Speak to Lead

Speech coaching: 'The King's Speech' nominated for 12 Academy Awards

It's not every day, year decade that the work of a speech coach is the main focus of a movie.

That The King's Speech leads in the number of Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, is a result not only of a superb script, brilliant acting, and talented directing, but also of a compelling story. (Doesn't hurt that the story involves the wartime King of England either.) 

(For an account of the real story behind the movie, read story by CNN's Nick Glass, Forgotten archive reveals true story behind 'King's Speech.' )

If you haven't seen it yet, catch it before it leaves the theaters. 

Here are a couple of the movie's lessons for SpeaktoLead readers:

• The king's goal was to eliminate the stuttering. In the process of doing so, he also discovered he needed to learn pacing and pausing, cadence, inflection, enunciation, and emphasis to deliver a speech with impact.
  
  You may not have a speech impediment, but we all need to learn and practice delivery skills if we want to be heard and remembered positively.
• George VI had his coach rehearse him for every major address.
  
  You may not need a professional with you for every presentation. But when was the last time you had a professional review a video of one of your presentations? In fact, when did you take time to view yourself? 
  
  Even if you present well, it is easy to get get sloppy, or have a previous bad habit reappear.  

 A challenge for you. If you have not "seen yourself as others see you" within the past six months, have someone record your next presentation, then do a self evaluation. Or contact me if you'd like a professional evaluation.

 

Persuasion: Dangerous Message - Joe Friday vs Clarence Darrow at Political Bloggers Conventions

"Just the facts, ma'am."* The phrase made famous by Dragnet's Sgt. Joe Friday, raised its deceptive head last week at the Netroots Nation (liberal) and RightOn (conservative) political bloggers annual conventions in Pittsburgh.

Toward the end of a Q&A session a woman stood up, thanked the presenters and said, "The facts are on our side. I realize now if we just get them out there, we will win."

In the non-partisan tradition of this blog, I won't be specific as to which of the conventions I attended. I did, however, expect the dangerous thinking exemplified above to be unique to us. I was therefore gratified to see an attendee of the other convention quoted in the newspaper professing the same misguided thinking.

Facts do not produce converts.

Facts are too susceptible to fabrication, half-truths, intentional and accidental misrepresentation, interpretation, skepticism, disinterest, rationalization, and denial. 

Facts can be useful in conversion, but only when used as part of a process, never as a stand alone.

If we want converts, we need to meet them where they are. We need to deal with their concerns, their perceptions, their assumptions, and their experiences. We need to build a relationship of genuine concern and trust.

And we need to offer, in the words of Bush 41, "that vision thing" so people find a better way.

Clarence Darrow, one of the most prominent American defense attorneys in the late 18- and early 1900s, summed it up well: "Don't give the jury reasons to acquit your client. Make them want to acquit him and they will provide the reasons." 

* Joe Friday actually never said the phrase he made famous. But he came close. What he did say was "All we need are the facts."

Persuasive Speaking: Reputation Protection Part 3 - Five "Quick Fixes" to Safeguard Your Client

In Part 1 (Do Speakers Need a Reputation Czar?) I pointed out that many high-profile speakers end up looking bad because their personal staff and public relation advisers fail to make sure the speaker is ready for "prime time."

In Part 2 (Why Staff & PR Pros Fail to Protect the Speaker) I identified six triggers that produce poor counsel.

Here then are 5 tactics you can do to protect your speaker's reputation:

1. Be clear about what the speaker wants to accomplish in the speech or interview. Thendetermine what conditions you'll need for that to happen. In Secretary Geithner's Wall Street presentation, for example, a major goal was to reassure investors that the administration's rescue plan would work. A necessary condition to get investor buy-in was a detailed plan. Instead, investors got generalities. 
2. Become the audience. Ask the questions they'll be thinking: So what? Who cares? See your speaker's actions through the listeners' experiences. Perhaps using the corporate jet does save money for General Motors in terms of the CEO's time, but that's not part of the listeners' experience.  Note: If you're too close to the speaker and having trouble thinking like the audience, bring in someone who can. 
3. List your speaker's vulnerabilities. As you think like the audience, you'll discover soft points in the speaker's thinking or inconsistencies in his or her actions. Write them down. Then decide how to eliminate or neutralize them.
4. Know your speaker's comfort level and don't exceed it. For example, in Governor Jindal's response to President Obama's Address to Congress, the staging required him to speak directly into the camera for several minutes while standing in place. That unnatural staging would have been hard for even a good actor to pull off, let alone Governor Jindal. 
5. If something doesn't work in rehearsal, change it. In these high-profile situations, rehearsal time is often short. If your speaker is still having trouble with a word, phrase, or movement after two or three tries, change it or move on. Trying to "get it right" is unlikely to succeed and will lead to heightened frustration.

  Applying these five tactics well will help your speaker accomplish the desired objective.

Persuasive Speaking: Reputation Protection Part 2 - Why Staff & PR Pros Fail to Protect the Speaker

In Part 1 (Do Speakers Need a Reputation Czar?) I pointed out that many high-profile speakers end up looking bad because their personal staff and public relation advisers fail to make sure the speaker is ready for "prime time."

