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Leadership in project management takes work, writes Jürgen OschadleusOver 2 300 years ago, Philip of Macedon rescued his country from collapse, liberated it from foreign occupation, and laid the military foundation for his son, Alexander the Great, to extend the boundaries of the powerful new Macedonian empire. When this shrewd diplomat and warrior was asked to name his most formidable foe, he did not pick out any of the military rulers that had opposed him. Nor did he pick one of the many fearless soldiers who had raised their swords against him in battle. Instead, he named a communicator.
Demosthenes (384-322BC), an orator in the Athenian court, had a background far removed from what might be expected of a warrior or even an inspirational leader.
Yet, his words succeeded in raising up an army of resistance to the ‘barbarian’ armies from the north.
What Demosthenes worked very hard at, was learning how to communicate – to find common ground, to connect – with his audience.
That ability made him one of the most influential of the ancient Greek orators, and the most powerful foe that Philip of Macedon had to overcome.
While others moved their audiences to tears or laughter, Demosthenes moved them to action.
Yet, he was not a born orator. When he first began speaking publicly, he was mocked widely.
The Greek historian Plutarch records his first foray into public life thus: “But when he first addressed himself to the people, he met with great discouragements, and was derided for his strange and uncouth style, which was cumbered with long sentences and tortured with formal arguments to a most harsh and disagreeable excess.
“Besides, he had, it seems, a weakness in his voice, a perplexed and indistinct utterance and a shortness of breath, which, by breaking and disjointing his sentences, much obscured the sense and meaning of what he spoke.”
As a boy, Demosthenes had been rather sickly and weak, with a terrible stutter that was aggravated by the turmoil of having his father, a wealthy sword-maker, murdered when he was only seven. The guardians appointed to look after him then abused his estate, depriving him of the classical education enjoyed by many of his peers.
It was his desire for revenge that brought him into the public eye. He studied the law and successfully sued his guardians in the public forum.
Although he won the case, he was unable to recover any money. And the reaction of the public to his oratorical style completely disillusioned him.
The story of Demosthenes might have ended right there, had it not been for the timely intervention of an old man who encouraged Demosthenes to return to his chosen career.
Eunomus the Thriasian looked past what others saw, focusing rather on the potential. He gave the young man two pieces of advice:
* Speak with positive intent – instead of approaching communication from an attitude of “cowardice and meanness of spirit”, Demosthenes was advised to look beyond himself to the needs of others, and to stand up with courage for his convictions.
* Prepare your body for effective communication – rather than neglecting his body and physical health through laziness, Demosthenes was encouraged to begin exercising.
Demosthenes took the old man’s comments to heart and, over the ensuing years, worked hard to develop his abilities as a man of influence.
While the historical facts and legend blur at times, several strategies emerge that still hold relevance to modern leaders seeking to enhance their communication capabilities, including:
* Develop a healthy lifestyle and improve your lung capacity. Demosthenes began running long distances to improve his lung capacity and general health (becoming one of the best distance runners at the Garland Games in the process).
* Dedicate time to improving all facets of communication. Demosthenes built an underground study with a large mirror where he could develop his voice and delivery technique, at times spending months in isolation to master his skills. He disciplined his voice by reciting speeches or verses when he was out of breath, while running or going up steep places, or over the roar of crashing waves. He is even said to have filled his mouth with pebbles while speaking, as a means of improving his articulation and reducing his stammer.
* Seek the advice of experts. Demosthenes once complained to the actor Satyrus that “drunken sots, mariners and illiterate fellows were heard, and had the husting’s for their own,” while he, industrious pleader that he was, could not get acceptance from the people. Satyrus then showed him the impact of delivery and body language on building rapport and establishing connection with the audience.
* Make every conversation and speech a learning experience. Demosthenes constantly sought input to develop his ideas, and reviewed everything that happened to see how he might improve his arguments. After listening to other orators, he would reduce their presentations into parts, correcting and transforming them, and experimenting with different ways in which he might have delivered them.
* Know your subject. Demosthenes refused to be drawn into debate on topics that he had not studied. While other orators often criticised him for this, the public recognised that when Demosthenes spoke, he did so from a position of knowledge and thought, rather than on the spur of the moment.
As a result of his perseverance and hard work, Demosthenes became one of the10 official Athenian orators, an opinion shaper, and a leader of note. He could move people to action because they believed him and could identify with him.
He had worked extremely hard to build his credibility, to demonstrate his passion, and to craft his messages in terms his audience could embrace. He understood the power of connection and communication.
Centuries later, Rosbeth Kanter (When Giants Learn to Dance, 1989) suggested that in the modern economy, the “new kind of business hero must learn to operate without the might of the hierarchy behind them. The crutch of authority must be thrown away and replaced by their own ability to make relationships, use influence and work with others to achieve results”.
Kanter’s description of the new business hero could have been written specifically for the project managers of today. They are the often unsung heroes of organisations, who usually operate with little or no formal authority and are dependent on their ability to communicate.
“[Demosthenes] was looked upon as a person of no great natural genius, but one who owed all the power and ability he had in speaking to labour and industry,” wrote Plutarch.
And, as the story of Demosthenes illustrates so clearly, they are skills that can be acquired and mastered – if you are willing to invest the time and effort.
About the author
Jürgen Oschadleus is a Sydney-based writer and consultant on project and business leadership. In this edition of The Project Manager, he starts a series of three articles on how to become a more influential communicator and effective leader in your organisation.
Jürgen will be in the country to present a paper and workshop at the upcoming Project Management South Africa National Conference, taking place from 6 to 8 September 2010. Find out more about this event at www.pmisa.org.za
