By Peter Jeff
The LeaderMints Guy
Here are 18 ideas to gain and retain audience attention from the beginning of your communication. Reading time: 4:56

The Lede. That’s what the first paragraph of a news story is called.

Leaders leverage their writing with Ledes that command attention and retention.

Leaders sharpen their Lede writing so that the first paragraph in their memos, speeches, or books establishes relevance and portends significance.

Leaders sharpen their Lede writing to give voice to a wide range of human emotions impacting the human condition -from horror to awe and from joy to desperation that may delight or fright, thrill or chill .

As the leader, you assume the role of Anchor News Man or Woman. Your task is to lead your audience into your story, to help them connect to it and even anchor to it.

That’s why leaders lead with Ledes that engage readers to process their written messages more critically, understand their written messages more strategically and act on their written messages more convincingly.

Here are 18 different ways you can structure an opening to lead your audience into your written communications. Think of these 18 thought-starters as so many templates or patterns. to craft your written communications with a Lede that is tailored and toned to fit the mood and expectations of your audience. Continue reading →