Is Your Leadership Building a Palace or a Circus?
Discover how your messaging strategy, behavior, and self-awareness shape your team and determine your leadership legacy.
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Is Your Leadership Building a Palace or a Circus?
Discover how your messaging strategy, behavior, and self-awareness shape your team and determine your leadership legacy.
There’s an old Turkish proverb, “When a clown moves into a palace, they don’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” This saying vividly illustrates how leadership, or the lack of it, can shape an entire organization.
Leadership Sets the Tone
Years ago, I worked with a company that had appointed a new CEO. Their credentials were impressive, but their leadership style leaned on theatrics. Meetings became performances, communication was inconsistent, and decisions were made on whims and popularity rather than strategy. Employees were frustrated, productivity was dropping, and customers could sense the instability.
The palace had become a circus.
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Leadership is More Than a Title
Leadership is not about titles or perks but the actions, messaging, and behaviors that inspire others and create alignment.
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Why Messaging Strategy Matters
Messaging strategy is a critical yet often overlooked component of leadership. Clear and consistent communication sets the tone, builds trust, and rallies teams around shared goals. Without strong messaging, even the best plans can fall flat.
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Five Ways to Strengthen Your Leadership
Self-awareness
Socrates asked us to “First, know thyself,” and his words apply here. You must be aware of your strengths, blind spots, and how your actions affect others.
Messaging strategy
Be intentional about your messages through words, actions, and culture. Intention and consistency matter.
Empathy
Listen actively and value your team’s perspectives. Leadership is about fostering connection.
Accountability
Own your decisions and consequences, regardless of the outcome. Transparency creates trust.
Vision
Paint a clear picture of where you’re headed. A shared vision inspires confidence and action.
The Role of Leadership in Shaping Culture
An organization’s culture and success are shaped from the top down. Leaders aren’t defined by where they sit, but by how they serve and guide others.
Explore how organizational culture shapes success
Learn how culture and brand alignment drives impact
How Alan Mulally Transformed Ford
In 2006, Ford was in serious trouble, they were losing billions and suffering from a toxic culture. When Alan Mulally took over as CEO, he instilled transparency, teamwork, and accountability.
The “No More Denial” Rule
At his first leadership meeting, executives hesitated to admit problems, even as Ford was hemorrhaging money. Mulally called them out: “We can’t manage a secret. If we don’t admit our problems, we can’t fix them.”
Weekly Business Plan Review Meetings
These mandatory meetings required leaders to share progress, challenges, and solutions, breaking down silos and fostering collaboration.
The “One Ford” Vision
Mulally streamlined Ford’s mission, focusing on core brands, global collaboration, and building better vehicles. This unified the company under a shared purpose.
Learn Mulally’s leadership principles
The Leadership Lesson: Walk the Talk
Mulally didn’t tell Ford to change—he lived the values he wanted to see. His leadership style transformed the company’s culture, leading to its success.
- While GM and Chrysler needed bailouts, Ford survived without one.
- Ford returned to profitability and continued growing.
- Employees embraced the cultural shift, fostering innovation, teamwork, and trust.
Bring Leadership and Messaging to Your Next Event
If this resonates with you, consider how your leadership and messaging strategy impact your organization’s culture and outcomes.
Looking to strengthen your team or explore how powerful messaging can transform your business? I’d love to bring this conversation to your next event. I keynote at events around the world and I have a few dates open in 2025. Let’s ensure your palace is a place of leadership, not a circus.
You can learn more at www.bruceturkel.com