Words are a leaders most powerful tool. The power of words resides in their ability to create, or 'seed' potential. Like seeds, words contain images and when spoken (planted in the hearts and minds of people that make up a leader's organizational context) they have the ability to create something from (seemingly) nothing. This is why the most effective leaders both speak and write their visions. As leaders, the "organizational life" - healthy or not - of the teams, departments and systems that we lead are framed by the words of our mouths and comprised of our choices. In Magic Words, Jonah Berger observes that words have the ability to influence teams by changing minds, engaging audiences and driving action. For example, using person pronouns like "we" "us" and "I' instead of the more distanced "they" "them" and "you" 'can facilitate conversation, make people feel connected, and increase their perception that they are part of the same tribe.' As it turns out (at least in the leadership context) the old childhood refrain, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" - doesn't hold true. This doesn't mean leaders should be supersensitive to the words of others - leaders must be thick skinned. However, in fact, a leaders words will either build or break the system they lead. #LeadWithWords
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