When I was growing up, Lee Iaccoca was a larger than life auto industry executive – we were into cars, and he was producing and pitching some very cool ones. For me, the Ford Mustang and Chrysler minivans represented big changes, and he wasn’t afraid to try them. While he wasn’t the first, he was a standout pitchman for his products in bold ways – “If you can find a better car, buy it”; and “We want only to be the best”. He was clear, straight-forward, and proud – that’s the way leaders should talk. He had brilliant ideas, and he got their messages across – that should be the objective of every leader. Because the difference between a good or bad leader is his or her ability to communicative effectively. Make sure you get your messages across – plan carefully, practice the delivery, and check to see if what your audience heard was what you intended. And another thing that made Iaccoca stand out – he came across as a regular person, unafraid to put his reputation on the line. Making promises and keeping them. Being a positive role model. People like and respect that. Get this right and you’ll be an effective communicator; more importantly, you’ll be a more successful leader today.
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca (1924 – 2019): American author and executive who developed the Mustang, Continental Mark III, and Pinto cars while at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, and the K-car and minivan while at the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s.
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