How to Be a Leader in a Crowd, Not a Follower
During the McCarthy era, government spies infiltrated undeground
political rallies to determine who was dangerous to national security. The
agents were trained applause watchers. They photographed and investigated
men who clapped first, shouted Bravo the loudest, and smiled the longest at
the end of politically inflammatory speeches. The spies dubbed those the
dangerous ones. The infiltrators felt first responders were confdent cats who
had the power to persuade followers and the charisma to lead crowds.
In less politically sensitive gatherings, the same principle applies.
People who respond first to a presentation or happening, without looking
around to see how everyone else is reacting, are men and women of
leadership caliber.
Cool Cats Clap First
You are sitting in an auditorium with hundreds of fellow emploees
listening to the president of your firm introduce a new cocept. As youre
slouching anonymously in the audience, you think your expression is
invisible to the man or woman at the podium. Not so! As a speaker, I
guarantee you every one of my colleagues
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sees every smile, every frown, every light in every eye, and every
emblem of extraordinary human intelligence flashing back at him or her.
Likewise, the company president making a presentation aniously
surveys his corporate jungle and, from the pusses peering back at him,
senses which employees are sympathetic and which are not. He also knows
which in the sea of faces floating in front of him has the potential to be a
heavy hitter like himself. How?
Because heavy hitters, even when they do not agree with the speaker,
support the podium pontificator. Why? Because they know what its like to
be on. They know, no matter how big or litle the cat at the front of the room
is, when giving a speech hes concerned about the crowds acceptance.
When the company big shot delivers his last line, carefully contrived to
bring the crowd to its feet or employees to acquiecence, do you think hes
unaware of who starts the trickle, or the riptide, of acceptance? No way!
Though his head is down while taking a bow, with the insight of a
McCarthy-era spy, he perceives
Technique #91
Lead the Listeners
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(Ooja)
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