⚡️The Leader's Edge⚡️

This week, let’s spark fresh ideas and learn how great leaders shape thinking to ignite positive change. How do they deliver Mental CPR to sharpen perspectives and steer understanding? We might find it helpful to compare two wildly different graphs… that are secretly identical.

Table of Contents

• THE ULLMEN INSIGHT: To make things better as an influencing leader, don’t just present your ideas, imprint them.

• THE ULLMEN TRIO: Guests: Lucille Ball (1911–1989) and Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)

• THE TRIO TAKEAWAYS: Lessons learned

• THE TRIPLE PLAY: Compare, Contrast and Create

THE ULLMEN INSIGHT

Here’s a tale about two presentations, both with the same influence objective, but opposite outcomes.

First: a team from a prestigious global consulting firm is presenting to influence the CEO of an iconic company.

However, a few minutes in, armed with complex frameworks and dense data, they watch in stupified silence as the CEO glances at his watch, stands up and walks out. An assistant appears shortly after, and politely asks the consultants to leave.

While the CEO's departure is obnoxious, the crucial failure wasn't just about etiquette; it was a failure of the consultants’ influence on the CEO's thoughts.

His internal monologue likely ran: “This isn’t valuable. This isn’t worth my time.”

Here’s the key lesson the consultants missed: to lose someone’s thoughts is to lose your influence. It’s not just about presenting information, it’s about shaping what others think, understand, and believe.

To influence anyone - CEO or employee - you must earn their attention then guide their understanding.

Here’s how to do it in two steps.

Step 1: Triage Your Information

Start by focusing on what matters most. What’s the most important thing your audience must know, believe, and remember to support your goal? Cut the clutter; prioritize the non-negotiable.

Imagine those consultants were pitching the CEO to boost cash reserves for economic stability. Their core point might be: “in a crisis, having more cash protects jobs and shareholder value.”

Clear, concise, and critical. That’s Step 1.

Step 2: SPARK their Thinking

Once you’ve sharpened your core message, deliver it in a way that sticks.

To do that, use five proven methods -- the SPARK framework -- to shape thoughts, build belief, and align others toward a common goal.

S: Substantiate with Logic & Data

Ground your case with clear reasoning and solid evidence. Tailor facts and analysis to their priorities.

For the CEO example, you could show data on past downturns where cash reserves saved companies.

P: Prove with Credible Sources

Add weight and authority to your argument with trusted voices and sources.

For our example: Cite respected economists or case studies of a peer company that thrived by saving more.

A: Align with Their Values

Show how your idea fits existing guidelines, standards, or regulations.

For our example: If the CEO values long-term stability, frame cash reserves as a cornerstone of enduring success.

R: Relate to Larger Goals

Connect your proposal directly to the organization’s mission, strategy, or vision. Highlight its broader significance.

For our example: Link cash reserves to the company’s vision of market leadership, showing it’s not just about safety, it’s about winning long-term.

K: Kick Up the Impact

Craft your core message to be Simple (easy to grasp), Specific (concrete examples), and Surprising (attention-grabbing). Make it memorable and compelling with mental images and repeatable messages.

To show this in action, let’s turn to our second true story, with a different leader who faced a similar influence challenge with senior leadership to get the business to save more cash.

Let’s call it “The Tale of Two Graphs”

The leader opened her presentation with two nearly identical graphs side-by-side, each showing a sharp dip in the middle. One was an EKG of a heart attack. The other was the stock market during a “flash crash.” Two different “patients,” same alarming diagnosis. Her analogy hit hard:

“The economy had a financial heart attack. You don’t ignore a heart attack after it’s over. You act to prevent the next one.”

That vivid image (a financial heart attack) and repeatable message (“prevent the next one”) hooked her audience.

She then used SPARK: data on crash impacts (Substantiate), expert warnings (Prove), alignment with the firm’s stability goals (Align), a tie to market leadership (Relate), and a memorable analogy (Kick Up).

Nobody left that room, physically or mentally.

