how to respond for discussion - In leadership applications, leaders use communication skills to express expectations to team members and convey team goals and organizational vision. Thus, communication skills are essential to leaders and have a direct correlation to leader effectiveness (Van Wart, 2011, p. 293). This is not to say that one who is not highly skilled in communication cannot, therefore, be an effective leader. Circumstances can offer communicative alternatives, continual learning options are abundant, and innovation cannot be understated