Leadership and Rhetoric

Rhetoric is not about communication tips or slick methods for grabbing attention. It is, rather, a skill of understanding the point at issue in complex moments, seeing a solution, and moving people to the most desirable future. Connecting classic works of rhetoric to contemporary studies of leadership, this book draws from the long history and wisdom of rhetoric that has proven effective in the dynamic ambiguities of the leadership context. It clarifies how these works help leaders shape their environments through words — interpreting complex circumstances, framing experiences that provide group understanding, and creating a basis for structured action. From its inception, rhetoric has been about attunement to particular circumstances, recognizing the constraints and obstacles that present opportunities for the perceptive leader who can see and articulate ways of moving people forward to a more desirable future. This book makes an explicit connection between classic works and current ideas of rhetorical leadership, a growing area of higher education, and research in leadership studies.