Speak to Lead

Speechwriting: Hard Work Now But It Used to Be Worse

Yesterday, Ragan.com posted an article by Michael Sebastian on What's with the age disparity among speechwriters? Why many are young, some are old, and few are in between tracks with what I've observed over 3 decades of being or working with speechwriters.

But the article also gives a glimpse into the glamorous life of those who make their living writing words for someone else to speak. And the underlying theme is that speechwriting is hard work.

And it is. But it used to be worse. So for those of the younger generations, I provide this brief description of what the speechwriter's life was when I began in the early 1970s.

Cutting edge technology was the IBM Selectric typewriter with an ORATORS typeface ball.

Spell check was in your head, aided by an in-arms-reach dictionary.

Delete was a bottle of witeout.

Cut and paste really was cut and paste – or more often, cut and scotch tape – or completely retype.

Research consisted of phoning sources at their home or office, praying they would be there (no cell phones)…or going to the library, using the card catalog and Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, then going to the stacks only to discover the issue you most wanted was missing.

At least now with the aid of word processing, emails and cell phones,  and online research, we can spend most of our time creating content, not laboring with production mechanics.

This is one area of life where the "good old days" clearly weren't.

Media Interviews: Getting Off Message - 5 Reasons Interviewees Stray from the Message

If you are about to do an interview, or are coaching someone who is, keep in mind these situations that can cause you to go off message.

1. Not having any messages. Hard to stay on message when you don't have any. Who would do that? Someone who thinks an interview is just a reporter-asks-a-question, interviewee-answers-it situation.
2. Forgetting (or never having had) the result they want from the interview. If you keep the result in mind, you'll be more likely to do what you need to to get that result, namely, staying on message.
3. Reacting when the reporter pushes your hot buttons. (See my post, Why News Guests Screw Up-Part 2)
4. Not comfortable with the messages. Unless you feel comfortable with the messages, off message will be the more familiar and easier place to be. That's why it's important to personalize and practice the messages.
5. Failure to learn and rehearse methods of transitioning back to message if you start to get sidetracked.

Success in interviews depends on knowing the result you want, having messages that are relevant and interesting, and staying on them.

Speechwriting: 3 Lessons for Crafting Memorable Speeches for Executives and Political Leaders from Winston Churchill

Still under the influence of Mays visit to Chartwell, I recently read Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: The Dire Warning - Churchill's First Speech as Prime Minister.

John Lukacs' account of Churchill's May 13th 1940 address to the House of Commons and subsequent speeches given that year has the page-turning qualities of a suspense novel.

Much of Europe had fallen to the Germans. Defeat of Great Britain by Hitler was a real possibility. Some of the British leadership were already discussing suing for peace. Churchill was widely disliked or distrusted by many in his own party.

But Lukacs shows how Churchill rallied the British people, turned political antagonists into supporters, and turned the tide of war. It's an interesting, insightful, and at only 147 pages, a quick summer read.

There are also lessons for speechwriters. (The first two would be especially useful for political speechwriters.) Here are 3:

1. Churchill's vision created the rhetoric. What a novel concept: have something to say before speaking.
2. He was willing to level with the public and let them know the difficulties and sacrifices they would have to make. He trusted the public rather than pandered to them.
3. Churchill often used conversations with friends and colleagues to try out phrases and concepts he was thinking about including in the speech. A trial run allows the speaker to refine content and increases the speaker's comfort and confidence.

Humor for Speeches & Presentations: How to Find Original Humor to Use in Your Next Speech

Using humor--the right humor--in a speech makes you more likable and helps you connect with the audience.

But how do you find humor?

My friend Terri Langhans suggests we need to be actively looking for it. Terri delivers high-content presentations on marketing leavened with real-life humor. Reprinted below with her permission is her article describing what can happen when you actively seek to find humor.

Looking for Laughter in all the Wrong Places?

Recently, I decided to test my own advice,"You always find what you're looking for." If you look for a way to delight the customer, reduce waste, improve communication or market your business, you'll find it. If you look for three, you'll find them. Get everyone on the team looking for the same thing, and what you'll find is amazing. That advice. Don't get me wrong; I wasn't doubting myself. I know it works and have a boatload of on-the-job and off-the-job examples to prove it in my presentations.

I'm talking about consciously walking my talk under pressure. Looking for one of the hardest things to find--humor--in one of the worst settings I could think of--

Media Training: Why Jackson, Gramm & Other Experienced News Guests Screw Up-Part 2

In Part 1 we discussed the problem of you becoming your own worst enemy in an interview situation

Here are the 5 conditions that can trigger the you-as-your-worst-enemy response. And what you can do to avoid or minimize the impact.

1. Being tired physically. It's no secret that people are more accident prone when physically tired than when rested. Mental acuity and emotional resilience are decreased. The likelihood of a misstatement, inappropriate comment, and testy response is increased.
   
   What to Do: Arrange your schedule to include rest time, especially immediately before a key interview. If crossing several time zones, arrive earlier. If you do choose a tiring schedule, commit to staying on message relentlessly, and keep the interviews short.
   
   
2. Growing tired of the message(s). Not much of a problem if you're doing only the occasional interview. But as the number increases and the time between the interviews decreases (gotta love the rapid fire pace of satellite tours), it's easy to get tired of what you're saying.
   
   You have a strong desire to change the message. An urge to be spontaneous. I hate spontaneity...unless it's been written out, memorized, and rehearsed.
   
   What to Do: Remind yourself--before each interview--of the result you want. If you stay result focused, you'll stay on message.

Media Training: Why Jackson, Gramm & Other Experienced News Guests Screw Up-Part 1

Why do experienced news guests screw up?

Last week we saw two prime examples.

Jesse Jackson expressed an intention to castrate Barack Obama (view previous post).

Former Senator Phil Gramm, a top economic advisor to John McCain , told us the only recession was a "mental recession" and called Americans "whiners." (He later said he was referring to the news media.)

How could two intelligent, articulate, media savvy guys get in so much trouble? Why does any spokesperson who "should know better" slip up?

The famous Pogo cartoon of several years ago suggests the answer. "I have met the enemy, and he is us."

In 3 decades working with the news media, I've observed 5 conditions that trigger most self-destructive media interview behavior. These 5 also

Media Training: Jesse Jackson's Gaffe or No Matter How Experienced You Are, Ignore the Basics & You'll Get Caught

On behalf of myself and all media trainers, I want to thank the Reverend Jesse Jackson for demonstrating what can happen when one ignores a basic Media Training 101 principle:

From the moment you step inside a studio, or the news crew arrives at your door, assume the microphone is on and the camera is recording. Anything you say can be used.

While sitting in a Fox News studio waiting to be interviewed, Jackson made a disparaging and crude comment about presidential candidate Barack Obama to another guest (see interview below).

The microphone was on. The camera was recording. Jackson was quoted.

Sadly, Jackson doesn't get it. In his apology to Obama he said, "...any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused..."

Private conversation?! In a TV news studio, miked up, sitting in a chair waiting to be interviewed?

Reverend Jackson, a suggestion. Instead of a feeble attempt to blame the media, why not try taking personal responsibility for your screw up?