How to Rewrite a Narrative: Communication as Leadership

Communication—and communication strategy—changes along with technology and media. What worked yesterday is seldom effective today. In fact, it may even be harmful. Look at the news, and you’ll see what I mean.

People assume communication skills come bundled with a promotion to a leadership position. Sadly, no. Some people are born communicators; others can learn, but only if they’re willing to admit they don’t know what they don’t know.

What Great Communicators Know

Great communicators understand there’s a strategy inside every message—two key elements, really. First, there’s the expressed message: what you literally say. Second, there’s the implied message: what your audience hears between the lines. The goal is to design both to achieve a specific outcome.

The news media, for example, often fumbles this. When they say, “Newspapers are dying,” what they want is public support. But what the public hears is, “Everyone’s canceling—I need to get on that, too.” Or when the media shouts, “Protect our First Amendment rights,” the public perceives it as a plea for unlimited freedom to be irresponsible. In reality, that’s not what true journalists want at all.

Meanwhile, we see leaders quoted left and right, ignoring a critical aspect of communication strategy: the language of leadership should uplift, not diminish. We reveal our character through the words we choose.

Here’s an example from the backyard. Since the Dark Ages, Long Island has been repeating that it “doesn’t get its fair share,” meaning it pays far more in taxes than it receives back. While that’s completely accurate—too many of our tax dollars do end up elsewhere—this choice of language puts us in the victim role. It implies the government, the very entity we need as a partner, is the abuser. “Not getting our fair share” is pretty much the unofficial motto around here, and it’s been used for so long that maybe we’ve forgotten to question if it still helps us.

Hero or Victim? Communicate Wisely

What if we rewrote the script with a focus on empowerment instead of victimhood? The fact is, Long Island is a net contributor to the nation, funding education, innovation, and economic growth across the country. That makes us heroes, not victims. We’re not alone, either: other affluent areas—parts of Connecticut, New Jersey, and California—also give more than they receive. This part of the story is never told.

When we say, “We’re proud of our accomplishments, and we help prop up the rest of the country,” our strategy changes entirely. The government ceases to be an antagonist and becomes a partner. Now we can say, “We’re doing our part. We’ll keep doing it. But we need your help.” Isn’t that a far more productive conversation?

Why does this matter? Because if we cast ourselves as heroes rather than victims, our entire mindset shifts. Now, we’re valuable. We move from protests about unfairness to mutual benefits that encourage collaboration.

Which would you rather be, the victim or hero?

Choose a strategy. Choose the story. Choose your destiny.

– Jaci Clement, CEO/Executive Director, jaci@fairmediacouncil.org

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