CAIRO — Al-Masry Al-Youm published a cartoon by Amr Selim on May 17 depicting an 'Institute for Training Officials to Speak Kindly to Citizens.' The cartoon conveyed that some Egyptian officials lack communication skills, committing errors that undermine public trust.

Accompanying the cartoon, Yasser Abdel Aziz wrote that many crises caused by senior officials stemmed not from corruption or incompetence but from clumsy wording, careless statements, unnecessary harshness, or absence when presence was required. The article argued that communication ability should become a core criterion in evaluating candidates for senior office, alongside technical experience and administrative integrity.

According to the piece, many Egyptian officials believe professional accomplishments compensate for poor communication, but this assumption is described as outdated in an open communications environment. Some Egyptian institutions treat communication training as a luxury or ceremonial exercise despite evidence that communication skills can be developed.

The article stated that citizens do not read reports but respond to faces, tones, and perceived trust, making communication skills essential for leadership. It cited modern leadership literature holding that a leader unable to explain decisions and persuade the public becomes a burden on the institution regardless of technical competence.

Supporting this view, the article referenced research from Harvard Business School indicating that leaders with strong communication skills achieve higher institutional trust, internal discipline, and crisis-management capacity. It also noted historical examples, including Ronald Reagan, known as 'The Great Communicator,' who viewed effective communication as essential to leadership, and Winston Churchill, who understood during World War II that a speech shaping meaning could rival the influence of military forces.

The commentary further referenced philosopher Jürgen Habermas’s concept of the public sphere as a space where legitimacy is formed through dialogue and communication, not authority alone. Abdel Aziz emphasized that in today’s environment, communication is not a supplementary skill but a foundational requirement for public office.