Posted on Mar 20, 2013

The Value of Expressiveness in Leadership

The value of expressiveness means effectively conveying thought or feeling; articulate.

Leadership Questions:

How do you know that your audience has understood your message?
What can you do to better express your ideas so that others feel what you feel?
Can you compress your 30-minute speech into 3 minutes, and still convey the essence of it?
Have you ever watched a videotape of yourself delivering a speech? What one thing would you recommend to yourself to become more articulate?
In the middle of communicating a thought, have you ever experimented with the power of pause, with purpose?

The Effect of Expressiveness

There are eloquent speakers that can impress us with their ability to speak with ease for hours. Then there are expressive leaders that can impress upon us the importance of their ideas.

Abraham Lincoln was an expressive leader. When he made his ten-sentence Gettysburg Address, Lincoln expressed both the thoughts and feelings of a war-torn nation. He captured the minds and hearts of his audience by dedicating to finish the work started by the nation’s forefathers, and honoring those who sacrificed everything for its freedom.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an expressive leader. When he stated, “I have a dream” everyone could feel his dream for freedom and equality, and many were willing to do something about it. It’s not surprising that this dream is still alive today.

Ronald Reagan was an expressive leader. Everyone understood the importance of his statement when he was in Berlin, Germany and challenged Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall!” He clearly articulated the perfect symbol for global freedom that still resonates today.

Do you have an important idea – or ideal – to share with others? Are you ready to express how you truly feel about a topic? If you want to influence others – the mark of real leadership – you will do well to embrace the value of expressiveness.