Keep Them Wanting More

Detroit

Orson Welles was the big star of the Oliver Reed-directed film, The Third Man (1949), right? His Harry Lime character seemed to overwhelm the role of his long-time collaborator Joseph Cotten, who plays the perpetually perplexed Holly Martins. But, guess what? Welles appeared on screen for under 10 minutes. Ten minutes! And he didn't appear at all until half way through the film.

We spend the whole time anticipating Welles' appearance, eagerly awaiting his every word and deed. There's a lesson here for all of us in knowing how best to manage our presence; in achieving a substantive "less is more" approach that, well, keeps people wanting more. Too many folks in leadership positions talk too much - blah, blah, blah - and cheapen the value of what they're saying. Their discomfort with silence or rejection of other people's voices produce volumes of BS that drown out their legitimately important messages.

When it comes to leadership rhetoric, keep it lean and meaningful. Encourage people to listen to you by keeping them wanting more.

Image courtesy of The Los Angeles Times