The Power of Framing: Creating the Language of Leadership (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership) [Hardcover]

This is a sequel to Gail T. Fairhurst's earlier book, The Art of Framing (1996), and in both she is brilliant when explaining how to position ideas in a context, within a frame-of-reference. "Creating the Language of Leadership" is this later book's subtitle but by no means has she written this book solely for those who are C-level executives or members of a governing board. All organizations need leadership at all levels and in all areas. That is, they need people who recognize what must be done and understand how to get it done in collaboration with others who respect them and, more to the point, trust them.

The most successful leaders are those who attract and sustain the engagement of others with effective management of meaning. That is, they possess highly-developed verbal and non-verbal skills (e.g. body language, tone of voice). That was certainly true of Winston Churchill prior to and then throughout World War Two and, more recently, Martin Luther King, Jr. I was especially interested in what Fairhurst has to say about other leaders of lesser stature who nonetheless demonstrated great framing skills when sharing their thoughts and feelings on traumatic occasions. That is certainly true of President George Bush and Major Rudolph Giuliani after the attack of the World Trade Center. In their public statements, both shared harsh realities with effective communication as did Churchill and King before them.

More than two thousand years ago, Aristotle suggested that there are four levels of discourse: exposition (to explain), description (to make vivid), narration (to tell a story or explain a sequence), and argumentation (to convince with logic and/or evidence) . Each is most effective when whatever is shared is properly framed. Invoking a simile, it is presented in ways that resemble setting a table for a gourmet meal. Yes, framing creates a context within a frame-of-reference; it also ensures the desired impact as did President Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats" did during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

With rigor and eloquence, Fairhurst discusses framing as (a) a skill, (b) a science, (c) an art form, (d) an emotional connection, (e) an ethical connection, (f) a context for leadership, and (g) a set of specific applications. It is noteworthy that a set of practice exercises accompanies the narrative in each chapter so the Fairhurst can sustain an interactive relationship with her reader. She also concluded each chapter with a summary of key pints that will facilitate, indeed expedite periodic review of those key points later. Readers will also welcome the "Glossary of Framing Terms" (Pages 209-215) and "Notes" to the Preface and all eight chapters (Pages 217-237). There is an additional "bonus": the provision of Free Premium Content (i.e. 14 Framing Tools) that can be accessed online at www.josseybass.com/go/gailfairhurst, using the password "professional" when registering. Such content is a significant value-added benefit.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out three others. They are Robert B. Cialdini's Influence: Science and Practice (5th Edition) and two authored by Annette Simmons: The Story Factor (2nd Revised Edition) and Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact.

For most of us, our lives are filled to capacity; so much so that we do not devote the time necessary to grow. It is easy to get caught up in one's life and forget one's purpose.

"The Power of Framing" points out several useful interpersonal communications tools. For example, a simple question, "Tell me about yourself", could open many doors ...or shut them, fast and tight. To answer that or any important question and to be fair to yourself, it is important to anticipate the question and prime yourself with an answer that is spontaneous, automatic, and strategic to your goals.

Imagine that you have been stranded, stumbling alone without resources, through a stifling hot desert. You see an old pitcher pump and realize your good fortune, to finally be able to quench your thirst! But the pump has not been used in a while. You start pumping ...and you pump a lot ...and it's hard. But you know that priming the pump will bring the water out. At first, what comes out may be gunk. Keep at it, though, and before long the cold, fresh water encased underground flows to the surface!

In a way, we are all stranded, stumbling alone through life. Yet we are fortunate to be living at the most prosperous, bountiful time in the history of humankind. Each one of us has the potential to reach our goals but, truthfully, it is rare for someone to stumble onto an oasis. Most of us have to think about life's questions, and about our answers, if we are to be successful. Most of us need to prime ...to survive, to thrive, and to help others do the same. This is priming; one technique covered in "The Power of Framing".

I was also struck to consider government as a "high reliability organization" (HRO), typically more concerned with preventing failure and maximizing reliability, than promoting success and realizing efficiency. Today, as fiscal woes loom, it may be time to frame our problems and solutions a little differently.

This is a book worth reading because it reminds us that framing is worth doing. Sometimes, when we face seemingly insurmountable problems, taking the time to look at it a little differently, handle it a little better, is well worth the investment. What is the outcome you desire?