ABSTRACT
How do leaders communicate? Do they communicate more by what they say, or what they do? Are their communication strategies unique? Are they moral beings, or impostors? In this work I hope to answer such questions by analysing the verbal and non-verbal communication of six highly successful non-western leaders.1 Verbal communication is their use of language – such as metaphors – and their non-verbal communication includes appearance, dress, gesture, the use of symbols and symbolic actions. An important finding is that verbal strategies are more effective when they interact with non-verbal ones. This is because multi-modal communication is more effective in evoking subliminal responses among followers and therefore is more likely to lead to the attribution of charismatic qualities. My overall intention is to enhance our understanding of how leadership is communicated.
