The 3 communication shifts every founder needs
LinkedIn’s Skills on the Rise 2026 report highlights a powerful trend: as technology becomes more embedded in how we work, the ability to communicate effectively is no longer optional – it’s critical.
We live in a digital era where, as a founder, your voice and the way you communicate is your most powerful business tool. Understanding how to do that effectively isn’t just a ‘nice to have’ it’s a growth strategy.
As a former Senior TV Producer for ITV & ITN, I spent over two decades helping CEO’s, business owners and contributors prepare engaging messages and stories for global audiences. And there’s a clear difference between thinking you know what to say in high-stakes moments and being intentional about how you say it.
As your business grows, your role within it shifts – and so does what is expected of you. Founders now have to become the voice behind the brand, the person consumers want to know more about before they invest. That requires the next level of communication.
And to reach this, there are three key communication shifts every founder should make.
Shift 1: from internally to audience-focused
As you scale, opportunities to speak will naturally follow – whether that’s podcasts, panels, radio interviews or live events.
Preparation is key here to growing your credibility but too many founders start with ‘What do I want to say?’
However, effective communication has the most impact, when the focus is on your audience. The question you should be asking is ‘What will resonate with my audience and make them feel understood?’
To be liked, trusted, and remembered there is no better communication tool than storytelling to evoke emotion. Whether that’s a personal story your audience can relate to or an inspiring story after which they feel motivated to take action.
Your story brings a real perspective, and is not something that can be written by AI. That level of authenticity is needed in this world now more than ever – and your communication will become more engaging, more human and more impactful as a result.
Shift 2: from reactive to strategic messaging
During my TV days, the interviewees that truly stood out were those that weren’t just reactive, they had a clear purpose behind what they wanted to say.
And founders who want to build credibility and impact, shouldn’t leave their messaging to chance – they need to be intentional with it.
Strategic messaging is about knowing what you stand for, what makes you unique and how to communicate that consistently – across all platforms.
This is where media training comes in – behind every interview is that thought out preparation: clear messaging that conveys what you do, delivered in a way that will help you stand out above the noise.
It all begins with how you structure your message.
Stick to three key messages you want to be known for, rather than trying to say everything. This gives your audience just enough information to spark curiosity, while also creating consistency in how you show up. Repeating these, then provides that clarity that makes visibility much easier.
Shift 3: from invisible to unmistakable presence
Communication isn’t just about what you say – it’s how you are seen before you’ve even said a word.
First impressions count and your energy, posture and presence all shape how you are perceived. Psychologists suggest we have just seven seconds to make an impression and your body language plays a crucial part in that – keeping it positive and open will ensure you’re perceived as calm and confident from the outset.
Whether communicating in person or remotely, bring your best energy. Some might mistake that to mean being intentionally loud or overly confident, however, it really means keeping grounded, present and calm in the moment.
Media interviews in particular, can be a high pressure situation and your body can give away nerves and any doubts you’re experiencing, before you’ve even been introduced.
Nerves are normal, but how you present yourself in these high stakes visibility moments can determine how you and your message is perceived.
Your pace, along with your heart rate, tend to speed up when in these situations, but what you want to do is slow everything down. When you do begin to speak, slow down your breathing, to help calm the nerves, slow down your speech, giving your audience time to catch up with what you are saying and pause too, not only to allow yourself to catch a breath but to have the kind of composed presence that your audience desires in a speaker.
As the LinkedIn report suggests, with AI use ever increasing, using your voice effectively, is what will truly make a founder stand out.
Shifting your focus onto your audience and evoking an emotion through storytelling, being strategic with your messaging and keeping a calm and grounded energy, posture, and presence throughout will help convey clarity and credibility, which in turn will lead to more opportunities, increased confidence and the ability to leave a lasting impact.
