Senior leadership ‘set the tone’ by referring to the values and expectations of the company when they address employees. Ultimately, the actions of leaders speak louder than words. Messages are strengthened when leaders visibly follow the same rules as everyone else.
When we talk about leadership, we don't just mean the chair, CEO, or senior leadership team; leadership can be applied locally too, to business leads, or managing directors of businesses within a group of companies.
Line managers have an essential role in effectively communicating the organisation’s ethics message and acting as role models for the employees they manage. ‘Tone from the middle’ is as important as ‘tone from the top’.
Useful resources
