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Leadership is about persuasion. And persuasion can take the form of speech, action, or writing. This article in Copyblogger, though targeted to the written word, is very valuable for leaders using any medium to persuade. Enjoy:
Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques
Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is in the United States of America. Yesterday he appeared at a debate in Columbia University, and today he’ll talk before the General Assembly of the United Nations. He also submitted a request, which was denied, to lay a wreath in the 9/11 Ground Zero.
I won’t enter into who likes him and who hates him, or who agrees with his views and who doesn’t. But you don’t need a Ph.D. to know that the US government isn’t particularly fond of him, or that Americans generally don’t want him to wander by the streets of New York City. What’s more, Ahmadinejad knows it. I’m sure he’s smart enough to know.
So, knowing all that, why has he decided to extend his stay to non-UN activities?
Let’s look at some possible explanations:
1. Gain support among Americans - Why, you ask? Well, public opinion could play a role in the decision to go to war. I admit that as I say this, public opinion has had little effect, if any at all, to exit Iraq. But the decision to start this war was solidly backed by public opinion (and therefore politicians). Unfortunately for Mr. Ahmadinejad, the presentation at Columbia might be just too insignificant to impact Americans in a positive way.
2. Reach out to the US Government - Could it be that Mr. Ahmadinejad wants to talk? Nah.
3. Play to the bleachers - It’s pretty typical of anyone, particularly a world figure in the midst of power, to seek plain ol’ publicity. These stunts, like them or not, are good publicity. He just wants to get exposure. He wants to get air time.
Why, then, did Mr. Ahmadinejad want to go outside of the U.N.?
Believe it or not, I think that a combination of #1 and #3 are the most plausible explanations. Publicity, #3, is obviously predictable. In terms of #1, American support, it wouldn’t be the first time that anti-US figures create a positive impact on the Americans whom they come in direct contact with.
Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez have previously been received by supportive Americans, particularly in poor communities in New York. Chavez in particular was widely applauded for his offer of cheap heating oil to various counties.
Of course, there lies a huge difference. Castro and Chávez both brought messages of social improvement and popular power. That is always an effective crowd-pleaser, even with anti-US speech. People seem to focus more on the “populism”.
Of course, there lies a huge difference: Mr. Ahmadinejad brings messages of anti-semitism and other kinds of issues, mostly in a purely antagonistic manner. In other words, he seems to delight in just being the contrarian for its own sake. He offers no “populist” or “solidarity” message to poor Americans. No cheap oil, no free heat.
My two cents, and an ironic twist
The Columbia debate might have worked in favor of Mr. Ahmadinejad. Granted, as I said, it was an insignificant forum for American opinion to move to his side. And he repeated his already famous outrageous remarks.
Honestly, though, the President of Columbia University paved the way for the Iranian President to seem “presidential”. Immediately after the presentation, Mr. Ahmadinejad started talking about how in Iran academicians don’t pre-establish an opinion in the students’ brains. Truth or not, he made the presenter look somewhat foolish, in my humble opinion.
So, what does this have to do with the art of leading?
I don’t intend to discuss Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s qualities (or absence thereof) as a leader, or even if he is a leader at all. Nevertheless, he is the President of an independent republic which happens to be arguably the #1 enemy of the world’s, and perhaps history’s, most powerful country, the USA. He holds a position of power. And through the analysis of the behavior and news of people like him, we can learn about what leaders should - or should NOT - be.
Just wanted to let you know about a couple of articles I found over at Pick The Brain. The first is a nice general overview of important traits for leaders. The second one is a good outline for conflict resolution. Check them out:
Do You Have the Characteristics of an Effective Leader?
7 Tips for Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully
Marcel Marceau died on Saturday. He inspired awe and admiration in millions as a mime artist. Artistic savants as well as ordinary people followed him.
Why did a mime artist achieve such leadership status?
Because Marceau captured the essence of the human condition. He used only physical gestures to communicate feelings and entire dialogues. He made what he said simple to decode. In his performances he talked very clearly, without ever having to talk. He inspired millions to join his crusade.
Isn’t that what true leaders are supposed to do anyway?
Leaders don’t need positions of power. They don’t need to be elected by the people. They don’t need to be called CEO or President or Chairman or Prime Minister. They just are. Great leaders normally don’t set out to be leaders per se. They set out to achieve a mission. In Marceau’s case, he set out to bring an art form to life. It turns out that to do so, he had to become a leader along the way.
So what can you learn from Marceau? Well, I’m sure there are plenty of lessons to learn from such a man. But chew on these two for the time being:
P.S. Seth Godin wrote a post called Marcel Marceau died. It talks about another of his traits that might be very useful for leaders.
Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone in the team you lead was happy to complete their tasks instead of doing them grudgingly? Well, I think that might be possible. Remember, a true leader finds the way to keep people excited about what they do. So how do you do that? Here are some ideas:
No checklist will ever assure you perfect team synergy. But if you do at least one of these things, you’ll probably improve the chances of it happening.
“Whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can’t ride your back unless it is bent.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader. He was a leader because he had the courage to fight for what he believed in, regardless of the obstacles that he faced. He knew that he would be subject to backlash.