Use these same SPARK methods like the best leaders do, to strengthen your points, enhance understanding, and amplify your persuasive power.

To make things better as an influencing leader, don’t just present your ideas, imprint them.

THE ULLMEN TRIO

John holds an imagined conversation on our theme with this week’s guests, Lucille Ball and Katsushika Hokusai.

Lucille Ball (1911–1989)

Lucille Ball was an iconic actress, comedian, and producer who revolutionized television with I Love Lucy. As co-founder of Desilu Productions, she became one of Hollywood’s first female studio executives, producing classics like Star Trek. Her comedic brilliance and business leadership reshaped entertainment.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)

Katsushika Hokusai, a master ukiyo-e artist, is best known for The Great Wave off Kanagawa from his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. His innovative color and composition influenced Western art icons like van Gogh and Monet.

John Ullmen: I'm absolutely thrilled to be here with the incomparable Queen of Comedy, Lucille Ball, and the master artist whose vision captured the very soul of Japan, Katsushika Hokusai. Thank you both for joining us and sharing how to influence others as leaders, from getting people on board with an idea, and shaping how they see things, to driving positive change, often against the odds. Can we start with how each of you personally approached doing it?

Lucille Ball: For me, it wasn't always about setting out to be a "leader" in the textbook sense. It started with wanting to make people feel something. Make 'em laugh, sure, but also make 'em understand, make 'em feel less alone. Especially back when television was the wild, wild West.

Katsushika Hokusai: In my world, the realm of ink and woodblock, influence was also not always about grand pronouncements from a studio, for I rarely stayed in one place long. It was showing people the world through a new lens.

Lucille Ball: I wouldn't have even been able to show my new lens, Hakusai-san, if I hadn’t been able to influence!  Network executives, the sponsors, the crew, even my husband Desi, to listen to a woman in the first place - and then more so to see the vision we had for I Love Lucy, it would have just stayed a little radio show idea. We wanted to show a real marriage, with its ups and downs, starring a Cuban bandleader and a zany redhead! Talk about resistance! The network said America wouldn't accept Desi as my husband on screen. They wanted a typical, all-American type. Can you imagine?

But I knew, deep down, this was America - a mix, a mess, full of love and laughter. To persuade the suits, we didn't just argue; we showed them. We demonstrated it as our mode of influence. Desi and I took our vaudeville act on the road during a hiatus, touring theatres. We performed the very scenes we wanted to do on TV. And you know what? The audiences ate it up! They saw the chemistry, they felt the humor, they connected with us as a couple. We used that live performance, the undeniable audience reaction, as our proof. It wasn't just telling them, "Trust us." It was showing them, "Look! They love this! This is what you're missing!"

That’s why I say - never just tell people your vision, especially if it's different or scary to them. Find a way to show them. Let them feel it, experience it. That's a persuasion that sticks, not because you argued them into it, but because they felt it in their gut. We filmed the pilot ourselves at Desilu, using this proof-of-concept approach, and then showed the network. They couldn't say no to the audience reaction. It changed everything for independent production, proving you didn't have to film in New York, that Hollywood could do it too, and keep creative control.

Katsushika Hokusai:

I took a similar path, Miss Lucille, though a far quieter one. You see, for centuries, Japanese painting had its formal traditions, its accepted subjects, such as noble figures, classical landscapes, birds and flowers rendered just so. But I looked at the whole world around me. The bustling Edo streets, the fishermen battling the waves, the ordinary people simply living their lives, the majestic, ever-present form of Fuji in the distance. I saw beauty and dignity and drama in these everyday subjects.

To influence people to perhaps buy our prints - whether patrons, students or fellow artists, I had to show them that these subjects were worthy. My Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series was a specific effort to do this. Before this, landscapes, if painted at all, were often idealized or simply backdrops. I wanted to make the landscape, and the people interacting with it, the subject.

