Professional public speaking is the most under-rated leadership success skill. This is a little known secret of world-class leaders. USA Today nailed it in their February 28, 2008 article ‘ Do Effective Speakers Make Effective Presidents?’ The article was written by Wynton C. Hall, and it’s right on the money. Strong public speaking skills may make Barack Obama the most powerful man in the world. Politics aside, what other evidence has he presented to the American people that says he’s ready for this position? He’s only 47 years old; he’s a fairly new senator, and he’s running against a woman with a resume full of public success. If he wins the Democratic nomination, he’ll be up against a 72-year old war hero that was living in a cage with rats for 5 years as a POW in Vietnam when Obama was a teenager. How could he POSSIBLY defeat a national treasure like John McCain? There’s only one way: Through his ability to motivate and inspire people from the platform. USA Today says thats not a reason to elect him, and they’re probably right. But like it or not; right or wrong, people BUY on emotion, and Barack Obama knows how to use the platform to get people excited. My question for you (and me) is; are WE using the power of public speaking to get what we want?
USA Today Makes the Connection Between Public Speaking and Being President of the United States
Published By steve
Steve Siebold, CSP My name is Steve Siebold. I’m an author with 1.4 million books in print, and a professional speaker and consultant to Fortune 500 sales teams on how to increase sales and retention rates through mental toughness training. My corporate clients include Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, Harrah’s Entertainment, Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Ingersoll Rand, etc.
My observation as a person who studies and observes speakers and who has opportunity to speak via presentations, seminars, and workshops for a living as a Training Director is the ability to connect counts the most. I have watched people who are not the greatest experts in what they were asked to speak about, who knew how to connect and make the audience feel needed, and when people left the room, they felt something. The greatest speakers, in my opinion, are the ones who put their egos aside, and choose to put their audience needs first. The best way to do this is through emotionally connecting. This is definately an art as well as a science, but the ones who care, and come to it from a point of humbleness, really are the greats.
From New Zealand, the relating to audience point: Re Barack v Hillary – Yes, Hillary always seems a little distant from her audience and I will not be surprised to see her come in 2nd in Texas & ohio.
Why are some people effective at getting others to do what they want them to do? Since I was a kid, I have always wondered, what made the difference? What Martin Luther King, Hitler, Ghandi and Jim Jones so persuasive? I agree with you Steve…they connected with people. But I think it was much deeper than emotionally. It was at a spiritual level. How else could people be moved to act in such dramatic ways?
Great messages in your blog. Keep it up!
I’ve got no choice but to agree with you on this one. When I think back over the course of my life, the most impactful relationships that I’ve had have been with people whom I’ve made a connection with. They by far have been the longest lasting and most meaningful. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the most logical approach there is.