What’s Missing? The Gap Between Non-Academic and Academic Leadership Communication Sources

Abstract

This study compares what we know through academic research about organizational leadership communication and what non-academic sources say about leadership communication. Moreover, this study seeks to understand if academic leadership communication research is effectively being translated to non-academic leadership communication advice and to what degree the advice given in the self-help books or blogs many leaders count on to enhance their leadership communication skills align with the findings from academic studies on leadership.

Based on grounded theory, a qualitative thematic content analysis was conducted. Six academic articles, two blog sites, and two self-help books about leadership communication were analyzed individually in an attempt to explore what themes emerged about leadership communication and the qualities of a leader. The five nonacademic themes found in the blogs and self-help books were take care of yourself, embrace uncertainty, know who you are, practice interdependence, and be approachable. The four academic themes were two-way communication, organizational culture, confident leadership, and transformational leadership. The final themes from nonacademic and academic sources were compared to see how they were similar and how they differed among sources.