Prof. Joep Cornelissen

Corporate Communication Centre

Powerful communication through body language

The two Steves

Effective leadership communication

Speech

Don’t: use technical information,

management speak, empty

Phrases, nor clichés.

Do: use framing

(analogies/metaphors), storytelling

(anecdotes), and image-based

words.

Delivery

Don’t: stay unmoved or passive nor use a neutral tone of voice.

Do: use animated voice, facial

expressions, and gestures.

Cornelissen, J.P. (2013), Portrait of an entrepreneur, Academy of Management Review, 38 (4): 700-709.

Klik op het pictogram als u een afbeelding wilt toevoegenThe entrepreneurial challenge

Influ

ence

of l

egiti

mac

y Hig

h growth

Low

exploration planning launch (early) growth

Venture Creation Process

Cornelissen, J.P. and Clarke (2010), Imagining and rationalizing opportunities: Inductive reasoning and the creation and justification of new ventures, Academy of Management Review, 35, 539-557.

Klik op het pictogram als u een afbeelding wilt toevoegenPassion and preparedness in entrepreneurial pitches

6

TABLE 1 Factor Loadings of the P erceived P assion S cale

I te m s Factor 1: P a s s i o n

Factor 2: P r e p a r e d n e s s

1. The p r e s e n t e r ( s ) had e n e r g e ti c

body m o v e m e n t s . 2. The p r e s e n t e r ( s ) had rich b o d y

la n g u a g e . 3. The p re s e n te r(s ) s h o w e d

a n im a te d facial e x p r e s s i o n . 4. The p re s e n te r(s ) u s e d a lot o f

g e s t u r e s . 5. The p r e s e n t e r ’ s face lit u p

w h e n h e /s h e or he t a l k e d . 6. The p r e s e n t e r ( s ) ta l k e d w ith

v a r i e d tone and p i tc h .

.91 .1 8 .88 .2 4

.83 .2 5 .82 .2 3 .74 .3 2

.73 .4 0

7. The p re s e n ta t io n c o n te n t h a d

s u b s t a n c e . 8. The p re s e n ta tio n was t h o u g h t f u l

and in -d e p th . 9. The p re s e n ta tio n was c o h e re n t

and l o g i c a l. 10. The p r e s e n t e r ( s ) a r t ic u la te d th e

re la t io n s h ip b e tw e e n th e b u s in e s s p la n and the b r o a d e r c o n t e x t .

11. The p r e s e n t e r ( s ) c i t e d facts t o s u p p o r t h is /h e r a rg u m e n ts .

.21 .9 0 .23 .8 8

.26 .8 4 .33 .7 0 .22 .7 0

E i g e n v a l u e 6 .3 7 1 .7 4 V a r ia n c e e x p la in e d 5 2 % 2 1 %

Chen et al. (2009); “Entrepreneur passion and preparedness in business plan presentations: A persuasion analysis of venture capitalists’ funding decisions”, Academy of Management Journal.

… but gestures vary between:

beats,

cohesive,

deictic,

symbolic gestures.

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Framing: Use of Analogies and Metaphors

Yes No Yes (High) Use of Gestures No (Low)

Organ Solutions (125 beats, 1 deictic, 11 cohesive, 22 symbolic)

Power Tidal

(119 beats, 7 deictic, 9 cohesive, 18 symbolic)

Liquid Flow (150 beats)

Sleeptight (43 beats, 8 deictic, 9 cohesive, 2 symbolic)

Planet Net

(1 deictic, 1 cohesive)

Cloud Accounts (1 deictic)

Tech-Psyche

(1 deictic)

Screen for Health (1 deictic gesture)

Study 1

• Four extreme real-life pitches (high/low on verbal analogies/metaphors, high/low on gesturing).

• Measures from Chen et al. (AMJ, 2009) but added scales and items on specific effects of gestures.

• First experiment: MBA students.

Study 2

• Controlled experiment

… back to leadership

Charisma linked to persuasion, followership and employee support

… previously defined as personal qualities (being ‘gifted’)

(Max Weber in 1947)

… now as charismatic leadership tactics around rhetoric (metaphors-analogies, stories-anecdotes, lists) and non-verbal delivery (animated voice, facial expressions and gestures).

Antonakis, J., Fenley, M., and Liechti, S. (2012), Learning charisma, HBR

Antonakis et al. (2011), Can charisma be taught? Tests of two interventions, AMLE

Tomorrow’s task

Think about how you engage and animate an audience.• What is your style: language or gesture driven? Or both?• Experiment!

Think about different situations• Team meeting, town-hall meeting, crisis or change, and more.

… and then perfect your delivery:• Use well-rehearsed stories, analogies and metaphors.• Pick one or two master gestures for impact.