Like you, Miss Lucille, I was breaking traditions. The print The Great Wave off Kanagawa, was a powerful example. It wasn't just a picture of the sea; it was an embodiment of nature's power, the fragile human existence (those tiny boats!), and the enduring presence of Fuji watching over it all. When people saw it, they didn't just see ink on paper; they felt the spray, the danger, the awe. That print, and the series, captured the popular imagination. It influenced not just Japanese artists, but later, even Western artists like Monet and Van Gogh, showing them new ways to look at composition, color, and everyday life.

Seeing people pause, truly look at one of my prints, to gasp at a wave’s power, or chuckle at a market scene, that connection, was my greatest satisfaction. It wasn't about becoming famous, though that happened. It was about opening eyes. As iss Lucille said, the most powerful influence isn't telling people what to think, but giving them an experience, an image, a story, that allows them to discover a new perspective for themselves. It's about creating something so compelling, so vibrant, that it speaks for itself and lodges in their heart and mind. You do this by  capturing the very spirit of a thing.

Lucille Ball: Oh, yes! "Capturing the very spirit of a thing."  If you do that, it's never about forcing. When we were building Desilu Studios we now had to influence bankers, engineers, contractors! Imagine, a little redhead and a Cuban bandleader building one of the biggest TV studios in Hollywood!

For this we had to tap a whole new source of influence - and that came not from pretending we knew everything and so surrounding ourselves with people who did. But even more, it came from our absolute, unwavering belief in the future of television and the necessity of owning our own means of production. We needed sound stages big enough for three cameras (which was unheard of then!), facilities to process film quickly. We had a specific, technical vision born from the demands of the work itself.

To influence those skeptical builders and financiers, we shared that passion with them. We didn't just show them blueprints; we enthused about the shows that would be made there! The jobs it would create! The stability it would bring to a chaotic industry!  We painted a picture not just of a building, but of a thriving creative hub.

Katsushika Hokusai: Ah, yes! Influence often requires speaking not just to the mind, but to the spirit of the person one seeks to persuade.

My move to manga, which means literally "random drawings" or "whimsical pictures," was another place where influence was crucial. Before my Hokusai Manga, sketchbooks were mainly instructional, dry collections of poses or techniques for students.

But I saw the world bursting with life, just as Miss Lucille saw a new kind of television.  I saw a world full of quirky characters, strange animals, everyday actions, moments of humor and pathos. I wanted to capture all of it, not just the idealized or the formal. The Manga became a way to show people the sheer variety of existence, to elevate the ordinary into something worth looking at, studying, and even laughing at. It was like saying, "Look! Look at the way that man stretches, or the way that fish swims, or the funny expression on that street vendor's face!"

These books became incredibly popular. They influenced generations of artists, cartoonists, and illustrators, not by dictating style, but by demonstrating the boundless potential of the potential of the everyday. Anything could be art.

Sometimes, the most powerful influence is simply doing the work, consistently and passionately,

Lucille Ball: I love how you used your art to open people’s eyes! It reminds me of how I had to get my crew to see the potential in live-audience filming. In 1955, Desilu was producing I Love Lucy, and we were struggling to keep up with demand. The crew was exhausted, and morale was low. I could’ve just demanded more work, but that’s not leadership. Instead, I threw a big party on the soundstage, red wine, spaghetti, the works. I got up and did an impromptu comedy bit, tripping over a prop table, which got everyone howling. Then I sat them down and shared my vision: we weren’t just making a show; we were creating memories for millions. I asked each person to share one thing they loved about their job. By the end, we were all crying and laughing.

That night shifted everything. The crew came back energized, and we hit our deadlines. I learned that influence means connecting people to a purpose bigger than themselves. You’ve got to make them feel part of the story and…

THE TRIO TAKEAWAYS

Takeaways for Influential Leadership

1. Show, Don’t Just Tell, Like Lucy’s Vaudeville Act: Use Vivid Demonstrations to Win Hearts.

To influence others, create tangible experiences that let people see and feel your vision, rather than relying solely on words. Lucille Ball faced skepticism from network executives who doubted America would accept her Cuban husband, Desi Arnaz, as her on-screen spouse. Ball and Arnaz toured theaters with a vaudeville act, showcasing their chemistry and humor to live audiences, whose enthusiastic reactions became undeniable proof for the networks. This approach turned abstract ideas into concrete evidence, making the vision for I Love Lucy impossible to dismiss. By letting others experience the impact firsthand, you build trust and enthusiasm that words alone can’t achieve.

