Speak to Lead

Media Training: John Edwards on Nightline - 8 Lessons for Responding to Scandal

Last week, after John Edwards admitted he had had an affair with Rielle Hunter, he gave Robert Woodruff of ABC's Nightline an exclusive interview.

Edwards started strong and ended the first half well ahead. But in the second half, many of his answers cut into the credibility he had gained in the first.

So, what can we learn from this? Here are 8 lessons, the first 5 from what Edwards did well, the last 3 from when he slipped.

Lesson 1: Limit your time with the reporter. In his intro to the interview, ABC's reporter Robert Woodruff tells us that Edwards placed no restrictions on the questions, but "gave us only a limited amount of time." To confess and explain, 30 minutes is more than enough.

Lesson 2: Take control at the beginning of the interview. Regardless of the first question, step back, thank the reporter for the opportunity, and open with your explanation or framing of the situation. This may not always seem like the smoothest way to start, but it gives you initial control and confidence.

Lesson 3: In cases of adultery, appear without the wife. Using the wife as a sympathy prop

Persuasive Presentations: PowerPoint Poison Antidote – How to Avoid PPT Homicide

Here’s a fun and free eBook download - How to Commit Career Suicide While Inflicting Powerpoint Homocide.

It features a 13-step guide to how NOT to give a business presentation.

Bill Lane, Jack Welch’s speechwriter for over 20 years and author of Jacked Up: The Inside Story of How Jack Welch Talked GE into Becoming the World’s Greatest Company, created the eBook because “Some of the most important lessons to be learned from Welch come from his often brutally enforced guidelines for 'making a great pitch.'”

Each of the 13 points is coupled with a corresponding comment from Jack Welch.

If you’re familiar with my philosophy of PowerPoint, this won’t be new to you. But a reminder is always good. And if you have a colleague or boss who doesn’t believe me, and insists on dispensing PowerPoint poison, perhaps Jack Welch will provide the antidote.

Persuasive Messages 101 (and 201, 301...): The Key to Creating Messages that Grab the Listener's Attention & Get Results

What is the key to creating messages that grab - and keep - the audience's attention?

Several techniques will get their attention. But one element is key in keeping their attention and getting the result you want.

That key is so crucial, and so often neglected, we need constant reminders. It's a central part of all my training and coaching programs. Those of you who are clients, know how I hammer this home.

But rather than repeat myself, I thought you'd enjoy hearing it from someone else. So here is....

One Secret to Make Your Marketing Message Effective
By Stephen D. Palmer

How To Become the Center of Attention There are millions of people with tons of advice, techniques, and strategies for how to reach your audience and get them to take action. Yet, if we're drowning in such advice, then why are so many marketing campaigns, books, speeches, articles, blogs, and other content painfully ineffective? Why does it seem so hard to get others to take action?

This is a must-read article for you if any of the following are true:

Public Speaking & Political Debate: House Republicans Stage Protest, Obama & McCain Exchange Insults - A New Civility Low in Political Debate?

Yesterday Republicans in the the U.S. House of Representatives staged a protest on the House floor. They were angry that Speaker Pelosi would not bring a piece of legislation up for a vote. On the same day, both presidential candidates were accused of hurling insults at each other.

Has the state of public speaking and political debate reached a new low in American politics?

Last evening I was going through a box of old books and came across a 300-page history of Washington, DC from its inception up to 1883. Perhaps it's time for the following practice described in Picturesque Washington to come back in vogue. It would certainly make C-SPAN more exciting.

Duelling was quite common in the early days of Washington, and the Western and Southern congressmen usually had a case of duelling pistols as an important part of their outfit....The