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Leaders understand the power of words
Author(s) -
Millward Robert E.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of leadership studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.219
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1935-262X
pISSN - 1935-2611
DOI - 10.1002/jls.20027
Subject(s) - power (physics) , dream , passion , psychology , history , social psychology , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
Abstract Words and phrases have the power to excite our spirits, to free our minds, and to help us envision innovative ideas. “I have a dream,” “Four score and seven years ago,” “A date which will live in infamy,” and “We hold these truths to be self‐evident” are phrases that need no explanation. We remember these phrases and we also remember who said them. We remember the speeches because the words had a powerful effect on us, but we also remember them because they were delivered with a deep passion. These words transformed our thinking about slavery, about segregation, about war, and about injustices. In short, leaders understand the power of words.