Vin School Communication and Leadership Lessons for Business Executives

Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully, who died yesterday at the age of 94, left behind several valuable lessons in communication and leadership for corporate executives.

Be sure

“Vin Scully’s grace, class, storytelling ability and vast knowledge of baseball are unquestionable. But it was his egoless confidence that resonated with many and served as a lesson for business leaders,” Dick Grove, founder of Ink Public Relations, said in an email.

Pay attention

“Vin didn’t mince words and was sure of what was coming out of his mouth before he spoke. If he talks about a personal experience, he will be self-deprecating or put himself in the background to give attention to others, which will raise his status.

Share

“If there was a big moment in a game, he would let the moment stand by itself. He was reliable enough to know the noise of the crowd and [the] The reaction of the players may tell the story better. Even though Vin knew everything, he was never a ‘know-it-all’. He shared. He didn’t lecture.”

Practice humility

“It’s safe to say that ego is alive and well in the C-suite. But to inspire confidence in leaders, it should be a two-way street. Curiosity and genuinely listening to feedback should have a form of safety at play. Humility is a form of strength. Pride is a form of weakness. I think Vin Scully embodies humility as well as any announcer who has ever lived. In this way, he inspired the trust of his listeners. Two critical aspects of leadership,” Grove pointed out.

“Quite simply, Vin Scully was the greatest of all time. “The communication skills he has mastered and demonstrated to the world will not only teach future broadcasters, but also executives and senior leaders and organizations everywhere,” he said.

Tell stories

According to Steve Turner, owner of Solomon Turner PR, Scully is “a legend in his natural ability.” “The attention to detail and the way the words fit together put Vin at the top of his game. I’ve tried to follow that lead by working with clients to improve their stories and communication skills for marketing and public relations purposes.”

“VIN connects events from 30, 40 and 50 years ago, and makes them relevant to today’s audience and broadcast. Weaving those stories into short, crisp and colorful sentences is a real art. It’s something we learned from Mr. Scully and we often consider it when preparing our clients for media interviews and other stories,” Turner said.

Matt Eventhoff, founder of Princeton Public Speaking, said in an email that Scully’s communication lessons are particularly appropriate for business leaders.

The power of image

“His use of all five senses and his phrasing made you feel like you were living in the moment with him.”

Understand your audience

“Vin talked to everybody all the time. He knew it. It was all simple language and explanations of the game [were] Accessible to the first-time listener or hard-core veteran. And he always did it with compassion, kindness, and a little self-deprecating humor. He never took himself too seriously [admitted] But he was wrong. Invaluable lessons for every communicator.

Master Tone, Intonation and Inflection

“Telling a story through voice alone requires a mastery of tone and imagination. Every executive can do this. It’s not just about getting your message across! It’s about understanding your audience and using your voice to generate an emotional response and keep your audience engaged.” The executive can do this by demonstrating concepts and creating space before and after for the audience to fully absorb them.

Silence

“This lesson [applies] Similarly, for executives who use silence and interruption [Scully did] Allow your audience to follow through on the message you’re conveying,” Eventoff concluded.