Page 140 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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GREAT COMMUNICATION SECRETS OF GREAT LEADERS
Likewise, the CEO who dispenses with a tie in a factory or wears cowboy
boots is one who is demonstrating outwardly that he is one of the people.
Wear the hat. Hats are another form of dress. We live in the age of the

baseball cap. Every leader wears one bearing the logo of the group that
he or she is visiting. Hats have significance. Calvin Coolidge was pho-
tographed wearing an American Indian chief’s headdress of eagle feath-
ers. Jack Kennedy dispensed with a hat during his Inaugural Address and
thereby established a trend. (Caution: Choose your hat carefully. Candi-
date Michael Dukakis agreed to wear an army helmet during his run for
the presidency. Rather than appearing presidential, he looked ridiculous.)
Think music. Every baseball game, and for that matter every major
sports event, in America begins with the National Anthem. Every
Rotary Club meeting begins with a song. Music can serve two pur-
poses: It can remind the audience of who they are as a people (the
National Anthem), and it can get people up out of their seats and make
them feel more energized (the Rotary Club anthem).
Consider the backdrop. Politicians are adept at creating the picture-
perfect moment where the setting makes more of a statement than the
words of the speaker do. For example, when Bill Clinton spoke up for
the environment, he did so in a national park in the West. George W.
Bush has made a strong case for schools. When he delivers a speech, he
does it in a school gymnasium, drawing parallels between the immedi-
ate location and the universal values he espouses.
Respect silence. A moment of silence to reflect on the events of the day
or in memory of others is a time-honored tradition. While this tech-
nique may be common among both politicians and preachers, a selec-
tive use of silence can be powerful. Leaders may use the dramatic pause
to underscore their points as well as to enable people to reflect on the
meaning of the words.
Communications theater is a time-honored tradition. The selection of the
right background or the proper use of symbols can make the leadership message
resonate more deeply than words alone can and allow it to be understood on an
emotional level that rings true and helps bond the leader to her or his followers.

THEATER OF ONE
The concept of communications theater also has applicability to one-on-one
communications. The leader needs to demonstrate respect for the listener in
ways that go beyond words. During a formal coaching session, the leader may