May 102013
Power of Communication,The: Skills to Build Trust, Inspire Loyalty, and Lead Effectively
Communication is the absolutely indispensable leadership discipline. But, too often, leaders and professional communicators get mired in tactics, and fail to influence public attitudes in the ways that would help them the most. The Power of Communication builds on the U.S. Marine Corps’ legendary publication Warfighting, showing how to apply the Corps’ proven leadership and strategy doctrine to all forms of public communication — and achieve truly extraordinary results. World-renowned leadersh
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Price: $ 15.06
Excellent If You’re In a Corporate Setting,
When I requested this book, I was looking for a way to communicate better with those around me, as well as with my customers and readers. I wanted to build a stronger following for my business. This really doesn’t have anything to do with that. If you’re looking for a book like that, then I would highly recommend you read How To Win Friends and Influence People.
Instead, this is a book about how leaders can develop the skills they need to communicate with their audiences. It’s based on a document produced by the Marine Corps called Warfighting. Much of what he says about the Marine Corps is also true of the Army, so his introduction can be taken with a grain of salt. (I remember being told every day that I was an 11B too.)
The book is divided into three sections. The first section, which is half the book, shows leaders how to connect with audiences. The next section, which is one chapter long, discusses planning and implementation. The final section, which also includes a chapter that sums everything up very nicely, shows leaders how to build their skills.
Although I believe this book will definitely be relevant to those who run larger corporations, I also believe that it’s a little too academic for my taste. It does contain exercises at the end of each chapter to help with understanding the material, and Chapter 10 is top notch because it does sum everything up very nicely. If you run a business with a lot of employees, or you do a lot of public speaking, then this book would definitely be a good choice for you.
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|Brillant and Entertaining: Must Read for Leaders who want to Improve Communication,
“If you can’t communicate effectively, you will not lead”, Marine Lieutenant Colonel Rob Riggle says in the forward. To be a great leader you must be an excellent communicator. The paradox is that we have been communicating our whole lives and are frequently unaware of the impact of our communication skills. It requires work and practice and learning to improve.
This book takes an interesting and methodical look at nine principles of effective communication for leaders. The nine principles are adapted from the book, Warfighting: U.S. Marine Corps Doctrinal Principle Publication No. 1, which is required reading for every Marine. The use of this surprised me, yet it works really well. There is a chapter dedicated to each principle. It explains the principle and shows how it works or not. The stories of the principles in action make this book a fascinating read. The analysis of historical and contemporary events through the leadership communication lens, such as Katrina, Netflix, BP oil spill, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs are helpful and insightful. He also uses scientific research in many places to back up the principles. He turns the whole concept of using logic to lead on its head. First connect with the person, he writes, “We are feeling machines who also think.”
I teach a course for Project Managers and have adapted several of the concepts. Start a communication by “Framing” what you are going to say. The example given in the book is, “I am not a crook” – of course the first thing you think of is crook! Adapting it to project managers, might go something like this, “The project is late”, creates a different frame from, “The project is 97% done and will be complete in 2 days after initially scheduled”.
This is a must read for any leader who is serious about improving their leadership and communication skills.
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|MCDP 1 Warfighting as PR Handbook,
As a career Marine, I was rather surprised to find our own Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1, Warfighting, repackaged into a PR manual. I did not believe that Fred Garcia was going to be able to pull this off. I first began reading “The Power of Communication” to pick it apart. A couple of chapters into it, I was most pleasantly surprised. I very much enjoyed it and have purchased additional copies for friends and collegues. Fred takes our battle proven thought processes and applies them to business communication. He makes obvious, often over-looked, strategic observations and recommendations on how and why to communicate. He reminds leaders that the technical skills that enabled them to climb their corporate ladders are no longer what is most valued. Communication skills supplant tactical, “widget maker” skills, but often go unrehearsed or refined. Garcia’s examples are exceptional. If you are a leader, if people look to you for guidance and decisions, buy this book, read it, highlight pages, tab examples and fold-over key corners and sections. “Laminate this book and take it to the field.” It’s that good.
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