The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team

by Joel Schwartzberg

Overview

Convey the essence of leadership with every communication.


Everything you communicate has the power to secure or sabotage your impression. But while you may be an empathic, visionary, responsive, inspiring, authentic, supportive, and humble leader, the lasting impact of those qualities hinges on your ability to communicate them effectively in words and expressions.

Drawing on his decades of experience as a presentation coach, executive speechwriter, and national champion public speaker, Joel Schwartzberg offers unique mindsets, actionable tactics, and diverse examples to help you leverage the most powerful leadership tool you have: your voice. Whether you’re giving speeches, telling stories, sending emails, posting messages, recording videos, or running Zoom meetings, these are essential practices for establishing authority and engaging your audience.

The Language of Leadership will show you how to inspire, not merely inform, communicate with purpose and power, and sell—not just share—your most important ideas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781523092406
Publisher:	Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publication date:	07/13/2021
Pages:	168
Sales rank:	436,227
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Joel Schwartzberg is a leadership communications coach whose clients include American Express, Blue Apron, the Brennan Center for Justice, Comedy Central, the American Jewish Committee, and North Point Ministries. ​He is senior director of strategic and executive communications for the New York City American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Schwartzberg’s articles on effective communication have appeared in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Toastmaster magazine, and he’s been the featured guest on business and communication podcasts.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Language of Leadership 1

1 Think Before You Speak: Developing a Leadership

Communication Mindset 5

Content Is Not King 5

The Dynamic Duo: Purpose and Power 8

Making Your Points Matter 11

Balancing Realism and Idealism 18

Know What Your Audience Wants and Needs 20

Problem-Solving versus Problem-Sharing 24

We, Myself, and I 26

It, This, and That 30

The Beauty of Brevity 31

2 Make It So: Key Targets and Tactics 35

Communicating Hope 35

Communicating Vision 37

Communicating Confidence 40

Communicating Empathy 44

Communicating Authenticity 50

This Should Give You Pause 54

Making Your Thanks Matter 56

Making Your Story Matter 60

Borrowing from Aristotle 63

Auditing Your Ands, Adjectives, and Apologies 65

Attention Magnets 69

The Rule of Three 71

Strong Starts and Solid Finishes 73

The Language of Listening 74

Let Me Ask You a Question 76

We Need to Start Meeting Like This 79

What Not to Worry About 82

3 Plug In: Leveraging Your Tech Tools 87

Know Thy Platforms 88

Zoom In: Making Actual Impact in Virtual Meetings 94

Writing More Effective Email 100

Putting the Power in PowerPoint 105

Digital Video 107

4 Scenario Studies: Targeted Tactics for Specific Events 111

Relaying Bad News 112

Communicating during a Crisis 113

Celebrating a Milestone 115

Honoring a Person 116

Unveiling a New Policy or Strategic Direction 117

Conclusion: The Last Lesson 119

Recommended Reading 121

Acknowledgments 123

Index 125

About the Author 131

Editorial Reviews

In the business world, clear points, effective storytelling, and deep audience understanding open doors and close deals. Practicing what it teaches, this is a go-to guide for leaders and aspiring leaders looking to master those skills in a wide range of modern settings and platforms.”
—Jason Seiken, CEO, QCatalyst; former Chief Content Officer, The Daily Telegraph; and former Editor in Chief, WashingtonPost.com
 
“Words matter, and The Language of Leadership shows you how to wield them as a leader to move minds and make a positive impact.”  
—Mignon Fogarty, author of Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing and founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network
 
“Offering fresh, actionable tactics and scrutinizing real-world examples from modern leaders and influencers, the book is a must-have resource on any leader’s bookshelf.”
—Fran Hauser, startup investor; former Digital President, Time Inc.; and bestselling author of The Myth of the Nice Girl

"Words matter. The Language of Leadership, will help you communicate your vision with clarity and aplomb." 
—Doug Conant, Founder & CEO, ConantLeadership and Former CEO, Campbell Soup Company
 
 “In The Language of Leadership, Joel Schwartzberg gives you a lot to think about and a lot to do. If you follow half the practical advice in this book, you'll be twice the communicator you are today.”
—David Murray, executive director of the Professional Speechwriters Association and author of An Effort to Understand: Hearing One Another (and Ourselves) in a Nation Cracked in Half

"The Language of Leadership serves up an array of practical tips for crafting clear, purposeful, and inspiring messages that can mean the difference between merely managing teams and leading them—especially during a crisis."
—Christine Montgomery, Head of Editorial and Engagement, The World Bank Group
 
"In his engaging and inimitable style, Joel Schwartzberg delivers a to-the-point playbook for creating inspirational business communications in an age when leaders need it most."
—Aidan McCullen, author of Undisruptable and host of The Innovation Show

"Whether your professional goal is selling products or saving democracy, effective communication is an absolute requirement for successfully leading and inspiring a team. With wisdom and wit, The Language of Leadership shares incredibly useful tactics to achieve that level of critical engagement on a wide range of messaging platforms and technologies. A must-have communication resource for both new and longtime leaders of any organization." 
—Inimai Chettiar, Federal Director at Justice Action Network and former Director of the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice
 
"Joel Schwartzberg pulls back the curtains on one of the most important competencies of effective leadership: the language used to convey facts, feelings, and fundamental messages their teams and audiences need to hear. The Language of Leadership is a detailed roadmap for getting your point across, filled with examples, quick tips, and deep counsel for both polished communicators and those wanting to up their games. Read the book. Engage your people. Inspire your audiences."
—Jake Jacobs, Leadership consultant and author of Leverage Change: 8 Ways to Achieve Faster, Easier, Better Results
 
"New and experienced leaders will find this book incredibly valuable because it efficiently lays out ideas and tactics that took me years to learn through trial and error. Keep The Language of Leadership nearby as a handy reference guide to maximize all the opportunities you'll have to inspire and motivate your team effectively."
—Pinaki Kathiari, CEO, Local Wisdom and Co-Founder, Resource Hero
 
"Language is one of the most powerful tools we have to communicate, to create, and to change the world. Yet all too often, words fall flat—we get caught in our head, fail to truly understand our audience, or simply flub the landing. The Language of Leadership gets to the heart of these challenges and helps you overcome them. Through case studies and examples, decades of experience, and a delightful sense of humor, Joel Schwartzberg shows you how to use language as an ally and harness your full potential."
—April Rinne, author of Flux: Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
 
"If you're a leader or just hope to become one, The Language of Leadership provides indispensable insights and advice on elevating your ability to engage, excite, and inspire a team—all essential elements for strong leadership. A treasure chest of ideas and a surprisingly fun read, Joel Schwartzberg's book should be required in every MBA program."
—Rod Thorn, CEO of Thorn Media and former communications executive for PepsiCo, Kodak, and IBM
 
"Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, The Language of Leadership guides you to be a better communicator and leader. No matter what industry you're in, as your career progresses, you will increasingly be required to present and inspire your co-workers with your ideas. With clear examples and lessons, Joel Schwartzberg provides you the tools you will need to succeed." 
—Jed Weissberg, SVP Operations, Finance and HR, Mobiquity Technologies

From the Publisher