Leadership and The Art of Persuasion

Rhetoric

Most people only know about rhetoric when it is 'empty' - could you, hand on heart, say what it actually was? Until I read a book just recently I didn't quite understand how important the mastery of this could be for leaders and managers too (and I don't mean the mastery of empty rhetoric!). The book, 'You Talkin' to Me - Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama' by Sam Leith, is a fantastically good read http://amzn.to/vE1jMg . It helps you to understand the basics and more importantly what you can do to get better.

Rhetoric - the art of persuasion: the attempt by one human being to influence another in words. Simple isn't it. And isn't that something that every single day we have to do, in almost every part of what we do as leaders or managers of teams? We don't work in businesses where people simply follow orders. We have instructions and requests, and things that we want to have happen to get things done, but almost all of the time our conversations with people involve some sort of persuasion.

Would you mind....? How about if....? I know how you might be feeling about this as I've been there, but..;What you need to do is not only talk the talk, but walk the talk.... We all have our styles and methods, some good, some (very) bad! The book is great in describing what exactly is going on when we use these words and phrases, with the terms and names, if you want to learn them (- I didn't), and by doing so can teach you loads.

Example: 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears...' - an appeal to Ethos - 'I am like you, we (friends), are together and you should really listen to me.....' If you only learn about Ethos, Logos and Pathos you will be well on your way!

With famous speeches from Churchill, Obama and many others, as well as lesser known examples, Sam Leith takes you through the whole thing. I highly recommend it as almost essential reading for leaders and managers who need to persuade people, and those like me who, from time to time have to get up and speak to bigger groups or teams......Isn't that all of us though?

(P.S. Have I persuaded you?!)

Leadership: 'the ability to inspire followship' #6

To be a Leader... (more 'Shoulds' rather than Musts...) One SHOULD:

Understand and Know How to Deploy Technology

1. Search for breakthrough technologies and practices
2. Make critical links between technology and the market place
3. Follow rigorously an innovation process
4. Be open to new ideas
5. Strive to continuously shorten the innovation cycle
6. Aim for lowest cost in innovative ways
7. Satisfy customer's expectations proactively
8. Try to obsolete the existing and be impatient for change
9. Think BIG

Be Able to Deal with Ambiguity

1. Be comfortable with 'grey' situations
2. Understand that compromise and 'muddling through' are acceptable as long as basic values and goals are not compromised
3. Manage 'dotted line' relationships as effectively as 'solid line'
4. Deal constructively with conflict and disagreement
5. Build good working relationships with people beyond one's sphere of control
6. Separate the important from the unimportant

Have a Balanced and Healthy Life Style

1. Take care of one's physical condition
2. Get enough time away from the job
3. Create balance between work and non-work activities
4. Use other interests for new perspectives

Leadership: 'the ability to inspire followship' #5

To be a Leader... (now for the 'Shoulds' rather than the 'Musts'...) One SHOULD:

Have Had Different Work Experiences

1. Have experience in both line and staff positions
2. Be exposed to different disciplines like Marketing, Manufacturing & Finance
3. Use your experience to be sensitive to different view points

 Have Developed an International Orientation

1. Take the opportunity to live or travel extensively outside ones own country
2. Build understanding of different cultures
3. Be comfortable and effective in working and travelling in the 'global village'
4. Speak a foreign language if possible
5. Use international experience in business dealings
6. Practice diversity as a real competitive advantage

Be Financially Adept

1. Understand and be comfortable with P&L and Balance Sheet Management
2. Have good analytical skills
3. Be able to grasp detail
4. Be comfortable using basic financial tools
5. Comprehend and use economic data and trends to advantage
6. Understand financial markets

Leadership: 'the ability to inspire followship' #4

To be a leader one MUST:

Develop Good Strong Subordinates for Succession

1. Look constantly for people smarter than oneself
2. Spot future leaders and mentor them
3. Set high standards in people selection
4. Take chances, especially with young people
5. Get 'uncommon' results from 'common' people
6. Promote based on Values, Vision and Performance
7. Make career development a top priority

Be an Optimist and have a Sense of Humour

1. Laugh constantly about life's quirks and especially oneself
2. Display enthusiasm and infect others with it
3. Kid other people in a non malicious way
4. Always be an optimist, especially in the darkest hour
5. Have a persistent, can-do attitude
6. Develop accurate self-assessments, and change accordingly
7. Appreciate luck

Leadership: 'the ability to inspire followship' #3

To be a leader one MUST:

Be a Catalyst for Change

1. Champion new ideas
2. Tolerate and support unconventional people
3. Be willing to change everything except the basic values
4. Keep learning, self improving, expanding and renewing
5. Be intolerant of the status quo
6. Drive constantly for better solutions
7. Be flexible

Have Earned the Trust of the Organisation

1. Build confidence and credibility
2. Put the best interests of the company and its people above self
3. Know that personal success comes only from group success
4. Lack 'turf' consciousness
5. Be perceived as a leader - not just a manager
6. Lavish praise on others, accept blame personally
7. Create an atmosphere that makes everyone want to work for you

Be a Listener and an Enabler

1. Be visible
2. Have enough modesty to doubt and question. Don't have all the answers
3. Be a quality coach to others
4. Show belief in team play and horizontal relationships
5. Participate openly and encourage unafraid plain talk
6. Ask for help when needed and shamelessly accept
7. Say thank you and reward others
8. Get uncommon results from common people

Leadership: 'the ability to inspire followship' #2

To be a leader one MUST:

Be Risk Taker

1. Take the initiative
2. Be decisive and move quickly when appropriate
3. Accept responsibility
4. Have no consuming fear of failure
5. Hear and accept bad news, add it to experience, and move on
6. Speak up and give opinions - without creating resentment
7. Be quick to accept blame
8. Reject, when appropriate, the logical and decide by instinct and heart

Have a Proven Track Record

1. Do the right things to achieve superior profitability
2. Demand outstanding performance over time. Hold yourself and your people accountable
3. Regularly assess results and make necessary course corrections
4. Concentrate on high impact opportunities
5. Believe that preformance over time outweighs charisma
6. Have a bias for action and a sense of urgency
7. Be orientated at all times towards achievement

Leadership: 'the ability to inspire followship' #1

To be a leader one MUST:

Develop and Communicate a Rallying Vision

1. Make it simple, clear, understandable
2. Inspire others by selling one's ideas
3. Be driven by customer needs
4. Project self confidence
5. Show commitment
6. Focus on the long term
7. Develop a 'road map' for achievement

Be a Strategic Thinker

1. Understand customer expectations
2. Utilise experience and intelligence to make good judgements
3. Anticipate the future and spot 'paradigm shifts'
4. Work comfortably at the conceptual level
5. Balance short and long term business goals
6. Understand corporate and unit strategies and goals
7. Be willing to make trade offs
8. Know your competition's strategies, strengths and weaknesses
9. Capture reliable information from a variety of sources