Unlock your audiences’ energy and motivation with these fundamental communication techniques.
Back in 1939, jazz musicians Sy Oliver and Trummy Young introduced us to the maxim ‘Tain’t What You Do (it’s the way that you do it)’. That song became a hit for Ella Fitzgerald (and for a slightly younger readership, Fun Boy Three in 1982) and goes some way towards capturing one of the vital truths of inspirational leadership.
The leader who truly inspires doesn't wake up one morning deciding on that special day to be the inspirational leader. It’s by what they do every single day and, of course importantly, what they say, that enables us to decide whether we’re inspired by them or not.
In today’s rapidly changing world, where adaptability, innovation, and collaboration are crucial, the role of a leader extends far beyond setting goals and managing outcomes. Being inspired by a vision that compels us to act willingly, with energy and purpose, is vital.
The ability to communicate that vision, in many differing environments, is essential to inspirational leadership.
In communication terms, the goal is to ‘be yourself with skill’. In other words, to be truly authentic is the key to building trusting relationships with those around us, but in a manner that genuinely connects with and moves people both to support and to action. Easier said than done admittedly, but at the root are fundamentals of inspirational communication that can actively be developed and honed.
A helpful starting point is to consider what can get in our way and hamper us from being the inspirational communicator we want, and need, to be. There are many interconnected factors but preparation – or lack thereof – is central to success. Preparation has many elements, including understanding the audience, the setting and environment, and crucially, developing your content.
Whether you’re addressing a one-to-one or one-to-many audience, board rooms or investor and shareholder meetings, from down-the-line to live television interviews, the oft used marketing framework of ‘think, feel, do’ can have a major impact on corralling our thoughts into focusing on the core of what we actually want to say. Your audience will be thinking and feeling, so paying attention to how you can influence their thoughts and emotions will move the dial towards winning them over. Developing clarity on what your ‘ask’ is, what you want your audience to actually do, will give a clear sense of purpose.
Whilst the actual content, the ‘what’ of your communication, is critical, the ‘how’ is equally as important. As Ella’s 1939 hit declares, ‘it’s the way that we do it’. Our bodies and voices transmit so much more beyond our actual words. We are constantly sending signals that we might not even be aware of, so how we manage these tools of communication is essential. An athlete wouldn’t think of competing without properly warming up. Nor would a musician sit down to play a symphony without some scales and tuning beforehand. So as a leader aiming to inspire, it’s vital to prepare in these areas too.
Our goal is to connect with our audience, therefore anything we can do to overcome barriers to creating a genuine and empathetic link is crucial.
Our physicality is one of the major factors influencing how an emotion is interpreted and how a message is received. The world of theatre and performance offers practical, proven techniques that help us master our voices and bodies, as well as manage ourselves and overcome any nerves that might get in the way of connecting with others. Like the world-class athlete or musician, putting the effort in with your tools of communication will enable elite performance.
When asked for examples of inspirational communicators, the usual powerful historic orators are often wheeled out. However, can we all really hope to encourage those around us to ‘have a dream’ or to offer ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’? Perhaps not, but we can all build upon these foundations of powerful and inspirational communication in all settings.
One definition of ‘to inspire’ is ‘to infuse with thoughts or feelings into a person, as if by breathing’. By transmitting a clear and meaningful vision, we go some way towards unlocking our audiences’ energy and motivation, creating an environment where others are inspired to act willingly, thus bringing the best of themselves to work.
Let’s give the last words to the final line of Ella’s song - ‘…and that’s what gets results’.
The Inspirational Leader programme helps senior leaders discover a powerful, engaging and influential voice. Download the brochure to discover more:
Author
Paul Jamieson - Director of The Inspirational Leader programme
