The Leadership Talk:
The Greatest Leadership Tool

Brent Filson

Review by Molly

The Leadership Talk: The Greatest Leadership Tool is meant to be used as a self teaching tool for those in leadership positions. The author offers methodology for improving communication to and with co-workers. The Book is divided into two key components: Section I Concepts: Einstein, the Universe and Leadership in-depth presentation motivation. Author Filson offers The Eight Needs Questions: Lessons, Practice, Belief, Motivational Transfer Process, Action as he explores the fundamental thesis of the Leadership Talk. Filson offers: The Three Trigger Motivational Process: Needs, Belief and Action. Each trigger according to writer Filson is divided into three learning parts: Dialogue, Lessons and Practice. Through many years as a speech writer and consultant in the corporate field the writer came to realize leadership challenges tend to remain the same whatever the setting.

Lessons offered in The Leadership Talk: The Greatest Leadership Tool present important points derived from the concepts presented by the author. The most important realization I discovered: the important of talking with people face to face rather than relying on PA systems, huge group meetings, or paper broadsides.

Filson’s Unified Field Theory: Organizational success is a function of Leaders achieving results by having people get results through motivation presents the crux of attaining success.

Section II Application: Bringing it all together through use of Motivational Elements: Need, Validation, Logical Response, Defining Moment, Support and Action. Filson points out an obvious, but often overlooked notion: People’s needs are their reality. Validation Filson states, means for leader and audience to come to agreement with the audience about what the needs really are. Positive results will result when the group is provided a logical response to the problem of needs. The Defining Moment may appear at any point along the process: flash point of experience that serves to cause major change Support: leave audience with understanding of exactly where, how and who to go to for help if it is needed. Action: feed back.

Writer Filson offers concrete suggestions for the Leadership Talk Process along with a flow chart and suggestions for getting the Leadership Talk done. Filson says every leadership talk should contain least three of the Motivational Elements. A Glossary of terms is included for those who may not yet be up to speed with some of the jargon.

The Leadership Talk: The Greatest Leadership Tool is an easily read volume filled with proven, workable suggestions for those who find themselves facing today’s more cynical workers present in the present corporate world. Instilling the ‘want to’ into co-workers is the job of the leader: supervisor, manager, administrator. Motivating employees has been made more difficult in today’s corporate atmosphere when wages are poor, corporate demands are unrealistic, job security is often nil and dedication to company is predictably lacking. Filson’s suggestions are sure to prove helpful to those whose job it is to motivate their employees to more and better results.

I liked the many illustrations, anecdotes and the like. It helps to know others are beset with the same problems, and practical methods can be achieved for presenting Leadership Talks that bring desired results. Excellent reference for the library of those in leadership positions. Not for company executives only, anyone in a leadership role: Boy Scout, Scout Master to corporate CEO is sure to gain insight into better leadership techniques after reading The Leadership Talk: The Greatest Leadership Tool.