Leadership involves communicating messages to people such as coworkers or classmates.  Leaders use different ways to try to gain people’s attention, whether the setting is in front of a large audience or an individual.  Some ways are successful, which means the audience will hear the leaders message, because the leader has gained his or her attention.  Sometimes a leader attempts to use ineffective ways to try to gain people’s attention, which means the audience will be unable to connect to what the leader is trying to say.  Those leaders can do several things different, in order to communicate more effectively.    
Hype can be used to generate attention by getting people to believe that everyone is talking about the same thing.  The issue with hype is some listeners will feel manipulated or pressured by several expectations from the leader.  For example, getting the audience excited about a certain product, by giving them the impression that everyone is buying that product.  Telling a story about the company also tends to be an ineffective way to attempt to grab the attention of an audience.  Audiences will not pay attention to stories that start where the leader is, but not the where the audience is.  A third ineffective way is when a leader just states the facts.  This method is usually ineffective, because it can cause the audience to become bored.  For example, talking about the facts of an issue only, without bringing in real life examples.
There are some ways that leaders attempt to use in order to generate attention, but they are only slightly effective.  Leaders can show the real thing, offer a surprise, make the topic of discussion a springboard story, tell a joke, show a picture, or create a frame.  Showing a real thing is slightly effective if the qualities of an object focus on what the leader’s objectives are.  Offering a surprise is effective, but only if the audience can remain attentive to the leader’s speech and not the surprise itself.  For example, alerting the audience that there will be a give-away after a business conference is over.  A springboard story is sometimes effective if it refers to a similar change that was previously effective.  Jokes are slightly effective if the joke is relevant to the leader’s topic.  If the leader’s change involves a visual appearance, a picture can be effective in gaining attention.  If the leader is able to get people to focus on a different issue, instead of changing the audience’s mind on another issue, then attention can sometimes be gained. 
When a leader wishes to gain the attention of his or her audience, there are a variety of ways to make that happen.  There are certain ways that are easier and more effective such as storytelling, asking a question, using a striking metaphor, and launching an unexpected exercise.  
