The Spark and the Smolder of Words: How Leaders Ignite or Dampen Morale

Words carry a profound power. As municipal leaders, we comprehend this — but often we underestimate just how much our language can prime a team’s mindset, direction, and performance. Priming language is nothing but our words subtly influencing how others perceive a situation, themselves, or even what happens next. It can either plant seeds of confidence or cultivate doubt¹.

While serving in Kunsan AB, Korea, I learned this firsthand. I was assigned a...