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Just as photographers create powerful images
by framing each image with their lenses, effective leaders
seize every conversation as a chance to help others see
what they see. It is through countless everyday conversations
-- more than through big speeches or major presentations
-- that leaders help others make sense of events, explain
the whys and wherefores of company decisions, secure commitments,
and "reframe" the negative views of those who
resist change. The Art of Framing demonstrates this
kind of daily leadership in action.
Communication and organization experts Gail
T. Fairhurst and Robert A. Sarr analyzed hundreds of verbatim
conversations between leaders and their direct reports to
discover how the most effective leaders manage meaning.
Looking beyond the world of business to politics, entertainment,
sports, and education, the authors demonstrate that while
even the best leaders cannot always control events, they
can -- and do -- influence how events are seen and interpreted.
The Art of Framing presents dozens
of real-life examples to illustrate how leaders gain support
for their vision and inspire prompt action in their constituents
by skillfully using language to frame events, ideas and
goals at every opportunity. This book provides proven techniques
for using simple yet powerful tools such as stories, metaphors,
and visual images to help you:
- Communicate vision and priorities
- Reduce uncertainty and ambiguity
- Think on your feet and frame on the spot
- Achieve and maintain believability
- Frame events without manipulating them
With its unique focus on the unscripted,
spontaneous communication essential to successful leadership,
The Art of Framing makes it easy to make the most
of the vital leadership opportunities inherent in everyday
communication -- opportunities that we might otherwise let
pass by.
Gail T. Fairhurst is professor and head
of the Department of Communication at the University of
Cincinnati and has consulted with numerous organizations,
including General Electric, the Kroger Company, and Children's
Hospital of Cincinnati.
Robert A. Sarr is chairman and general
manager of Santa Fe Southern Railway, Inc. His independent
management consulting clients include Colgate-Palmolive,
Procter & Gamble, and the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.
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