This article has been contributed by Keshav Maheshwari, Managing Director of ALLEN Career Institute Overseas
There was a time when leadership communication happened strictly behind closed doors. Boardrooms, annual town halls, maybe a keynote at a business conference and these were often the only platforms or opportunities where leaders addressed teams and customers or other stakeholders, however only a select few listened.
Cut to post COVID, the dynamics of influence have changed. Today, leaders don’t need bright lights or a podium. They just need a mic and the willingness to speak honestly.
Podcasts are now one of the most powerful, personal, and accessible forms of communication. Unlike formal memos or LinkedIn posts(not that anything is wrong with them and I still use these means too), a podcast allows people to hear not just what you say, but how you say it – your pauses, your passion, your stories, and your stumbles. That kind of intimacy that can builds trust, exists with no other medium.
Why Leaders Should Consider Podcasts Today?
We live in a time when authenticity isn’t optional. People want to know more than what a leader does. They want to know what a leader believes. What keeps them up at night. What they’ve failed at. What they’re learning. Quite frankly this is why I felt compelled to get on the podcast medium myself with The Keshav Konnect.
Podcasts can offer leaders a format that isn’t about posturing. It’s about being human. And in doing that, they serve three key purposes:
- Humanizing Leadership: Too often, leaders are seen as names on an org chart. Podcasts let them share the messy, meaningful, behind-the-scenes moments. They let people say, “Oh, they’ve been through that too.”
- Scaling Mentorship: Not everyone can get one-on-one time with a leader. But a podcast comes close. When a leader shares their thinking on growth, mistakes, or navigating tough decisions, it’s mentorship—on demand, in someone’s pocket.
- Shaping Thought Leadership: Podcasts give you space to go deeper than a quote in a press release. You can unpack trends, ask tough questions, and shape the narrative in your industry, not just react to it.
From Conference Table to Commute
Once upon a time, a CEO’s vision was heard by a few dozen people in a meeting room. Today, it can be heard by someone walking their dog in Bilaspur, cooking dinner in Indore, or commuting in Chennai.
That’s the reach to the views and vision that podcasts offer. They sometimes travel across borders and time zones. And because they’re opt-in, they connect with people who actually want to listen. Influence is no longer limited to who’s in the room. It’s about who’s tuned in.
So, How Can Leaders Build Influence Through Podcasts?
Starting a podcast is easy. Building influence through it? Well that takes consistency, clarity, and courage. Here’s what I’ve learned from my experiences so far:
- Listeners don’t want a rehearsed speech. They want real stories. Real struggles. Let them hear the version of you that hasn’t been media-trained to perfection.
- Your perspective is shaped by your experiences. Share what only you can share – whether it’s about entrepreneurship, education, leadership, or legacy. And more than the successes which eventually everyone learns about, it’s the challenges and extreme situations one experiences in life that audiences connect with the most.
- You don’t need to post daily. But you do need to show up regularly enough. Trust builds when people know they can rely on you even through a pair of headphones.
- Bring in guests and differentiated viewpoints (which is what am planning in the next phase). Have honest dialogues. It shows you value listening as much as speaking. And sometimes, the most powerful thing a leader can say is: “Tell me more.”
- Inspiration is great. But insight is better. Give people something that’s worth their while – an idea, a mindset shift, a simple reminder.
As someone who comes from a legacy business, I see podcasts as a bridge. A way to honour where we come from, while speaking in the language of today. For many second-gen entrepreneurs, this format allows us to step into leadership in our own voice, not just inherit someone else’s.
At the same time, for young or first-time leaders, podcasts remove the gatekeepers. You don’t need media coverage or a speaking slot. You just need a point of view and the discipline to keep showing up.
Devashish Shrivastava
The Future of Leadership Communication
As workforces become younger and more digitally native, the way we lead must evolve too. Leadership isn’t just about boardroom strategy anymore. It’s about emotional resonance. It’s about storytelling. It’s about accessibility. And podcasts deliver on all three.
So this World Podcast Day, my message to all those considering this format is that if you’re a leader with a story to tell, maybe skip the memo. Just press record. Someone out there needs to hear what you have to say and the format will ensure it reaches them sooner than later.
Baishali Das Adhikari