Becoming a Leader: Challenge #7–Engage Your Audience
Words often stand alone. But words are usually more compelling when they’re spoken aloud and accompanied by something that engages the audience visually–whether it be graphs, pictures, or simply hand gestures and physical expressions. The words of Dr. Martin Luther King in his “I have a dream” speech, while powerful on paper, were even more compelling when spoken before a seemingly endless crowd at the Lincoln Memorial. He transferred some of his emotion and conviction to others.
Use all of your senses to fully engage your audience.
Becoming a Leader: Talent #7–Exude Energy
A good friend of mine is in a senior management role for a very large commercial laundry (they do about 30 million pounds of laundry per year). Paul exudes energy all the time. Take a plant tour with Paul and he will refer to the front line employees by their first names. He knows about their lives. He engages. They smile. It takes energy to do this and Paul has it.
The key to Paul’s energy (and success) is that he loves what he does, and he knows that the service he and his team provides is critical for hundreds of healthcare facilities across the region to meet their patient-care missions. This isn’t about Rah Rah. This is about a genuine regard for others and passion for what he does.
Do you have that passion? If not, how might you generate it?