He withstood jail, hate, criticism, threats, and death. He kept his back straight, vigilant of the next rock in his journey, but aware of the ultimate goal: equality. In this context he said what appears at the beginning of this article. He knew that if he bent his back, all the naysayers would pounce and try to go for the kill. They would try to ride his back. But he wasn’t willing to do that, because he knew what he wanted.
This doesn’t mean that he was stubborn. Perhaps he detoured, and certainly he had doubts about his vocation, as every human being does. But he didn’t bend his back.
As a leader, you should be prepared to be countered by many situations. But leaders are leaders because they are convinced of a vision, and are driven almost obsessively by that vision. This obsession is strong enough to ward off these obstacles. It permits you to face these obstacles with a straight back. That’s the only way that you can walk toward your goal.
Now, I’m not condoning “macho-ness”. Sensibility and tact are always valuable tools for the leader. But giving in, bending your back, will never get you to your proposed destination. You’ll be too worn out from all the weight you’ve carried.
I previously wrote a post about How To Deal With Envy. It primarily covered instances when other people are envious of you, as a result of your leadership achievements, success, or any other reason. But as a leader and as a human being, you’ll also experience bouts of jealousy toward other people. It’s just natural. This post written by Steve Pavlina will help you deal with your own feelings of jealousy toward others. Steve is one of my favorite bloggers, and certainly my favorite personal development blogger. He has a clear and thorough writing style, so I’m certain you’ll find this article to be very helpful. Enjoy.
It’s nice to meet people who get the job done. You can rely on them for many things. But don’t count on ‘responsible’ people when you need true change. People who are merely ‘responsible’ strive to maintain the status quo.
Granted, they do it in the best way possible, and run the present state of affairs in a reasonably effective manner. But they won’t be too enthused about jumping out of that ever-comfortable box. When faced with opportunities to do so, they’ll resist change. Their maxim is Minimum Effort.
Leadership entails another layer above the responsibility level. That layer is proactivity. Yes, I know it may be an overly used word. But it involves qualities that are important for leadership and change.
Proactive people are the ones who see things based on their potential instead of their present state. When faced with a challenge, they will think about what step they could take to overcome it, instead of putting it off.
Most importantly, they won’t stop at “getting things done”. They’ll go above the threshold of minimum effort, since it’s obvious to them that change requires maximum effort and creative thinking. It requires initiative.
As a leader, make sure that you’re proactive and not just responsible. Develop the mindset that is necessary for change and improvement instead of the one that’s enough for comfort. Seek to attract people of that same mentality into your team. They’ll not only get things done, but contribute to the evolution and realization of your vision as a leader.
The main reasons why Hillary Clinton is on top of the Democratic field are NOT found in the following list:
I’m not saying the above factors aren’t important. Some of them do contribute to her lead. But there’s another factor that I believe is just as relevant, or perhaps even more so, than the others.
The real reason why Hillary Clinton is on top
It’s contrast. No, not contrast with past candidates. Not even contrast with her Democratic opponents, although candidates should differentiate themselves from the others (after all, how else are we supposed to decide who is the best candidate?).
[Read more →]
Many people don’t want you to be successful. They cannot deal with the fact that someone other than themselves is the center of attention. Call it envy, jealousy, or whatever you want. Some people will just be unhappy when you develop as a leader.
You, as a leader, need to know how to deal with this type of situation. Don’t turn you back from it, because sooner or later these disgruntled people will be obstacles in your way to realize your vision. Here are some ways you can cope:
1. Approach - Sometimes personal insecurity stops people from recognizing the success of others. This may be solved by just approaching them and “talking things out”. Who knows? Maybe they’ll feel you’re a nice guy after all.
2. Listen - Envy and jealousy is usually accompanied by criticism. Maybe some of these criticisms are in fact based on sound reasoning. Listen to them and find out if they’re right, or if the criticism has no base. If they’re right, work toward improvement. Perhaps that won’t stop you from being the object of envy, but at least you’d be able to get something out of it. It the criticism is unfounded, skip to #5.
3. Clarify - Many people may feel threatened by your intentions. They may feel that you harbor secret plans to destroy their worlds. If they’re wrong, just go and establish your real intentions. Try to release the guard of these people and make them know that you’re being straightforward. If you do plan to change many things, you have to persuade them and make them feel like going “out of the box” is the best thing. After all, persuasion is what leadership is all about, isn’t it?
4. Involve - A lot of people who dedicate their lives to fretting about the success of others really just want a piece of the action. Make these people feel like they’re part of the reason why you’re mission is being carried out. In fact, actually make them a part. Their supposed “envy” may just be their way to say, “Hey, I feel excluded!” Remember many people are driven by recognition, and if you give it to them you may create a more productive, clutter-free environment.
5. Ignore - Let’s face it: Many people are just jealous of you, and nothing you do will change them. You may try, as well you should, but in the end real change is in the hands of the person who needs to change. Internal roadblocks may have to be eliminated so that their exterior reflections are eliminated also. If, after a risk-benefit analysis, you feel that trying to persuade someone isn’t worth it, then don’t. Just ignore, and focus on the important stuff.
