The traditional model for what constitutes a good leader is changing, and CEOs and HR professionals now say the ability to understand, motivate and inspire others is the characteristic that is most important when recruiting senior leaders.
Based on original interviews with an extraordinary list of 60 top leaders from a wide range business and public sectors, The Language of Leaders provides a unique insight into how they have responded to the demands of a transparent world, reports on what they have learned, and creates a lexicon for successful communication. Their message is resoundingly clear - communication is a now a crucial top three skill of leadership. The leaders in this book talk about: why trust is essential to leadership; how they bring external views of their organization in to drive change; how they use conversations to engage and motivate people; what characteristics they look for when hiring leaders; what steps need to be taken in order to become a more effective communicator
Murray has updated his book with interviews with a dozen new leaders, as well as numerous leaders who have been hit hard by the recession and how they've coped in a period of prolonged difficulty. Filled with actionable lessons and insights from leading CEOs of high-profile global organizations, The Language of Leaders is a book that anybody in a leadership position, or who aspires to lead, should read and keep on their desks.
About the Author
Kevin Murray specializes in strategic communication, reputation management and leadership coaching. He has 40 years of experience in communications, first as a journalist, then in corporate communications, and now consultancy as chairman of The Good Relations Group, which is part of Chime Communications plc.
For the past three decades, Kevin has been advising the global chairmen and chief executives (and their leadership teams) of a wide range of organizations. He has provided personal coaching for many of these leaders, helping them to become more effective communicators.
Industry Reviews
"A treasure chest of precious stories and ideas that will be of enormous value to all who read it for many years to come." * John Heaps, Chairman, Eversheds Llp *
"Kevin Murray shows the key importance of communication for inspiring leadership. The Language of Leaders is required reading for anyone aspiring to lead a world-class organization." * Professor Mark P. Taylor, Dean of Warwick Business School, University of Warwick *
"Kevin has written an essential, must-read book on why leaders need to be great at communicating and how they can best do it, packed with stories and insights." * Tony Manwaring, Chief Executive, Tomorrow's Company *
"I have just read one of the most inspirational leadership books for a long time. The Language of Leaders by Kevin Murray examines how top chief executives communicate to inspire, influence and achieve results." * Caroline Shaw, Chief Executive, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust *
"I was utterly fascinated by Kevin Murray's analysis of the need to make communication a top skill for leaders. His book has been invaluable. The "must have skills" for leaders he discusses have certainly struck a chord with me as I grapple with the challenge of leading an organisation of 3,000 staff." * Heather Munro, Chief Executive, London Probation Trust *
"To anyone who aspires to be a good leader of people at any level in an organisation, The Language of Leaders is relevant, insightful, powerful and very clearly structured. . It is the most invaluable book for business leaders. I wish it had been written years ago." * Paul Drechsler, Chairman & CEO, Wates Group *
"In an overcrowded field, this is a book about leadership that offers rare insight. Not only thanks to the wealth of interview material, but also thanks to the intimate nature of their answers. This is likely to be the result of Murray's view that we follow leaders because of how they make us feel." * City AM *
"If you read the book, you'll find the content is compelling. Anyone who aspires to be a better leader will benefit from it." * Jeremy Thompson, Managing Director, Gorkana *
