Harvard Business Review: 5 Ways Leaders Can Communicate Power

Chris Lipp, professor of practice and director of Management Communication, contributed an article to Harvard Business Review on techniques leaders can use to enhance the power and effectiveness of their communications.

“Research shows that leaders are perceived as more powerful when they think and speak more abstractly, stepping back from the data to present the bigger picture. For example, one study found that startup founders who describe their ventures in more concrete terms are less likely to get funded than those who use offer abstract descriptions. Data informs, but abstraction elevates. That’s why we label visionaries as great leaders. When you speak, whether you include data or not, your power arises from presenting a broader perspective.”

To read the story in its entirety, visit hbr.org:

https://hbr.org/2025/07/5-ways-leaders-can-communicate-power