What does "switch encoding and decoding roles" mean? Leadership communication isn't a linear process, but a cyclic flow of message and feedback. The sender sends the message through a channel to the receiver, who receives it and sends feedback to the sender. And the cycle continues as long as the process lasts. Leaders still in love with an inflexible top-down command-and-control leadership style miss this point and its advantage.They issue instructions and order, but seldom pause to find out if they are heard. They hardly wait for feedback, stopping the communication before it runs its full cycle. Later, they wonder why "Smith and John never do exactly what I say." Leadership communication is an exchange. The sender and the receiver switch encoding and decoding roles; and feedback travels in both directions.