Application tip: When pitching a new project, create a prototype, demo, or pilot to showcase its potential. For example, if proposing a new team workflow, run a small-scale trial and share the results to convince stakeholders.

Here are more titles of the takeaways I pulled from the extended conversation. I will make the full explanations of each one, and how to apply them, available separately…

4. Master the Art of Influence Like Hokusai’s Brushwork: Treat Persuasion as a Creative Skill.

Katsushika Hokusai compared influence to perfecting brushwork, a lifelong pursuit refined through observation and reflection. Approach influence as an evolving craft, requiring creativity, practice, and adaptability to…

5. Observe Like Hokusai’s Sketches: Understand Others’ Perspectives to Build Empathy.

Influence begins with deeply understanding the people you seek to persuade through careful observation and empathy. Katsushika Hokusai emphasized observing people’s interactions and motivations, as he did when…

6. Listen Like Lucy’s Crew Talks: Engage Actively to Address Fears and Build Trust.

Ball turned skeptics into partners through active listening which shows respect and helps you address resistance, making others feel valued and heard. Lucille Ball listened to her crew’s fears about…

7. Persist Like Hokusai’s Ninety-Three Moves: Stay Resilient to Overcome Setbacks.

Influence requires unwavering commitment to your vision, even through failures or indifference. Katsushika Hokusai moved ninety-three times and faced…

8. Root Influence in Purpose As in Lucy’s Pregnancy Episode: Align with a Greater Good.

Ground your influence in a clear, authentic purpose that resonates with others’ values to drive meaningful change. Lucille Ball fought network fears to air an I Love Lucy episode showing her real-life pregnancy, framing it as a celebration of…

9. Lead with Authentic Uniqueness. Embrace Your Voice Like Hokusai’s Unconventional Art.

Katsushika Hokusai broke from traditional Kano school art to depict dynamic scenes like waves and everyday people, inspiring his…

10. Risk Looking Foolish Like Lucy’s Chocolate Factory Chaos: Embrace Vulnerability to Build Trust.

Showing vulnerability and embracing imperfection makes you relatable and trustworthy, strengthening influence. Lucille Ball leaned into the chaos of the I Love Lucy chocolate factory scene, committing to the humor of…

11. Evoke the Future Like Hokusai’s Fuji Views: Inspire with Emotional Visions of Success.

Leaders who describe the sensory and emotional impact of a goal motivate action. Influence by painting an emotional picture of the future that makes goals feel vivid and achievable. Similarly, Katsushika Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji didn’t just depict a mountain but evoked…

12. Influence with a Timeless Legacy: Plant Seeds Like Hokusai’s Final Sketches.

Lead with a purpose that outlives you, sharing knowledge to empower others for lasting impact. Katsushika Hokusai, at 89, gave a young artist a brush and advice to…

Final Thoughts

THE TRIPLE PLAY

Great leaders grow their understanding of people by exploring similarities, differences, and possibilities. Let’s practice this skill each week, with inspiration from our Trio guests.

1. COMPARE: Something they share.

2. CONTRAST: Something they see differently.

3. CREATE: Something they might innovate.

Last week our guests were Adolphus Busch (1839–1913) and Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) (1904–1991), and this could be one of theirs:

"WhoVille Craft Sodas"

A line of whimsically flavored, all-natural sodas in fantastically shaped bottles with labels featuring Seussian characters representing different flavor profiles.

Apply some takeaways this week!

And let me know:

• In what ways did you find this week’s newsletter helpful or informative?

• Do you have any personal stories that illustrate the takeaways?

• Let's keep learning together - ask any leadership questions for future newsletters!

Send your emails directly to me at [email protected], or simply reply to this email.

Until next week…

Let’s make things better,

John