MindSkills Workout Topic: Influencing and Persuading

Date: Thursday 13 October 2005 (#12)

Venue: The Institute of Directors, 116 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5ED

About this event - The keynote presentation by David Norman is entitled Influencing and Persuading - the power of language in getting the performance and results you want. You will practically learn step-by-step a few of the communications 'secrets' of the largely unconscious, yet powerful, conversational language patterns that leading statesmen (like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair), effective advertisers and successful leaders use. The guest speakers are Mike Alsop, Head of Executive Development and Resourcing and Mike Clark of Group4Securicor who will present a talk on "A Joined-Up Approach to Leadership Development"

Influencing and Persuading. . . in Leadership Mastery

Presenter: David Norman. Director, Leadership DynamiX.

Are you able to detect the powerful, highly suggestible and yet largely unconscious, yet powerful, conversational language patterns that leading statesmen (like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair), effective advertisers and successful leaders use naturally or have been trained in? This session will uncover some of these communications 'secrets' and teach you a few ways how to use language more effectively to get better results. Enhanced language mastery lies at the very heart of how leaders inspire, communicate, influence themselves and persuade others, whether through talking, listening, questioning, watching, reading or writing.

We essentially communicate in two ways: Verbally, the actual words and syntax we use, and nonverbally, the way we say them - voice tonality (volume, pitch, timbre, etc.) and body-language (posture, gestures, breathing, eye movements, facial expressions, etc.). Because of time constraints this session will concentrate largely on the impact that verbal and written language patterns have on communications - especially language that is vital to leaders who seek a step-change in their powers of influence, persuasion and change management.

The value of effective, high impact communications in gaining team commitment, improving staff morale, creating team-spirit, increasing sales, negotiating better deals, building customer loyalty, promoting change, chairing meetings, giving media interviews, stimulating shareholder relations, and so on, is vital. In this session you will learn some practical language techniques that you can use immediately to influence those you seek to persuade in meetings, or in everyday writing and conversations.

David Norman, Research and Programme Director.

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Appendix 1.

Topic: "A Joined-Up Approach to Leadership Development"

Guest speakers: Mike Alsop and Mike Clark, Group 4 Securicor plc.

Based on the speakers' experience, this talk will address how they are working to expand leadership capabilities, values and cultural alignment in Group 4 Securicor's new divisional structure. Formed in July 2004, as the result of a 'nil-premium' merger between two of the world's largest security solutions providers, the group operates in 110 countries and employs over 370 000 people.

The work of "the two Mikes" is set against a backdrop that is aiming to combine Securicor's strong centre-led approach (which brought with it a well-developed and sophisticated approach to top-end development), with the strong customer-focus and more dispersed 'conglomerate' approach of Group Four Falck.

This talk will address key aspects of the global leadership development needs of the top 300 executive population in the group, from the group CEO down, as well as the specific experiences of one of the group's major divisions.

Mike Alsop - Head of Executive Development and Resourcing.
Mike has responsibility for the leadership development of the group's top 300 leaders worldwide. He has extensive global cross-cultural experience in many countries, involving assessment, group facilitation and executive coaching.

In the past few years he has developed and introduced worldwide development needs identification and planning, a leadership development programme, a generic competencies framework, a competency-based 360 degree feedback process, on-line psychometric assessment processes, designed and directed sophisticated assessment centres to identify high-capability 'future leaders,' and many other important initiatives.

He has held a variety of executive development, management training and general HR roles in his career at Group 4 Securicor. Mike is a school Governor, an active hockey player and qualified umpire. He holds an MSc in Management Development from Roffey Park and a BA (Hons) in English Literature.

Mike Clark - Performance and Development Director, Cash Services Division.
Mike's current responsibility involves implementing various processes and approaches to management assessment, development, recruitment and selection aimed at delivering improved people performance within the division.

His work is focused on the people dimensions of complex cultural change and has included developing and implementing programmes that include; skills development, self-managed learning, behavioural change and organisational development. He has designed and implemented many operational and strategic OD interventions and is an experienced executive coach.

He has had broad HR and executive development experience during his career and has worked for several blue chip firms in the retail, leisure and financial services sectors. Mike is a keen footballer, squash player and cricketer, and is a qualified football and cricket coach. He too holds an MSc in Organisation Development from Roffey Park, and is a chartered MCIPD.