Habitudes: The Poet’s Gift
Being a Poet-Leader
Jimn Kyles
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The Poet’s Gift
Poets are students of their culture Grab the hearts of readers Express ideas in relevant and creative ways
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Poetry
Poems stand out in our minds and resonate with us at a personal level Do you remember a favorite poem?
Ex. C. S. Lewis “The Apologist’s Prayer”
Still have an old song memorized?
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Poetry
“Poetry” comes from a Greek term describing a written art form in which language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to its semantic content
Uses rhythm, rhyme, and meter (pattern) to elicit emotion and make it memorable
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Poetry as an art form pre-dates literacy People were citing poetry before they could
read it Poetry was used as a means of recording
oral history, storytelling, genealogy, and law The greater part of the scriptures are made
up of Poetry more than prose
Poetry
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Poet
Poetry is created by a “poet” The word “poet” is taken from a root word
meaning “I create” They don’t create out of nothing They read and interpret the culture around
them and put words to what they see
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How This Applies…
Poet–Leader Great Leaders are like poets Poets read and interpret the culture around
them then put words to what they see. Effective leaders do the same
They are listeners They observe They are wordsmiths – they are experts with
words and saying the right thing at the right time
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Rise above the fray of the everyday to inspire and encourage the human heart
They are in a sense poets to those they lead Communicate vision in a memorable way
people remember it when they’re done.
How This Applies…
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“I Have a Dream…”
Martin Luther King, Jr. One of the most
famous speeches of the 20th Century
Six things that made that speech so effective
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“I Have a Dream…”
1. Repetition – he repeated “I have a dream…” several times to drive home his point.
2. He was inclusive, taking his audience all over the US with his words
3. Used familiar metaphors to describe what he meant
Ex. Bad Check
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“I Have a Dream…”
4. Was relevant, since he spoke from society’s needs and concerns
5. He identified with them, speaking of marching and going to prison together
6. Gave the people a point for their heads and a picture for their hearts
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Being a Poet-Leader
Add value by… Interpreting world Summarizing an idea Using “hooks” to share in a memorable way
“I have a dream”
4 Things Poet-leaders utilize… Simplicity Accuracy Imagery Relevance
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Simplicity
Simplicity: Leaders want to impact, not impress They search for the right word They don’t have to “tell all” They exercise restraint
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Accuracy
Accuracy: Selecting the right
word, not every word that could possibly be used
Search for an uncommon word, one that brings both logic and emotion to the surface
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Imagery
Imagery: Making abstract ideas concrete Uses images, analogies, or pictures to help
the listener grab the idea Ex. – The tactic Habitudes uses!
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Relevance
Relevance: A leader observes before he
communicates Aware of the atmosphere Knows what’s going on Reads the situation before action
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Tools for Effective Communication Winston Churchill the Prime Minister of
Britain used 5 ingredients to communicate strongly during World War II. His excellent ability to communicate helped rally
the allies to action and win the war!
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1. Strong Beginnings
Strong Beginnings: He engaged audience immediately with a
relevant thought He didn’t waste time with small talk. He plunged right into his message with a
provocative story, quote, statement, or fact.
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2. One Theme
One Theme: He didn’t try to share too many points, just
one. He had one central vision or message he
wished to convey in each talk. Less is more, in his mind. Often you could
boil it down to one phrase.
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3. Simple Language
Simple Language: He didn’t try to impress anyone with big
words. He spoke the everyday language of
conversations. He didn’t care about his image. He didn’t care about impressing folks. He
spoke for impact.
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4. Pictures
Pictures: He created colorful images in people’s
minds. He was an artist with word pictures, stories,
and metaphors. These illustrated
his point and made
it memorable.
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5. Emotional Ending
Emotional Ending: He concluded by engaging their emotions,
not just their minds. He would give them a call to action. He elicited powerful hunger by grabbing
their hearts with a personal plea to engage in his vision.
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Questions to Ask Yourself (rate 1–10) You read people and situations, then speak
in a relevant way You are skilled at putting memorable words
to ideas You inspire others to act through the words
you speak You are a student of the culture around you
and speak to its needs
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