Leading Out Loud: Inspiring Change Through Authentic Communications, New and Revised [Hardcover]

Terry Pearce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0787963976 | ISBN-13: 978-0787963972 | Edition: 2

As the cycle of change increases its speed, leadership communication is becoming more important than ever. Since the original publication of Leading Out Loud in 1995, the development of a leader's message has become as critical to success as the delivery of that message. In this new and revised edition of his highly praised work, Terry Pearce explains how the events of recent years, including the information revolution, worldwide focus on terrorism, and the revelation of corporate scandals, have significantly increased the importance of authenticity in leadership to build loyalty in organizations.

This new edition focuses on the source of a message for change, its development as a platform for leadership communication, and its many forms of expression from speeches to e-mails, memos, and even informal "water cooler" conversation. Pearce shows leaders in business, politics, and nonprofits how to communicate their values and vision to inspire commitment; he provides tools and examples from well-known leaders as well as less-known but effective change agents. Leading Out Loud gives readers concrete methods for improving their own communication by guiding them to do the internal work necessary for creating an honest and compelling vision, and by demonstrating how readers can find their authentic voice and articulate their messages with confidence.

People make commitments, says Pearce, to causes they value and to people they respect and trust. An authentic voice and an inclusive perspective are requisites for any leader who would inspire change. Trust is built by communicating from both the mind and the heart, speaking directly to the minds and hearts of others, listening to their response, and respecting their points of view. All leaders will benefit from Pearce's wisdom, as will anyone else who wants to inspire positive change through others.

Editorial Reviews

Review

an interesting book from which we can glean many valuable ideas and suggestions. -- The Leadership and Organization Development Journal, April 2004

“… an interesting book from which we can glean many valuable ideas and suggestions.” (The Leadership and Organization Development Journal, April 2004)

Review

"For those remarkable leaders who have the capacity to inspire, communications is less of a rote skill and more of a life practice in creating meaning. Leading Out Loud encourages us to plumb the depths of our own motivations in order to communicate change with the power that only authenticity engenders."
— Randy Komisar, virtual CEO, adjunct faculty, Stanford University, author, The Monk and the Riddle

"This is a powerful, simple, and essential tool for any leader who hopes to move and inspire others. Keep it on your desk."
— Patrick Lencioni, author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

"It is the leader's personal engagement that will inspire commitment and action. In this world of cynicism, the lessons Terry teaches are as timely as they are timeless."
— from the Foreword by David Pottruck

"This book will make you laugh, cry, and squirm. It will inspire you and it may even scare you. Implementing Terry's advice may require far more courage and discipline than anything else you do as a leader, but if you want to know and do something for yourself that will enrich your character and engage your spirit, then read and use the ideas in Leading Out Loud."
— Jim Kouzes, coauthor, The Leadership Challenge, chairman emeritus of the Tom Peters Company

"Pearce has written a gem. Leading Out Loud is a superb, enjoyable and practical road map on how we can become effective inspirers of change. Read it and act on it!"
— Costas Markides, Robert Bauman Professor of Strategic Leadership, London Business School

"Leading Out Loud will become an oft-turned-to handbook when stress is high and the outcome of particular communication is critical."
— Mel Bergstein, founder and CEO, Diamond Cluster

"Terry Pearce reminds us of the engaging storyteller, or the favorite college teacher. But that's just the point. He teaches us to discard the rhetoric of many public communications, replacing it with something far more powerful: the simple and genuine human voice. Leading Out Loud's teachings will change its readers as well as those they lead."
— John Hammergren, chairman and CEO, McKesson Corporation

"Drawing from a wealth of personal experience and the perspective of his unique skybox on leadership practices and effective leaders, Terry Pearce gives an authentic voice to the critical role of leaders in realizing change. This book is like a GPS system for leaders. It points the way, giving clear and practical advice on how to achieve results through clear and deep communication."
— Jim Hornthal, founder, Preview Travel, Lester Fellow for Entrepreneurship, University of California, Berkeley

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 2 edition (March 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787963976
• ISBN-13: 978-0787963972
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #264,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Voice in the Wilderness March 29, 2001

By Ken Askew

Format:Hardcover

As a professional communication consultant, and former White House speechwriter, I've read perhaps a baker's dozen books on executive communication. It's a faceted field, and some aspects are well-represented in the selection of books available.

But to my mind none has addressed the central need for (and subtle complexities of accessing) truth and heart in business rhetoric with simple clarity -- until this little volume appeared. It's been around awhile and is still a gem.

Terry Pearce teaches communication at UC Berkeley's business school (with side trips to the London School of Business and various corporate gigs), and he's spent time in the trenches at IBM. Perhaps he's best known for his work with Schwab CEO and co-chairman Dave Pottruck (see "Clicks & Mortar," a book they co-wrote). His graceful braiding of theory and practice, and clean style brimming with examples, make this a fluid read that sticks in the mind.

Pearce digs beyond style into substance, and even deeper, into conviction. As a writer who routinely interviews CEOs in hopes of helping them frame their thoughts, I daily encounter this core question: How do you coax and excavate substance from your client, and frame it with authenticity? Pearce spills the tools and techniques of how he does it. If you fret about making your speaker believable -- if you want to craft language that does more than disappear in the pool of rhetoric with scarce a ripple to show for it -- in other words, if you want to help folks communicate in a believable, sustainable way that makes a difference -- that's 'leadership communication.' And this book can help set you on the right road.

Sadly, most corporate speeches are forgettable. Maybe because most speakers are afraid to speak from the gut? If you intend to help raise the level of your own message, or your clients, this one's worth your time.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful! October 15, 2003

By Rolf Dobelli HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Business coach Terry Pearce teaches you how to put the personal perspective back into your professional communications. With a credible and authoritative voice, he explains how authentic human connection is missing from today's communications, even though people crave it, especially as they evaluate who they trust to lead them through rapid change. He maintains that leaders who communicate authentically and passionately will inspire loyalty and make their mark. While Pearce is clearly convinced about the importance of inspiring your constituents, the pace of his book won't exactly move your spirit. He walks you slowly and carefully through the discipline he uses to help clients rediscover their authentic voices and craft messages that resonate. His corporate and political client list is quite select, but we find his communication strategies relevant for anyone who is leading change - whether you are building a small community or a large company.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid advice on communicating February 20, 2006

By Louise McCauley VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

A speaker may be able to wow an audience with technique and entertainment, but if everyone walks out the door unchanged, than the speaker is not a leader. The speaker who truly engages an audience and makes them think about themselves, their roles, their company or their country is rare indeed. To engage an audience on this level, you must have true conviction in what you say. At the heart of leadership is the ability to tap your own values and experiences and communicate them to others. Audiences today have grown much more cynical. They can detect falsehood from the back of the hall. Authenticity is the only thing that will reach them anymore. Terry Pearce has the following advice for people who need to improve speaking skills, and communicate effectively as leaders.

· Discover what matters to you. Uncover your values. Make sure that you don't say anything in your speech that contradicts your core values.

· Create a structure for your speech with a beginning, middle and end.

· Use data effectively. Whenever possible, use specific information rather than talking generally. Use examples.

· Use your personal experiences to connect with your audience.