Yes, leaders need to lead the way of 'realness' and authenticity. I believe that employees, colleagues and customers will increasingly expect and even demand this of us.

"Leadership is about creating conversations" - absolutely! This item is short, spot-on and excellent - thank you.
Leaders define realities for their teams, organizations, and followers, and they do this by creating meaning with and for those around them. The key to this is their use of languages both verbal and non-verbal. Leaders exist in contiuous feedback loops of stimuli and responses - and a nod or a smile or a wink perceived are conversations too.

Siegfried Kaltenecker writes:
Absolutely! leadership is a lot about creating conversations that matter. moreover, it´s about future-oriented design and professional facilitation as well. see http://p-a-m.org/2010/04/the-need-for-agile-facilitation/

The original quote had value, but the commentary wrapped around it here diluted the original.

Read it again, “The core act of leadership must be the act of making conversations real.” ... the key message us making it real.

Actions speak louder than words. Talk is cheap. Execution matters.

Conversatios are about the co-creation of meaning. If there is no meaning creation there is no conversation. So what is a conversation that is not real?
The articulation of words is an action.
Talk is the most valuable thing we have - and defines our humanity.
Talk matters - and if anyone thinks execution should precede talk then we are lost.

So true. All leadership success stories revolve around someone (at a minimum) creating a conversation that influenced an outcome. Whether that outcome is something for work, for social, or for a personal matter. The personal matter may be as simple as wanting to make someone else feel more valued. The ability to create a basic conversation may be one of the most powerful abilities a person can have. That is why everyone, no matter what their title is, is really a leader. Leadership is conversation. Thank you for sharing your points here!

Love this. Managers are very good with the "hard" issues, but being good with these "soft" issues is what makes a great leader.

The relationship that develops is what then allows real conversations with people. Having a great relationship with someone allows you to address poor performance without alienating them. Instead of the person thinking you are attacking them, they will know you are actually looking out for everyone's best interests.