What well-known building or public landmark in your city has been destroyed and then rebuilt? The suddenness of the destruction, the shock, anger, denial, grief, followed by determination, planning, hard work, eventual completion and re-dedication all provide meaningful analogies.
Leaders must rebuild morale and loyalty if their companies are to participate in the coming improved economy. How do you inspire your employees and your customers to stick with you, or to come back to you? Don't rush to make vague promises about how things are getting better or how you're going to be stronger soon. No one will buy those unsubstantiated and generic promises.
Your status as a leader who makes a difference will grow as you confront reality and the difficulties everyone will face as you rebuild.
Craft your analogy on a local landmark. Describe the landmark and how beloved it was for ages. Carefully describe some of its most popular features, and the people who frequented it. When you get to the part about the destruction, use evocative words that will have the audience living through it again. Follow the destruction with the responses of grief, spoken in an understanding and sympathetic tone of voice. Gradually build up the sense of hope and new vision, helping your audience to visualize laying the new corner stone, the crowds gathering around for the dedication and many new people enjoying the rebuilt landmark.
Then ask them to imagine your company as the landmark. Encourage them to imagine the collapse of the company's fortunes like the collapse of the landmark. Acknowledge that they have been through the same grieving process. And show them your new blueprint for rebuilding-- and that just as the new landmark required the work of many hands, so does the future of your company require the contributions of everyone. End with a word picture of a happy gathering of employees and customers, celebrating the re-emergence of your company, just as the citizens celebrated the re-emergence of the landmark.
Using local events increases the reality for the audience (compared to referring to a distant event such as hurricane Katrina.) How do you use local events as analogies for your leadership speeches? Share your ideas through our comment link.
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