Page 219 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

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WHAT’S IT ALL WORTH

TO YOU?

ll of us, like it or not, will eventually see our reputations,
A careers, and even our social lives determined to some degree
by how well we speak. Are we forgettable—or do people remember
us and act on what we say? Are we boring—or do we spark interest
and get people involved? Do we hide our intelligence and potential
by the way we speak—or reveal ourselves in the best possible light?
Our own words will likely shape our lot in life.
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The degree of our success will be determined by our powers of articu-
lation, our vocabulary, and our mastery of the English language.
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People will judge us—fairly or unfairly—on how we present
ourselves face-to-face in countless moments of human interaction.
The phenomenon I am talking about is what I call leadership com-
munications (leaders lead with their words), issues management
(what to say, when, and to whom), time management (let’s not spend
more time than we have to preparing), productivity (are they getting
the message?), effectiveness (did we get results—did they do what

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