely… then walk away unclear. In contrast, clear, concrete language builds trust, sharpens focus, and drives faster decisions.

And if you’re pitching something complex, you might think a few jargon-y flourishes will help… like “seamless”, “driving value”, “optimising synergies”. They won’t. They dilute meaning, frustrate smart people, and turn attention into apathy.

Weasel Words are a lazy shortcut that gets you nowhere. Clearly explaining and specifically outlining value gets results.

Ask Edith - Your communication challenges, answered

The Office Is Back, But Where Are Our People?

Q: We want more people back in the office, but the moment we mention ‘culture’ or ‘collaboration’, eyes glaze over. How do we entice employees that are resisting?

A: Stop relying on ‘feel-good’ abstract terms or merely authoritative orders. Give practical reasons. For example, what decisions move faster when handled face-to-face? Which projects benefit from spontaneous, in-person problem-solving? Invite people back for a reason, not just a routine. A coffee machine and relaxing kitchen vibes are nice but what really matters is getting clear on why being in the room makes the work better for them - and you. You can also read this week’s deep dive article, The Return To Office (RTO) Message Isn’t Working.

Got a communication challenge you want answered in the next issue of this newsletter? Reply to this email with your question and I’ll give you my perspective.

THE LEADERSHIP IMPRINT

30-second read how the best leaders communicate to leave a lasting mark, and what you can apply today.