The Art of Speaking for Middle-Level Leaders

Author: Wang Zhe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features:
II. Four Speaking Techniques to Win Subordinates' Support
Middle-level leaders all hope to leave a good impression on the leaders, colleagues, and subordinates of the units they join. Especially for new middle-level leaders, it is crucial to deliver a good first speech after taking office to quickly earn the respect of their subordinates. This requires mastering the following techniques:
1. Shortening the Distance from Everyone
As a middle-level leader, the first speech is most important for quickly bridging emotional gaps with new leaders, colleagues, and subordinates. Experienced leaders often use humor to break the ice and open the audience's hearts. Introducing oneself by "cartoonizing" one's name, image, and personality is a way to self-introduce. For example, a middle-level leader who advocates quitting smoking introduced himself as, "I am an outstanding member of the 'Wives' Association. My wife didn't allow me to smoke, so now I dare not even touch a cigarette, and I'm terrified just smelling others' smoke." Such an introduction immediately creates a connection with the audience. Another effective method is to quote humorous evaluations of oneself from others. For instance, "Some say my voice is loud like thunder. I say, when I encounter bad deeds, I should thunder, but today seeing so many good friends, my heart is full of friendship, how could I thunder?" A third method is to be introduced by a third party and then summarize humorously. Third-party introductions often exaggerate, so you can seize the opportunity to respond: "Did anyone see the flying acrobat earlier? I felt it. A comrade praised me like this—how could I not feel proud? But in truth, I'm afraid of that very thing." You can also introduce yourself using your surname: "My surname is Hao (good), and people are generally like that." Such humorous self-introductions win the audience's favor and shorten the psychological distance between you and them.
2. Demonstrating Creative Initiative
After gaining the audience's goodwill through humor, quickly organize concise and well-structured language to propose creative ideas on relevant work. Only then can you truly establish authority in the team. Creative ideas are not about beautiful phrases or lengthy, classic arguments but about offering insightful solutions based on your understanding of the unit's and its personnel's actual situation, using your flexible mind. You can work on this in four ways. First, you can modify, refine, or completely overturn a statement mentioned by others, addressing the audience's desires or breaking through their confusion to express your initiative. Second, analyze well-known proverbs or maxims to reveal your perspective, making your initiative leave a deep impression. Third, be good at learning and pooling ideas, using fresh yet appropriate language to structure your speech. Fourth, use rhetorical questions or inverted questions to emphasize your creative insights.
3. Winning Subordinates' Trust with Appropriate Evaluations
When a new leader takes office, you should care not only about the impression you make but also about the impression you leave. Incorporate appropriate evaluations into your inaugural speech to gain trust. First, strive to understand the new environment from all angles and quickly categorize its conditions, identifying the most critical issues. Second, organize evaluative language. Praise the achievements of your organization or team and the talents of most of its members. In your inaugural speech, your image should be that of a confident and accomplished leader, not a complainer. Of course, if some teams already have serious problems, you may not dare to point them out, and your authority will not be established. In such cases, show tolerance for employees and disdain for problems, and use your inaugural speech to guide everyone in solving them.
4. Inspiring Everyone's Motivation
Those who do not dream are difficult to inspire confidence in others. A new leader who dares not set hopes or demands is seen as a coward. A leader who can envision a bright future and decisively propose requirements will earn love and respect. How can you seize the final opportunity of your inaugural speech to optimistically envision the future and firmly propose requirements? Make sure to do the following five things:
(1) Set goals with a high likelihood of success and propose demands that are realistic for your unit or organization;
(2) Use clear and concise language, avoiding ambiguity or hesitation;
(3) Focus on key points, delivering them with force, without trying to cover everything;
(4) Mention both rewards and punishments, combining motivation with discipline;
(5) Conclude with condensed, aphoristic language.
Such words can effectively inspire everyone's motivation, thereby enhancing your authority and reputation.
P5-P7