MNG81001 - Leaders Using Communication to Execute Strategy Today

This report, prepared for the Director of Communications at ABC Company, examines how leaders use communication to execute strategy in the 21st century. It highlights the shift from tactical to strategic communication, driven by social media and big data. The report emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural communication and effective leadership in a global environment. It references studies that underscore the need for leaders to prioritize stakeholders, embrace social media, and value listening over speaking. The analysis incorporates insights from Argenti (2017), Ayub, Manaf and Hamzah (2014) and Zerfass and Sherzada (2015), advocating for culturally, technologically, and intellectually competent leaders who can leverage communication to enhance company morale, productivity, and global expansion. The report suggests ABC Company adopt a more strategic communication approach, utilizing big data and fostering a listening-oriented leadership culture.

Memo
To: The Director of Communications, ABC Company
CC: The Chief Executive Office, Chief Financial Officer
From: Student Name
Date: July 10, 2018
Re: Leaders using communication to execute strategy in the 21st century
Executive Summary
C-suite executives using strategic communication
The presence of social media platforms have provided an edge to the strategic planning of
the organizations and the executives. The C-suite executives in particular have realized the
importance of strategic communication in business especially within the organization. According
to Argenti (2017) communication within organizations has “moved from a tactical and
superficial focus to a more strategic and elevated level”. The author meant to state that nowadays
communication is used to gather information of the customers or users of online platforms
through other companies by the executives. The fact that communicating corporate strategy
using effective communication tools leads to boosting company morale and productivity is
undeniable. Big data companies have played an instrumental role in providing vital information
to business executives who want to know everything about their consumers. The data brokers
collect all sorts of information of the social media users and probable consumers and sell those to
business companies. Business leaders have used this tool to expand their business across the
globe using strategic communication tools like direct interaction with the consumers and so on.
The ABC Company looks forward to change its communication strategy from tactical to
strategic, giving better scope for the leaders to implement the strategies.
Leaders using communication strategy in the global environment

Businesses are now operated on a global level with products and services being offered to
consumers across borders. It thus becomes extremely crucial for business leaders and executives
to understand the importance of cross-cultural communication. Many business organizations
have realized this and implemented strategies of communication that include cross-cultural
communication training and management as well. Apart from that, it is also important that
leadership within organization is effective in developing effective communication strategies that
succeeds in the 21st century business environment. As Ayub, Manaf and Hamzah (2014) discuss,
certain communication models are there for leaders to follow in order to motivate employees.
They state, “The leader needs to know the communication structure in the organization so that
the information can be communicated effectively”. In a global environment, advanced
technologies have given leaders the opportunity to learn more clearly about its own staff as well
as the consumers. Within the organization, the communication technology can be used to train
the staff. ABC Company could also communicate with big data companies and learn extensively
about the consumers and its own staff in order to cope with rising competition in the 21st century.
Importance of strategic communication
In a study conducted by Zerfass and Sherzada (2015), they found that the top C-suite
executives had, as their primary concerns the primary stakeholders that included customers and
employees. Apart from that, the executives focused more on mass media than on the social
media and rated speaking as being more effective than listening. As apparent, the respondents in
the study gave little importance to the strategic communication that is more effective in the 21st
century. ABC Company considers a different approach and considers social media as being more
resourceful and strategically important than the mass media. Further, the company aims at
establishing an environment where leaders consider listening as more strategically effective than
speaking.
Lastly, it is important to state that leaders in the 21st century have numerous facilities to
enhance their communication skills and effectively communicate strategies to their subordinates.
They need to be culturally, technologically and intellectually competent.

References:
Argenti, P.A., 2017. Strategic communication in the c-suite. International Journal of Business
Communication, 54(2), pp.146-160.
Ayub, S.H., Manaf, N.A. and Hamzah, M.R., 2014. Leadership: Communicating strategically in
the 21st century. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 155, pp.502-506.
Zerfass, A. and Sherzada, M., 2015. Corporate communications from the CEO’s perspective:
How top executives conceptualize and value strategic communication. Corporate
Communications: An International Journal, 20(3), pp.291-309.