The Prime Leader Is a Master Communicator

“And it came about, when Jesus had come to the end of these words, that the people were surprised at his teaching, for he was teaching as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” – Matthew 7:28, 29.

All great leaders in history were masters of communication. They were able to reach a mixed population with their philosophy and get them moved deeply enough to be devoted to their cause. Many times I have listened to Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and I am amazed at how the man used the power of words so efficiently. The multitude that listened to that speech identified with the dream that he had. Even today, people listen to that speech and are able to connect to the man’s passion. How about the new president of the United States? I can understand why he is the president. The man has great appeal in his speech that convinces you that he absolutely believes what he is saying and not just saying it. I listened to a speech he gave in 2004 campaigning for someone else. It was such a powerful speech delivered in about twelve minutes. That is the power of the Prime Leader; the power to utilise words like no average person.

In communication, one needs to understand that people respond to specific points of communication. There are those that are primarily visually oriented. These people will be moved when the words used paint pictures in their minds. The Prime leader will use statements like, “Let me paint this picture for you”, or “Picture this.” They will literally paint pictures with their words. When these people begin to see that picture in their minds, they will be in a more receptive state. Such people often in their speech also use such phrases like, “It really paints a weird picture. It doesn’t look like.., it looks to me like…” These people will also be affected by the presentation of the one delivering the speech, that is, their appearance. That is why the Prime Leader needs to look presentable, dressed in a dignified way. How serious do you think you look in a pair of blue jeans? Because of this, you will notice that the majority of great leaders that were liked most by people were even handsome or beautiful. A lot of people fall into this category.

The next group of people are primarily auditory. This means that they respond a lot more to communication that has to do with hearing. The Prime leader will use phrases like, “Does it ring a bell when…, Do you hear my….” These people are those that also use the same statements in their regular speech. When such statements are used, they are put in a receptive state where they are more likely to connect with the speaker. Poetic language and melodic speech will go a long way in reaching these people because they really pay a lot of attention to words. They will appreciate the speaker who has a smooth flow of words and connects his ideas systematically. There are many people also who fall into this category. I happen to be one of these and maybe that is why I love the part whey Martin Luther King started describing his dream in a somewhat poetic manner, repeating “I have a dream….”

The third group of people are those who primarily access information via the kinesthetic route. This are those who like to feel things. Once they feel something, they are more receptive to take in or learn the particular thing. The Prime Leader will use statements like, “I feel like…, can you feel my..?” These people will often use statements like, “It feels like.., I feel like…” The route of feeling is the key to these peoples emotions and their understanding. These people will appreciate the coherent demonstration of emotion consistent with the issue being discussed. They are also sensitive to incongruence, where the speaker is saying one thing but his gestures are not in agreement with those things. It is like saying “Yes”, while your head is shaking. This shows that the speaker is not believing what he is saying.

All these groups of people are found in the same audience. The Prime Leader deliberately addresses each one of them in their particular way in the same speech. He will address emotional issues, paint powerful vibrant pictures and use the kind of words that flow and are accompanied by the relevant gestures. When this is done, the audience connect at a personal level with the speaker and buy into his message. Jesus often used parables where he painted pictures that were relevant to the people’s current situation. He used simple words that every man could understand, yet his message was always powerful. He literally addressed the emotions of people by giving them hope and healing the sick. Paul the apostle used words that were truly amazing. Passages of his letters like Ephesians 1 and 4 are power packed chapters that demonstrate the use of words.

Choose today to train yourself in your speaking skill. Your influence is directly affected by your ability to communicate effectively. If you are unable of communicate what you see, feel, taste, hear and smell inside of yourself to other people, then they will not be as motivated as you are, which means they will not be sold out to your vision as you are. Even the most terrible leaders like Hitler were able to motivate their followers by the power of their communication. You too can be the Prime Leader. You are the Prime Leader in the making. You have it all in you, you just need to work at it.

Affirmation: I am an effective communicator. I control the words that I speak and I use them to reach all people effectively.