DAR ES SALAAM, June 26 -- A FEW months ago, one Chief Executive Officer (CEO) asked me a question that would have sounded unusual when I first entered the public relations profession more than three decades ago.

He asked “How do I know that the video circulating online is real?” The question was simple, but it reflected a profound shift taking place in society.

For much of my career, communication professionals worried about whether information would reach people. Today, information reaches people instantly.

The greater challenge is determining whether the information people receive is true. As we discussed the issue, I realised that the question was not really about technology.

It was about leadership. It was about how le...