The Power of Words in Leadership

In Aaron Sorkin’s wonderful 1992 movie, A Few Good Men, the dialogue between Tom Cruise’s character, Lt. Daniel Kaffee, and Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Col. Nathan R. Jessup is priceless. The back and forth between these two wonderful actors is powerful—causing the phrase, “You can’t handle the truth,” to become part of our leadership vocabulary.

Thirty years after the movie appeared on the silver screen, people still remember the powerful scene in the courtroom and Nicholson screaming his incredible lines. What the movie reminds all of us is this: leading with the right choice of words can be impactful. How we use our words, how we string sentences together when dealing with a group of people or in a one-on-one setting, can be inspiring.

Language and leadership go hand in hand. How we present, discuss, and inform those we lead is just as important as the message itself. We can’t borrow another leader’s vocabulary—being authentic with our words is just as important as being authentic with our behavior.

No one used words as part of his arsenal better than former Great Britain Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Churchill was a master of the English language. Even though he had a lisp, his powerful rhetoric, strategic language, and deep understanding of his audience allowed him to motivate people into believing not all was lost during the war.

Churchill used descriptive language to tell his story. He used vivid imagery and strong verbs to paint compelling pictures that connected with his audience. Remember, Churchill didn’t have PowerPoint or slides to show a television audience. Each word he chose held significant importance in painting the most telling picture for his audience to visualize.

He also used alliteration and repetition to emphasize key points and make his messages memorable. Each word was meticulously selected, favoring short, common words while crafting sentences with power, rhythm, and cadence.

He used analogies to make complex issues more understandable and to draw parallels with past events—trying to inspire his audience. With each speech, Churchill was selling hope—attempting to keep morale high, even though the London nights were filled with German aircraft.

On June 4th, 1940, speaking to the House of Commons in the British Parliament, he gave his “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech. He conveyed a direct, clear message to all of Great Britain: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

He left no doubt that as long as he was leading the people of England, surrender wasn’t an option.

Now, not everyone can become Churchill—the master storyteller and speechwriter. But we can all become aware of the power of our words—how words can be part of our leadership strategy. Each word we use must be inspiring and an inspiration to those we lead. The moment we recognize the power of our words, the better leader we will become.

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