The six dimensions behind the signal
Every archetype in The CEO Signal framework is a combination of the same six underlying dimensions. These dimensions are what a leader is actually made of when they communicate.
They show up in how leaders speak to investors, how they handle a town hall, how they explain the product to a technical team, and how they carry themselves through a difficult moment.
The six dimensions in detail
1
External Storytelling
How a leader communicates outward, to audiences beyond the company. This is the ability to craft a story that lands with investors, press, customers, partners, and the public. It covers pitch and platform skills, narrative instinct, and the discipline to adapt the same core message for different rooms. Leaders strong on this dimension know how to unlock attention, capital, and momentum through what they say in public moments. Leaders lower on this dimension tend to let the work or the data do the talking, which often means opportunities to build a wider reputation are missed.
2
Strategic Vision
The ability to articulate a clear view of where the organization is going and why it matters. This covers long-term thinking, the instinct to connect daily work to a bigger purpose, and the language a leader uses to name what the company is actually building. Leaders strong on this dimension can explain the future they are working toward in a way people remember and repeat. Leaders lower on this dimension can be operationally sharp but sometimes struggle to give teams and stakeholders a reason to believe in the direction of travel.
3
Emotional Resonance
The warmth, humanity, and presence a leader brings to communication. This is the quality that makes people feel seen, trusted, and connected, whether in a one-to-one conversation or on a public stage. It includes vulnerability, tone, empathy, and the confidence to be personal in professional settings. Leaders strong on this dimension build loyalty and cultural gravity through how they show up. Leaders lower on this dimension can be respected and credible without necessarily being embraced, which becomes a gap when the moment calls for inspiration, reassurance, or repair.
4
Domain Expertise
The depth of knowledge a leader carries in their field and the credibility that depth generates with peers, specialists, and technical audiences. This covers fluency in the industry, command of the nuance, and the instinct to speak with precision rather than generality. Leaders strong on this dimension earn trust quickly in informed rooms because they know what they are talking about. Leaders lower on this dimension can still lead well with the right team around them, but may need support translating technical realities into confident, outward-facing communication.
5
Execution & Product Depth
The credibility that comes from building, shipping, and iterating. This dimension captures how closely a leader is connected to the actual work, how fluently they discuss the product, operations, or delivery, and how much of their authority is grounded in execution rather than narrative. Leaders strong on this dimension earn trust through consistent output and close attention to the details that matter. Leaders lower on this dimension risk sounding aspirational without the grounding to back it up, particularly when talking to technical teams or sophisticated customers.
6
Internal Alignment
How a leader communicates inside the organization to create clarity, trust, and shared direction. This covers the quality of town halls and all-hands moments, the handling of sensitive news, the consistency between what the leader says publicly and what they say privately, and the ability to keep a team moving in the same direction through change. Leaders strong on this dimension build cultures where people understand the plan and believe the leadership that is carrying it. Leaders lower on this dimension can be compelling externally while leaving their teams uncertain about priorities, decisions, or their own standing.
Mapping the Archetypes across the Six Dimensions
The Fundraiser
The Fundraiser's shape leans hard into External Storytelling, Emotional Resonance, and Strategic Vision.
These are the dimensions that unlock capital, attention, and belief in a room full of strangers.
Fundraisers can build external momentum faster than internal clarity can keep up, and that gap is the one that needs the most deliberate work.
The Visionary
Visionaries communicate in ideas, long horizons, and meaning, and their outward voice carries when they choose to use it. Strategic Vision is the peak, with External Storytelling close behind.
The middle scores across the other dimensions are not a weakness; they are a reflection of where the energy lives.
The work for a Visionary is usually translation, helping the vision land in rooms that need more than purpose to be persuaded.
The Builder
Builders earn credibility through what gets shipped and how well the team behind the product holds together.
Execution & Product Depth is the anchor, reinforced by Domain Expertise and Internal Alignment.
The dip on External Storytelling and Emotional Resonance is consistent with the archetype's instinct to let the work speak.
The opportunity is in learning to speak for it too, without losing the groundedness that makes them trustworthy in the first place.
The Operator
Operators communicate through coherence, follow-through, and well-run organizations, and their teams feel the difference.
Internal Alignment is the peak, with Execution and Domain Expertise forming a strong base.
The lower score on External Storytelling is not absence; it is preference.
The work for an Operator is usually about visibility, making sure the quality of their leadership is recognized in rooms where they would otherwise stay quiet.
The Insider
Insiders lead through depth, and their credibility comes from knowing more than anyone else in the room about the thing they are building.
Domain Expertise is the peak, with Execution and Internal Alignment close behind.
The dip on External Storytelling and Emotional Resonance is where influence gets bottlenecked.
The work for an Insider is translating depth into narrative that reaches beyond the informed audience, without thinning the substance that earned them the seat.
The Star
Stars are built for visibility and connection, and their presence becomes part of the brand by default.
External Storytelling and Emotional Resonance sit at the top, with everything else taking a step back.
The work for a Star is usually about grounding, making sure the shape of the leadership is held together by more than the strength of the person at the front.
Want to learn more?
I work with senior leaders to help them maximize their communications goals in a way that aligns best with their strengths, skills and role. I’d love to hear from you!
These archetypes aren’t boxes, they’re starting points. They’re signals that help you understand how you show up, where your influence lands, and what gets in your way. And at conferences, that can be really helpful.
Understanding yours will help you lead with more control, clarity, and impact. When you know how you communicate naturally, what throws you off course, and how others interpret your tone, you stop guessing and start leading on purpose.