episode 49 - the word is fulminate

Welcome to our penultimate episode of "The Word is Leadership." As we approach the end of our first season, I am filled with gratitude for your continued support. Producing this podcast has been more work than I anticipated, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding.

This week’s random word ‘fulminate,’ (to make criticisms or explode with violence) which provides an interesting lens for examining leadership. It raises a number of questions. Why do some leaders fulminate? Does it achieve anything, and is it ever acceptable?

To answer these, I consider scenarios to see appropriate either or both elements of our definition - the message (criticism or denunciation) and the delivery (explosive and noisy) – are to support your desired impact.

I point out how the effectiveness of fulminating will depend on both the cultural context as well as the leader’s versatility in using numerous styles.

I conclude that different situations call for different tones and styles. Fulminating can establish standards, but it should be used sparingly and complemented with other forms of communication.

As we close this episode, consider this: In avoiding strong emotions, are you at risk of becoming too monotone? Balancing emotion and message is the key to effective leadership communication.