The subtle art of influential leadership

“It is surprising that a behavior as subtle and potentially meaningless as one's speech style should affect something as consequential as one's ability to get promoted or be respected.”1 - Deborah Tannen, Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work Most leaders are taught that effective communication requires confident, decisive (agentic) language, often accompanied by strong body language. This advice is particularly emphasized for women in leadership, who are often assumed to be skilled in displaying warmth and likability, and less so in projecting power. Does this conventional wisdom apply in all circumstances? In a landscape that has become increasingly team-based, healthcare leaders must shift from traditional hierarchical leadership models to collaborative approaches.2 Such a shift calls attention to the difference between power and status. Power is the ability to grant or withhold tangible resources. Many physician leaders, however, lack power in this sense and must influence those they lead via status—a term social scientists use to encompass the respect and regard an individual holds in the eyes of other group members. Unlike power, status cannot be demanded from others: one can have only as much status as others are willing to give. Power and status may coexist, though the holding of power does not automatically confer status, and a person may possess status without power. Despite business literature generally promoting agentic leadership, other research highlights the subtle utility of “power-less” (communal) speech.3 Power-less speech softens one's assertions and orients toward relationship and collaboration. It is characterized by using qualifiers (e.g. “kind of,” “sort of”), adding tag questions (e.g. “don't you think?”), and accompanying statements with disclaimers (“I'm not sure if this will work, but.”). This technique elevates the input of others by conveying that the speaker does not have all the answers. Power-less speech is most useful in settings where tasks and teams are interdependent since groups value traits that prioritize communal aims. Asking open-ended questions builds social capital by empowering the listeners in their own goals and can motivate a team around a shared vision. The complex challenges in healthcare require leaders to shift between communal and agentic language, with skilled leaders recognizing and adapting their communication methods to suit the needs at hand and foster positive change. For example, agentic language may help a division leader cast a leadership vision and strategy for their team. On the other hand, a medical director seeking to improve a quality measure will do well to use communal language to foster dialogue and solicit solutions from all team members. Language has power. It shapes our social realities and relationships. Regardless of gender, minor language adjustments allow leaders to build influence in dynamic, context-dependent work ecosystems. Agentic or powerful language is not inherently bad. In fact, for leaders with minoritized identities, powerful and agentic language is frequently necessary. But consider using power-less language as a status-building approach in situations of high interdependence. Leaders can use language in a manner that is fit for purpose rather than always promoting agentic and powerful language in every situation. The authors would like to thank Dr. Ben Kinnear for his contributions to this piece and his always wonderful sponsorship of others. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.