LEAD DIFFERENT - Issue 21

Welcome to Lead Different - rethinking communication for strategic minds in B2B tech.

Lead Different is evolving. I’m replacing The Leadership Imprint with In The News - spotlighting current stories about tech leaders and companies, and analysing how they shape their messages, manage silence or reveal more than they intend.

This week in:

• Reputation and Trust - Are your social media rules up to date?

• Narrative Power - Customers don’t care about your ‘Why’

• Influence and Framing - How to persuade a client before the meeting

• Crucial Conversations - Saying “calm down” makes people angrier

• Internal Comms - Avoid team bonding that breeds cynicism

• Getting Clear - People understand in different ways. Adapt to connect

• Ask Edith - When employee performance slips, lead with respect

• In The News - Jets, outages, and silence: Cannon-Brookes lifts off, AWS hides and Optus continues to unravel

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

The New Frontline of Trust is Social

Social media has rewritten the rules of trust. Reputation no longer lives in press releases; it lives in feeds. To protect yours, three things need constant management:

1. Active monitoring of social signals across platforms

2. A living PR and crises-communication plan

3. Social media training and clear behaviour guidelines because what your people post (or endorse) can shape how your brand is judged.

If your teams haven’t been trained on how to represent the company online, it’s important to start now, before the comment threads land you in hot water.

Narrative Power – The leadership story playbook

Your ‘Why’ is Over-rated. Give Them The ‘How’ Through Story

The “What’s your why?” era is fading.

B2B buyers have heard enough lofty purpose statements; they want specific proof about your capability and capacity to deliver and support their goals because so much is at risk.

They want more of how. How do you make them faster, more productive or cost-efficient?

So, start telling concrete how stories – like ‘A Day In The Life Of’, a success moment, or a sharply detailed scenario that shows, not just tells, the difference you make.

Influence & Framing – Small moves, big impact

The Art of Influence Begins Before You Speak

In Pre-Suasion, Robert Cialdini reveals that persuasion starts before the pitch. The most effective communicators don’t dive into arguments; they prepare the moment.

Three things matter most:

1. Attention – focus others on what makes your message matter
   Before a platform demo, ask, “What’s costing your team the most time right now?” You’ve just directed attention toward your strength – efficiency gains.

2. Association – link your idea to trusted values or identities
   A cloud-migration firm begins with, “Our clients choose us because we make transformation low-risk and transparent.” It anchors the story in values the buyer already cares about – safety and trust.

3. Alignment – make the environment work for your message
   Instead of a generic Zoom pitch, use the client’s own dashboard data to show where bottlenecks sit. Their world becomes the proof.

You’re instinctively doing some of this already. The difference lies in doing it on purpose, pre-suading with intent and consistency.

In complex, high-stakes sales, that sort of preparation often decides who wins the deal.

Crucial Conversations – Navigating high-stakes comms

How To Calm An Angry Client or Colleague

When someone’s angry or has lost faith, resist the urge to explain or defend; it fuels the fire.

Start with a pause and one grounding question:

“It sounds like this really matters to you. What feels most unfair right now?”

You acknowledge emotion without agreeing or arguing.

The worst thing to say? “Calm down.” It never works.

When you take a moment to recognise their emotion, you create space for a calmer, more productive exchange. Dismissing it, on the other hand only inflames the person.

Internal Comms – How to connect, not just inform

Why Managers Love Team-Bonding And Employees Roll Their Eyes

Here’s the truth: many team-bonding rituals feel artificial because they are. When you’re in a retreat and you ask people to fall backwards into teammates’ arms to build trust, what you’re really building is cringe-bonding. That’s because teams crave genuine connection, not forced fun.

When you do get it right:

• At a strategy retreat, try exercises that strengthen core communication skills, like Back-to-Back Drawing, where one person describes an image while the other draws it using only verbal cues. It’s fun, low-risk, and sharpens clarity and listening.

• At the Christmas party or end-of-year event: aim for light, inclusive, optional fun, e.g., a board-game hub, or a ‘song-share' playlist where team members suggest tracks that mean something to them.

Warning: If you design a one-size-fits-all activity and label it “everyone must join for morale,” you risk cynicism and disengagement.

Team bonding works when it’s real, not a ritual. Keep it optional, relevant, and tied to something that matters.

Getting Clear – Communication that cuts through 

Clarity Starts When You Speak Their Language

People don’t just differ in what they understand; they differ in how they understand.

Most of us lean toward one dominant communication mode: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic (feeling), or verbal (words and reasoning). The clearer you are on which mode someone prefers, the faster you connect.

Visuals
They say, “I see what you mean,” “Let’s look at the bigger picture.” Use diagrams, slides, or visual metaphors. Keep your message structured and easy to scan.

Auditory
They say, “That sounds right,” “I like the sound of that.” They process best through conversation, tone, and rhythm. Be clear, concise, and repeat key points aloud.

Kinaesthetic (feeling)
They say, “That feels right,” “I can’t get a grip on this.” They value experiences and emotional cues. Describe outcomes through impact - how something feels, works, or lands in practice.

Verbal (linguistic)
They say, “I think,” “That makes sense,” “I’d like to read more.” They prefer logic, written detail, and clear reasoning. Provide structured arguments and summaries they can revisit.

To adapt, listen for their language. Mirror it subtly in your responses. When people feel understood in the way they naturally process information, clarity follows, and so does trust.

Ask Edith - Your communication challenges, answered

Putting Someone on a Performance Plan Without Crushing Their Dignity

Q: I’ve never put someone on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) before. I’m younger than the person I manage, and their performance is low. I genuinely want them to improve, but leadership expects me to manage them out. How do I start this conversation in a way that protects their dignity while respecting my brief?

A: Treat is as a clarity and support conversation, not a warning. Start with shared intent: “I want to give you every chance to succeed here.” Be specific about performance gaps and the standards expected, pairing each with the support you’ll offer. Avoid defeatist language (“You’re on thin ice”). Instead, position it as a reset: “Here’s what improvement looks like.” Document facts, speak with empathy. Even if the outcome is exit, they should leave feeling respected, not blindsided.

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.

IN THE NEWS

A weekly look at tech leaders and companies in the news, how they communicate, and my verdict on whether they nailed it or missed the mark.