Let me start by saying that I am Canadian, have no vote in the US election, and this post is not about whether the presidency should go to the Republicans or Democrats, although I’m sure every single one of us, even here in Canada, is watching this very divisive election with huge interest. Regardless of what your politics are, there is no denying that the Obamas are skilled orators. They have a way of presenting that inspires, aligns people, paints a picture of a positive world that we want to be a part of.
In a work-world where, according to Gallup, U.S. employee engagement is less than 33%, we can all use more positivity from our leaders. I work with CEOs and leaders every day who struggle to motivate their teams, to battle cultural entropy, and to simply make work a better experience for themselves and others. After watching the Obamas’ DNC speeches, I think we can all gain some learning and techniques from them that we can use to inspire and engage our teams.
Be intentional about your legacy
When is the last time you thought about your purpose as a leader? Have you deliberately considered the legacy you will leave? Many leaders skip this step, and while many still leave a positive legacy, if you can put intention into it, you will get more of what motivates you out of your work.
In her speech, Michelle Obama says, “The President is about one thing and one thing only. It’s about leaving something better for our kids.” President Obama, in his speech, talk about what’s at stake being “bigger than either of us,” referencing Hillary Clinton and himself. Both of them make it clear that the goal of the leader is to leave a positive legacy.
What CEOs can apply: If you haven’t done so in the past, take some time to consider why you go to work every day. What motivates you? What is most important to you? When you leave your organization, what do you want people to say about you? What impact do you want to have had?
Once you’re clear about your intention, evaluate your actions. Think about the past week. What have you done to build that legacy? What have you done to detract from it? Make a plan to lead and work in the future with your purpose as a filter for what you do. It may mean subtle changes to who you speak to, how you interact, or to decisions you make. The more intentional you can be about your legacy, the more likely you are to leave the legacy you desire to.
Be real about challenges but face the future with confidence
In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex world, our organizations are in constant flux and people often feel worried about the future. As leaders, we are leading our teams through change and facing scrutiny and skepticism. To battle this, we talk about the benefits of changes we’re facing, the risks we could face if things stay the same. We encourage people to not dwell on what could go wrong, but on what is right.
In President Obama’s speech, he discusses the reality of today, and the anxieties people feel about paying their bills, the racial divisions, factory closures , wars and more. But he quickly turns to optimism and confidence, by speaking about “what is right with America”, people working hard, doctors coming up with cures and a younger generation full of new ideas. This focus on what real people are doing to make change, which everyone can relate to in some way, aligns people with feelings of optimism and confidence, and the feeling that they can make a difference.
What CEOs can apply: When we communicate change and stick only to the benefits of the change and the risks of things staying the same, we aren’t connecting to our team. In their minds, the focus is on the benefits of the current state and how terrible the change will be. It’s almost as though you’re talking a completely different language. You can probably think of a time when you’ve sat through a leader’s presentation (or perhaps been the leader presenting) all of the great reasons why the change must happen and how wonderful things will be. If you look closely, you may have seen people nodding their heads but with skepticism in their eyes. You may have even seen looks between employees or the odd eye roll. You may or may not have been privy to the “real meeting” that happens after that meeting, as employees gather around to discuss what will go wrong, how disconnected the leader is to the reality of the situation, and how the change will never work.
It is important to be real about the challenges you will face, and to engage people in the solutions. Before communicating change, take some time to consider the difficulties and roadblocks your team will identify. When you’re the one making the change, change is great, but when it’s imposed on you, it’s much less so. Ask what people are most worried about. Don’t shy away from the possible issues, but put them out in the open, and then work together to come up with solutions. When you do this, people will feel more like you understand the reality and are ready to collaborate to overcome difficulty.
Use words to paint a picture
There are a few common tactics that all great speakers use to inspire people. One of them is the use of metaphors and imagery to paint a picture that people can see in their minds.
Michelle Obama uses imagery throughout her speech. She begins and ends her speech with stories about her daughters. In the first one, she describes her “daughters with their faces pressed up against the window going to school”. In the latter, she describes these “two beautiful, intelligent black young women playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.” At another point, she describes the “story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation.” These metaphors and visualizations create within us an almost palpable feeling. We can see and feel what she describes clearly, and we feel more connected to the message.
What CEOs can apply: When you’re communicating a message to your team, whether it’s your organization’s strategy, vision, a change, or new projects, don’t just stick to the facts. Picture how it will look and feel for them if they accomplish what you’re discussing.
Imagine how your organization will impact the lives of employees and other people. Put yourself in their shoes. What will it look and feel like for your employees coming to work in the company you build one, three, or five years from now? How will your customers’ lives be impacted by your products, and what will that be like for them? When you’re painting the picture, consider what people will see, hear, smell, touch and feel emotionally. Use all of the senses to evoke a deep image that people can feel in their own hearts.
When people can visualize and feel what the future could be like, they are more inspired to make change, and more able to identify the incremental moves in the right direction.
Remember that culture is created by actions, not intentions
This is something I say often to my clients. Any company can put a bunch of words on a wall that are meant to represent their values and purpose, but until your daily actions fulfill those intentions, they are simply words on a wall.
Michelle Obama reinforces this truth when she says, near the beginning of her speech “Our words and actions matter not just to our girls, but to children across our country.” She emphasizes the point that a leader’s every word and action is seen and impacts others, which is true of every one of us, not just to the President of the United States.
What CEOs can apply: First, get clear about your Purpose and Values. Make sure they are real and actionable and meaningful to you and to your people. This is the intention part. Next comes the more difficult part. Be on the constant lookout for actions that promote or demote the culture. Have regular discussions about the values and the culture you’re striving for, and reinforce actions that demonstrate them. Don’t let actions, even small ones, that detract from your values, go unnoticed or ignored.
Evaluate your own actions and hold yourself accountable for acting in alignment with your values. Each decision you make that is contrary to your values; each interaction that falls short of meeting them; and each small action that any leader takes that undermines the Values will punch a hole in the strength of the culture fabric you’re creating.
Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election, The Obamas will be moving on, leaving the White House. There’s no doubt that we will be able to learn from the next President. For now, I’m soaking up as much as I can from these very inspiring leaders, and I encourage you to do the same.