Habitudes: The Poet’s Gift Being a Poet-Leader Jimn Kyles 1

The Poet’s Gift Poets are students of their culture Grab the hearts of readers Express ideas in relevant and creative ways 2

Poetry Poems stand out in our minds and resonate with us at a personal level  Do you remember a favorite poem? Ex. C. S. Lewis “The Apologist’s Prayer”  Still have an old song memorized? 3

Poetry “Poetry” comes from a Greek term describing a written art form in which language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to its semantic content Uses rhythm, rhyme, and meter (pattern) to elicit emotion and make it memorable 4

Poetry as an art form pre-dates literacy People were citing poetry before they could read it Poetry was used as a means of recording oral history, storytelling, genealogy, and law The greater part of the scriptures are made up of Poetry more than prose Poetry 5

Poet Poetry is created by a “poet” The word “poet” is taken from a root word meaning “I create” They don’t create out of nothing They read and interpret the culture around them and put words to what they see 6

How This Applies… Poet–Leader Great Leaders are like poets Poets read and interpret the culture around them then put words to what they see. Effective leaders do the same  They are listeners  They observe  They are wordsmiths – they are experts with words and saying the right thing at the right time 7

Rise above the fray of the everyday to inspire and encourage the human heart They are in a sense poets to those they lead Communicate vision in a memorable way  people remember it when they’re done. How This Applies… 8

“I Have a Dream…” Martin Luther King, Jr. One of the most famous speeches of the 20 th Century Six things that made that speech so effective 9

“I Have a Dream…” 1. Repetition – he repeated “I have a dream…” several times to drive home his point. 2. He was inclusive, taking his audience all over the US with his words 3. Used familiar metaphors to describe what he meant Ex. Bad Check 10

“I Have a Dream…” 4. Was relevant, since he spoke from society’s needs and concerns 5. He identified with them, speaking of marching and going to prison together 6. Gave the people a point for their heads and a picture for their hearts 11

Being a Poet-Leader Add value by…  Interpreting world  Summarizing an idea  Using “hooks” to share in a memorable way “I have a dream” 4 Things Poet-leaders utilize…  Simplicity  Accuracy  Imagery  Relevance 12

Simplicity Simplicity: Leaders want to impact, not impress They search for the right word They don’t have to “tell all” They exercise restraint 13

Accuracy Accuracy: Selecting the right word, not every word that could possibly be used Search for an uncommon word, one that brings both logic and emotion to the surface 14

Imagery Imagery: Making abstract ideas concrete Uses images, analogies, or pictures to help the listener grab the idea  Ex. – The tactic Habitudes uses! 15

Relevance Relevance: A leader observes before he communicates Aware of the atmosphere Knows what’s going on Reads the situation before action 16

Tools for Effective Communication Winston Churchill the Prime Minister of Britain used 5 ingredients to communicate strongly during World War II.  His excellent ability to communicate helped rally the allies to action and win the war! 17

1. Strong Beginnings Strong Beginnings:  He engaged audience immediately with a relevant thought  He didn’t waste time with small talk.  He plunged right into his message with a provocative story, quote, statement, or fact. 18

2. One Theme One Theme:  He didn’t try to share too many points, just one.  He had one central vision or message he wished to convey in each talk.  Less is more, in his mind. Often you could boil it down to one phrase. 19

3. Simple Language Simple Language:  He didn’t try to impress anyone with big words.  He spoke the everyday language of conversations.  He didn’t care about his image.  He didn’t care about impressing folks. He spoke for impact. 20

4. Pictures Pictures:  He created colorful images in people’s minds.  He was an artist with word pictures, stories, and metaphors.  These illustrated his point and made it memorable. 21

5. Emotional Ending Emotional Ending:  He concluded by engaging their emotions, not just their minds.  He would give them a call to action.  He elicited powerful hunger by grabbing their hearts with a personal plea to engage in his vision. 22

Questions to Ask Yourself (rate 1–10) You read people and situations, then speak in a relevant way You are skilled at putting memorable words to ideas You inspire others to act through the words you speak You are a student of the culture around you and speak to its needs 23