Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Why Obama Needs Me as a Speech Coach!

After seeing the movie “The King’s Speech”, I was inspired to finally write something I’ve been wanting to write for several months. I want to coach President Obama on his speeches! President Obama is a great speaker. There’s no denying that. It’s partly why he is where he is today. So what the heck am I talking about? What could I do to improve on greatness? First of all, the oratory style that effectively swayed voters is not the same oratory style that he is using now. And even if it were, that style has its limitations. I know President Obama is extremely intelligent and I believe in his ideals and his leadership. But ever since he’s taken office, I’ve been dying to work with him on some of his oratory habits. Tiny habits that I believe make him less effective as a leader. Here are three things I would work with him on:

1) Cadence: A lot of people have trouble finding musicality in their voices and end up sounding monotone most of the time. Obama does not have that problem. He has plenty of musicality; however, it’s as if he keeps singing the same line of the same song over and over. Obama’s cadence is very predictable. When as listeners we hear the same cadence and rhythm over and over, it sounds like the speaker is being disingenuous and further more it’s hard for us to get a grasp on what he really wants to emphasize. (I’d also work on his whistling “s”)

What I would do: I would give him passionate speeches to read, record them and force him out of his normal rhythm. I would help him savor every word; Make him visualize and feel every word he was saying instead of thinking and intellectualizing them.

2) Facial Expression: For most of my clients, smiling is a challenge. I have to constantly remind them to, ever so often, turn up the corners of their mouth! Smiling is known to increase likeability and to engender trust but too much smiling can make you look like a fool or a snob. President Obama, has the “problem” of having a mouth that even in repose seems to look like it’s smiling. For a president, this is a detriment. When people are angry, depressed and fearful, they do not want to feel as though their president is not taking them seriously.

What I would do: I would work on all of Obama’s other features to have them express deeper emotion. I would show him how the way he tightens his lips after every sentence can accentuate the upturned corners of his mouth turn it into a smug smile. I would teach him how to communicate with his eyes and his brow line. I would help him to see that he tends to tilt his head as he speaks which is not nearly as powerful as if he were to keep it straight.

3) Posture: Standing and sitting up straight is something our mother’s and teacher’s constantly drilled into us. But sometimes that advice can backfire. Standing and sitting bone straight often makes people look stiff and aloof. These are two qualities that Americans don’t seem to appreciate in their leaders. We want leaders to be powerful AND approachable.

What I would do: I’m not suggesting Obama learn how to slump but I would encourage him, whenever appropriate to lean forward a little more. Having your heart center exposed and leaning toward the person (or camera) you’re talking to, makes your listener feel more engaged. So I’d have our president stand more on the balls of his feet and sit with his heart center coming forward and use arm gestures that emanate from his elbow with upward sweeping motions.

So please, if you happen to be speaking to the president or any of his people, can you tell him where to find me? If the King of England could hire and rely on a former actor who intuitively knew and then trained in how to help people improve their speech, surely the President of the United States could do the same. I’m ready, willing and able. It’s the least I could do for my country!