Speech

Chapter 21: Building Leadership

Overview

Speech and leadership work hand in hand. When you are called upon to lead, your spoken words and the way you use them will determine your credibility. There are many types of leaders, including the technocrat, who concentrates on the bottom line; the artist, who leads by imagination and intuition; and the craftsman, who leads by common sense and integrity. The best leader is aware of various learning styles and combines creativity and enthusiasm with sound judgment, compassion, and collaboration. This type of leader can use words to communicate with the greatest number of people.

Good leaders have several characteristics in common, including

(1)	a sense of vision,
(2)	a willingness to act,
(3)	an ability to make good decisions,
(4)	an ability to handle conflict,
(5)	an ability to avoid pitfalls, and
(6)	an ability to motivate. To be a successful leader and speaker, you must work from the inside out and establish a strong value system that will anchor your words and give them substance.