ONE of the most critical tools for effective leadership are words. As with any tool:
1) You are as good as your tools
2) Your output is heavily hinged on the quality of your tools.
3) Right tools + right purpose + right use = effective results.
“All the tools, techniques and technology in the world are nothing without the head, heart and hands to use them wisely, kindly and mindfully.” Rasheed Ogunlaru
4) A purpose will be hindered, unaccomplished and frustrated without the right tools.
“Why Are Tools Important?
A tool is referred to as an essential piece of equipment.
We use tools to complete home repairs, vehicle repairs, construction, and gardening. Hence, tools prove to be highly important.
Here are the key benefits of using tools:
Tools can help improve our efficiency.
Allows doing work with accuracy.
We can complete our tasks safely.
It requires less time and effort to complete a task when we use tools.” Norbert Juma
Words are containers/channels that carry/convey thoughts and a leader needs them to get his ideas, instructions, vision, etc across to people.
“Yes, words matter. They are what we use to communicate. Whether it is verbally or in written form words are the tools for language. From the time a small child learns to talk, the significance of words becomes clear. With that being said words have power. They can inspire, motivate or encourage. Yet, words can also cause harm. They can tear down, harass and destroy. This is why it is so important to be wise and thoughtful in the words we speak to each other and also to ourselves.” Empish Thomas
“The intentions of a tool are what it does. A hammer intends to strike, a vise intends to hold fast, a lever intends to lift. They are what it is made for. But sometimes a tool may have other uses that you don’t know. Sometimes in doing what you intend, you also do what the knife intends, without knowing.” Philip Pullman
An effective leader must know how to use words as tools to achieve his set goals, aims and objectives.
1) He must know what to say – quality content.
To be effective the leader must be worth listening to every time and this demands his words must be relevant and have useful content. His words must be a source of answers and solutions. His followers must be able to look up to and look forward to hearing his words. They must know that when the leader speaks they will learn. They will get direction and be better equipped to do whatever assignment is required of them. The leader’s words must have quality content.
TO BE CONTINUED.
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Words – A Critical Tool of Leadership Part 2
Last time we began looking at words as tools for effective leadership. As with any tool:
1) You are as good as your tools
2) Your output is heavily hinged on the quality of your tools.
3) Right tools + right purpose + right use = effective results.
4) A purpose will be hindered, unaccomplished and frustrated without the right tools.
An effective leader must know how to use words as tools to achieve his set goals, aims and objectives.
1) He must know what to say – quality content.
To be effective the leader must be worth listening to every time and this demands his words must be relevant and have useful content. His words must be a source of answers and solutions. His followers must be able to look up to ad look forward to hearing his words. They must know that when the leader speaks they will learn. They will get direction and be better equipped to do whatever assignment is required of them. The leader’s words must have quality content.
The quality of your content is based on what you feed on (garbage in, garbage out).
“If we understood the power of our thoughts, we would guard them more closely. If we understood the awesome power of our words, we would prefer silence to almost anything negative. In our thoughts and words, we create our own weaknesses and our own strengths. Our limitations and joys begin in our hearts. We can always replace negative with positive.” Betty Eadie
Your words must have: (1) value (2) accuracy (3) authority (4) relevance.
A leader must avoid speaking: (1) inaccuracies (2) error (3) irrelevant words.
- a) “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.” Ephesians 4:29 Amplified
- b) “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6.
- c) “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.” Proverbs 18:13 New Living Translation
2) He must know when to talk – timing.
Right content must be at the right time. Right words spoken at the wrong time will be counter-productive.
“Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.” Proverbs 26:4-5 New Living Translation
3) He must know where to talk – location.
The right words must be spoken at the right time in the right place. For example, it is best to appreciate in public and criticize in private.
TO BE CONTINUED.
FOR ENQUIRIES AND COMMENTS PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO [email protected]
Words – A Critical Tool of Leadership Part 3
We have been looking at words as tools of effective leadership.
“Why Are Tools Important?
A tool is referred to as an essential piece of equipment.
We use tools to complete home repairs, vehicle repairs, construction, and gardening. Hence, tools prove to be highly important.
Here are the key benefits of using tools:
Tools can help improve our efficiency.
Allows doing work with accuracy.
We can complete our tasks safely.
It requires less time and effort to complete a task when we use tools.” Norbert Juma
An effective leader must know how to use words as tools to achieve his set goals, aims and objectives.
1) He must know what to say – quality content.
His words must have: (1) value (2) accuracy (3) authority (4) relevance.
2) He must know when to talk – timing.
Right content must be at the right time. Right words spoken at the wrong time will be counter-productive.
“Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.” Proverbs 26:4-5 New Living Translation
3) He must know where to talk – location.
The right words must be spoken at the right time in the right place. For example, it is best to appreciate in public and criticize in private.
4) He must know how to talk – approach and strategy.
“There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18 Amplified.
“Be careful what you say. You can say something hurtful in ten seconds, but ten years later, the wounds are still there.” Joel Osteen
5) He must know why he is talking – purpose.
Every speech of a leader must be geared towards influence – affecting people’s beliefs and actions to achieve set goals, aims and objectives.
6) He must know who to talk to – target.
A leader must know who to talk to per time. Right words must be spoken at the right time to the right people.
7) An effective leader develops discipline to avoid words with these contents as they tend to diminish the leaders influence: (a) anger (b) shouting (c) abuse (d) defamation (e) gossip (f) falsehood (g) rumours.
“Don’t mix bad words with your bad mood. You’ll have many opportunities to change a mood, but you’ll never get the opportunity to replace the words you spoke.” Unknown
“Words are seeds that do more than blow around. They land in our hearts and not the ground. Be careful what you plant and careful what you say. You might have to eat what you planted one day.” Unknown
CONCLUDED.
FOR ENQUIRIES AND COMMENTS PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO [email protected]
FOR ENQUIRIES AND COMMENTS PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO [email protected]
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