Why is it that even competent, often highly-paid, professionals fail the speaker? Here are six reasons I've observed:

1. Too close to the speaker, the issues, and doing business as usual. Out of touch with the audience. To the auto execs, flying the corporate jets to DC was normal. To members of Congress and the American taxpayer it was wasteful and arrogant.
2. Underestimating the symbolic impact of the speech, and not understanding that symbolism is much more than just the speech text.
3. Being unable to get the speaker to commit the time to rehearse, arrive early, and prepare mentally.
4. Complacent. Operating with an everything-will-be-fine attitude and therefore not aggressively anticipating potential problems and developing contingency plans. 
5. Unable to be blunt in telling the boss or client that something isn't working, especially if what isn't working was the boss or client's idea. 
6. No experience as a director and performer able to recognize all aspects that make a persuasive speech a powerful experience.  

Hence the need for a specialist, a "reputation czar."

In  Part 3 I'll give you a list of "quick fixes" that even an inexperienced staffer can use to protect the speaker's reputation.

Persuasive Speaking: Reputation Protection Part 1 - Do Speakers Need a Reputation Czar?

Recently Pfizer announced a new position--VP, Corporate Reputation and Policy Communication. Its role? Build (translation: repair) Pfizer's reputation. 

That job used to be an automatic part of public relations. Clearly Pfizer management decided reputation needed more emphasis, a reputation czar.

Executives giving high-profile, high-stakes speeches also need a reputation czar, because their staff and public relations counsel are failing them.

Witness 3 recent disasters: 

1. November 19. Detroit's "Big Three" auto execs come to Congress asking for a bailout.  Their messages are weak, but that's really not noticed because the defining moment is admitting that each of the execs flew to DC in his own corporate jet. Who was looking out for the executives' reputations? Apparently not their internal or external communication folks.
2. February 10. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner presents the administration's financial sector relief plan. Flawed messaging, uninspiring delivery. Stock market reacts by dropping 5%. Who was looking out for the Secretary's reputation and effectiveness? Apparently no one.
3. February 24. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal delivers the Republican response  to President Obama's Address to Congress. His "speech" is an article, not a speech. The staging makes him awkward, ill at ease. Who was watching out for the governor? Not his staff apparently, or anyone else involved in arranging the response.   

Why did otherwise competent individuals fail to protect the speaker? In Part 2, we'll examine 6 reasons speakers don't get the reputation protection they need.    

Public Speaking: Words, Voice, Body & the Oft Quoted Bogus Study

If you've ever had a public speaking course or read more than a book or two about public speaking, you've likely encountered the statement that 55% of the message you convey comes from your body language, 38% comes from your voice, and only 7% comes from the words you use.

The problem? Although the statistics are accurate, their application is BOGUS!

The study was not about audiences listening to speeches. Unfortunately, most of the "experts" quoting the study have never read the study. And hence, why it was able to become a communication "urban myth" without the aid of the Internet.

For an excellent explanation of what Albert Mehrabian's study was about, go to Lisa Braithwaite's blog, Speak Schmeak.

And the next time you hear it referenced, feel free to yell out, BOGUS.

Executive Speeches: 4 Warning Signs of Disaster and What to Do to Make Things Right BEFORE You Deliver the Speech

You’ve prepared your speech. How can you tell whether it'll be effective? Or, as is frequently my case, you've been asked to comment on someone else's speech draft. What should you look for?

Here are four warning signs the speech is dead even before it's delivered. Correct these and you, or your client, will be off to a good start.

Warning Sign #1: No Clear Result.

Will it be clear to the audience what you want them to do? Is there a call to action?

The main power of a speech is to get your listeners to act, to do something. And in order for them to act, you need to be clear what they are supposed to do.

But what if the purpose of your speech is to convey information?

Political Speeches: What Leaders Can Learn from the Victory Speeches of Obama (IA), McCain (NH) & Romney (MI)

The first three major events of the 2008 American Presidential Election--the Iowa Caucuses, and the New Hampshire and Michigan primaries--produced three Goldilocks victory speeches. Obama was "too hot." McCain was "too cold." Romney was "just right."

Please note, I'm not talking about political philosophy or content. I'm focusing on delivery and structure of content.

Also keep in mind when you watch the videos, the crowd response is enthusiastic in all three. These are after all, victory speeches. The content could be incomprehensible and the speaker inebriated, and the crowds would still go wild.

But the purpose of a victory speech is not just to thank voters and the celebrating campaign workers. It's an opportunity

Marcel Marceau-Speaker Without Words: The Power of You As Your Best Visual

Marcel Marceau, who died on Saturday, was his own best visual. That's no surprise given that he was a mime. He is, however, an example of the power of the body in communicating.

Twice I had the privilege of seeing him perform live. TV, even with the advantage of close-ups, does not adequately convey the power Marceau had in capturing and connecting with the audience.

So what can we as speakers learn from this master of mime? Here are 4 lessons

Media Training for Reluctant CEOs: 4 Ways to Get Your Boss to Welcome Media & Speech Coaching

Do you work with a reluctant CEO? One who is in long-term denial about their lack of media interview or public speaking skills? The one you know needs coaching, but the challenge is persuading them to take it?

Here are four tactics I've seen clients use to get the executive to recognize the need and seek help: