Leaders who lose their humanity will lose their audience, according to one of Barack Obama’s longest-serving speechwriters.
Drawing on his experience crafting nearly 500 speeches for former US President Obama, Terry Szuplat shared insights with Britain’s leading scale-up founders’ network Helm.
Speaking at a private dinner with founders, he outlined key principles to help leaders communicate with lasting impact.
Terry Szuplat said: “The ability to communicate like a normal human being to other human beings is one of the most essential qualities of effective leadership.
“There’s a huge focus on AI at the moment, but there are some things it simply can’t replicate, like connecting with people, and communicating in a way that feels real and human.
“Take LinkedIn as an example. People go there for mentorship, to learn, and form genuine connections with other people. But increasingly, posts are being written by bots and AI. So the very thing that we came for is being taken away from us to the point where people don’t want to engage.”
Andreas Adamides, CEO of Helm, said: “Great leadership has always depended on communication, and that hasn’t changed.
“AI is an incredibly powerful and useful business tool, but as it accelerates, authenticity becomes even more valuable. The leaders who stand out will be those who communicate with clarity, conviction, and genuine human connection.”
Helm consists of 400 members with a combined revenue of £8 billion and an average of £21m in revenue.