A great leadership speech doesn’t come along often. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s powerful message is one worth learning from if your goal is to inspire and call the better part of our humanity to action.
Great Leadership Speech – Lesson 1, To what end?
Begin with the end in mind. Arnold seeks to reduce belligerence and bring people together. He wants us to be less selfish and act on behalf of something larger. He clearly states this requires us to behave in accordance with shared norms. He calls for a specific action by people who uphold these norms.
Great Leadership Speech – Lesson 2, Influence
We are more likely to be influenced by “people like me” who share our beliefs. Arnold is speaking to a wide and varied audience. He connects with different subgroups in different ways. He begins, “As an immigrant to this country.” He establishes himself with conservatives, as an authority figure who respects authority, by wearing military style garb decorated with patriotic symbols. He’s framed by national and state flags. He sits in a straight backed leather chair with military style buttons. Arnold intentionally chooses symbols that connect well with some groups and won’t offend others.
When the camera pans to a wider view, we see shelves covered with books. He’s appealing to intellectuals, academics, and those who place great value on higher education. Arnold speaks directly to people who are frightened that democracy cannot withstand the current assault. The picture of Arnold as body builder connects well with strong man types.
Great Leadership Speech – Lesson 3, Emotional appeal
The camera comes in for a close up. Arnold looks you in the eyes, directly, seriously. He draws you in as he appeals to your emotions with a painful story of his own youth. He hasn’t shared it with many others, but he’s sharing it with you now. The two of you are connected.
After sharing his own painful memory, Arnold shows empathy for the perpetrators – his father and neighbors who hurt people. He doesn’t blame or shame people. He understands they too were in pain from wartime experiences, including what they did to others. Without saying so, he suggests we do the same and shows us the way.
The camera pans out. We see the sword, a sign of strength, in Arnold’s hands. Why this juxtaposition of emotional pain, empathy and a sword? To communicate that feeling and expressing emotions doesn’t make us weak, and empathy makes us strong.
Great Leadership Speech – Lessons 4, Truth, vision, choice
Arnold reminds us of a past truth. When people followed Nazi leaders’ lies, lies and more lies, things spun out of control. He connects that truth to what’s happening now. Lies we are being told now are like lies people were told then. What happened there, could happen here. But, he tells us, that outcome is not inevitable.
We can choose a different path. We can choose to stand by the country, not by a president who lies and seeks to divide us. We can be courageous or spineless. We can be insurrectionists and politicians concerned only with self. Or we can be for something larger – democracy.
Arnold describes the public servants we need, not to convince them but to convince us, the voters. We can choose who we stand by and who we scorn. We have an opportunity to restore our vision and place in the world as the beacon of democracy. We can “come back from these dark days and shine our light once again.”
Great Leadership Speech – Lesson 5, Call to action
Then, Arnold calls us to action. We can be like him, someone we respect and feel connected to, by being with him in our actions. “Join me. Tell President Biden, we wish you great success as President. When we do this, we win. Because his success is our success.”
- Begin with the end in mind
- Establish your influence
- Appeal to emotions and connect to individuals
- Name what’s true. Provide a vision. Offer a choice.
- Call for a specific, compelling, do-able action