Many scholars have studied the power and impact words have on individuals, societies, cultures, and the evolution of the human condition. Most of you know the love affair I have with words. Whether they be in the form of poetry, screenplays, novels, biographies, or simple exchanges between two people, languages speak volumes (no pun intended) about who we are, where we are, what we value, and where we are going. Words can inspire. Words can hurt. Words can empower. Words can steer nations. Words can lead companies, organizations, and teams to places they never dreamed of going.
Think of the “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King. Think of the John F. Kennedy speech inspiring us to put a man on the moon. Think of Ronald Reagan’s speech assuring and comforting us after the Challenger disaster.
What did these speeches have in common? What role did images, word selection, tone, and emphasis have in these addresses? What healing power did these words bestow on the listeners? What do we use in our language when addressing our teams, our companies, and our stakeholders to inspire, lead, and empower? How can we use language in our daily interactions to show our authenticity and build followers through this approach?
“The power of words is immense. A well-chosen word had often sufficed to stop a flying army, to change defeat into victory, and to save an empire.” ~ Emile de Girardin
Kristin,
Yes I wholeheartedly agree with you. Words are powerful and can have a great impact on your audience. My company, the Language Lab, helps people improve their oral and written communication skills. So I understand what you are talking about. However, it is not just the spoken word, it is also the written word that we need to carefully consider. In this day and age when we rely so heavily on email communication, we need to be sure that what we write is not misconstrued. It’s important to use words to explain, persuade and motivate people to a call action, etc. So thanks for starting this discussion, as it is a topic about which I spend much time working on and developing learning programs with which to assist people.
You can find out more about why I think words are so powerful by viewing my blog posts, particularly the one about the Power of Word: Words That Sell at http://www.thelanguagelab.ca.
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