A Good Leader Considers His Audience Before He Speaks

The Art of Leadership

It is very important to consider whom your audience is before you start to speak. When someone speaks, it is usually for the people he intends to hear. This means that the speaker looks at his audience and says what he would like to tell them because what you say is directly related to whom you are speaking to.

The People Jesus Refused to Speak to

Jesus had different messages for different groups of people. His interactions and sayings differed from one group of people to the other. Here was a man who could have a gathering of five thousand men and also women and children and engage them till evening. Yet, when it came to some other people, Jesus would not speak. When Jesus was in the presence of people who hated and scorned him, he said nothing.

1. Jesus had nothing to say to the religious leaders. The High Priest was the highest religious leader at the time. But when Jesus was brought before the High Priest, Jesus did not speak!

And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Mark 14:60-61

• Jesus had nothing to say to the governor, Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate had the same treatment from Jesus – Jesus would not speak with him! And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.

And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

Mark 15:2-5

• Jesus had nothing to say to Herod either.

And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.

Luke 23:7-10

These were people who hated Jesus and he knew it. He knew that nothing he said would change their minds. I would rather follow the example of Jesus than to follow the guidance of a communications expert. I have left many matters to God and to time. He can best answer every accusation. You will notice that Jesus was accused vehemently, but refused to comment or respond to these accusations. It was not that Jesus could not speak. We see how he preached the Sermon on the Mount. We see how he taught at the seaside. We see how he preached so long that he had to feed the people afterwards.

Many leaders feel the need to attend interviews and discussions. They want to expand the truth. When some leaders encounter problems, they feel that they are obliged to clear their name and to improve their image. Mind you, we are not saying that it is wrong for leaders to speak to the press or to be interviewed. What I am saying is that Jesus did not bother to speak to hostile, disapproving interviewers who would never change their minds anyway. I would advise every minister to follow the example of Jesus Christ.

A leader must learn to speak more or less, depending on who he is speaking to. When we look at the example of Jesus, Jesus Christ spoke for hours when he was surrounded by eager listeners. People came from miles around to hear and to be healed. He would preach for hours until evening came and people could not go back home. “When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, this is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals” (Mark 14:13-15). Is it not amazing that Jesus did not speak when some other people were around! Dear leader, consider your audience before you speak!

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By Dag Heward-Mills