This study sought to identify whether the communication skills of the immediate leader influence the market orientation and commercial capacity of banks from the banker’s perspective, and whether these, in turn, affect the brand image and generate a perception of competitive advantage for banks.

Based on constructs obtained from the literature, a structural model was proposed. A questionnaire survey was then carried out among 337 employees of banks operating in Brazil. Structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation was used to analyze the data.

The results indicated that, in the view of bank employees, the communication skills of the leader tend to have a positive impact on the market orientation and commercial capacity of banks, which in turn tend to have a positive influence on brand image and competitive advantage. The findings suggest that leadership with communicative skills can strengthen bankers’ market competencies, including market orientation and commercial capacity, thus favoring the construction of a solid brand image and providing a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

This study is justified by investigating the direct and indirect impacts of the leader’s communication skills on the market orientation, commercial capacity, competitive advantage and brand image of organizations, something not yet present in the literature. It was proposed an unprecedented structural model, with relationships between the constructs not previously tested within banks or in other economic sectors.