Delivering effective explanations is a critical leadership skill

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June 26, 2009

A recent article by leadership consultant John Baldoni presented effective explanation as an essential leadership skill. Quoting a former Bill Clinton aide, he referred to President Obama as "the Great Explainer."

According to Baldoni, Franklin Roosevelt was another leader who mastered the power of explanation when he compared the Lend Lease program of aid to Britain to "lending a garden hose to a neighbor trying to put out a house fire."
(Great metaphor!)

Another quote from the article:

"What does it mean and why are we doing it are critical questions that every leader must answer with straightforward explanations."

Motivating crowds who understand must certainly be easier than motivating crowds who don't. Perhaps leaders should look into explanatory video as a tool to give people "a reason for action."

Keyword Experte - Presenting a free service

Home > Examples > Keyword Experte video

This video was narrated by the client, in German:



You'd think a free service wouldn't need much in the way of introduction. And yet, prospects may be wary of signing up for a free consultation. Are there any strings attached? Will I risk sharing sensitive information? An explainer video can help overcome such hesitations.

Our client Keyword Experte helps companies optimize their Adwords campaigns, to get more results out of each advertising dollar. As an introduction, Keyword Experte offers prospects a free analysis of their campaign. A short video explanation encourages visitors to request this service.

What is Ecodesign? Video explainer

Home > Examples > What is Ecodesign? Video explainer

(For English see below)

Cette animation, commandée par l'éco-organisme ERP-France, présente l'éco-conception aux producteurs d'équipements électriques et électroniques. Il s'agit d'un tutorial web servant à expliquer la notion d'éco-conception, à sensibiliser les fabriquants sur les raisons de prendre en compte cette démarche, et enfin à donner quelques exemples afin de visualiser les étapes à mettre en oeuvre.

Astuce : Pour une meilleure visibilité, cliquez sur l'icône en bas à droite pour le plein écran, ou déplacez la souris hors de la vidéo.



This 2-minute explainer video provides an introduction to Ecodesign, and is targeted specifically at small to mid-size companies. This visual explanation was commissioned by ERP-Recycling. The animation is in French.

Below is a version with English subtitles. Tip: Click on the four-arrow icon at the bottom right for a full-screen view. Or simply move your mouse out of the video screen to view the subtitles.