Leading Through Communication That Creates Change

Leadership is influence but influence without clarity is chaos in disguise. Reading Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones changed my perspective, not just as a communicator, but as a leader responsible for guiding people toward vision and transformation.

The book opens with an unexpected teacher, a truck driver coaching a preacher on how to deliver messages that don’t just sound good but actually change lives. It’s humorous, yes, but it’s also a mirror to many of us in leadership: we’ve been “talking” without truly connecting.

Stanley’s challenge is simple but uncomfortable: If our communication doesn’t lead to transformation, then maybe our goal isn’t truly change, maybe it’s comfort. That statement alone is enough to make any leader stop mid-sentence and rethink.

The heart of his model is the ME-WE-GOD-YOU-WE framework ; an intentional journey that starts by building personal connection (ME), finding common ground (WE), revealing God’s truth or central principles (GOD), calling for action (YOU), and inspiring a shared vision for the future (WE). It’s not a clever acronym to memorize; it’s a blueprint for influence that sticks.

In leadership, the trap is to start with our agenda, expecting people to instantly align. Stanley flips that on its head start with where people are, not where you want them to be. The transformation happens when they see themselves in the story before they see the action plan.

Where leaders especially in faith-driven or values-based spaces go wrong is threefold:

  1. We talk too much without saying enough: Multiple points dilute the message.
  2. We prioritize information over presentation: Data without emotional connection dies quickly.
  3. We skip the tension- Without first making people feel the problem, they won’t value the solution.

Stanley’s insistence on the one-point message is a leadership goldmine. In a world where attention is a currency, clarity is your greatest asset. The leader who can distill a vision into one unforgettable point will outlast the one who speaks eloquently but vaguely.

On reflection, I saw parallels in my own leadership journey. The times my teams have made the most progress weren’t when I had the most data, but when I had the clearest “why.” The breakthroughs didn’t happen because I had all the answers, but because I knew how to pose the right question and lead people toward discovering the answer with me.

Moving forward, my personal leadership commitment is this: I will not just “deliver” messages; I will design journeys. Every vision-casting, feedback conversation, or strategic meeting will be intentional starting where people are, building a shared tension, and guiding toward a hopeful, actionable future.

Because leadership isn’t about speaking to be heard. It’s about speaking to be followed. The only words worth speaking are the ones that move people to change.

Call to Action: If you lead in business, ministry, or community ,make your next conversation an intentional journey. Decide the one point you need people to walk away with, and make it unforgettable.

 

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