How To Speak Like Obama

Posted by Allen Baird, Partner on Aug 5, 2009 in communication | 0 comments

We all know that the art of public speaking is as old as the ancient Greeks.  But can’t someone give us a condensed version?  Yes we can!  (Did you get it?  If not, see title, you moron.)

This BBC magazine article discuses the rhetorical tricks of Obama and other great public speakers.  It’s worth a study.  Here is the dummies version.

Obama regularly uses 4 techniques:

• Three-part lists
• Imagery
• Anecdotes
• Alliteration

Listen to his victory speech here to see how many you can spot.

Margaret Thatcher used these devices as well as contrasts.

The more I speak and train, the more I’m coming to realise the power of narrative in business.  We suffer from information overload.  We can’t get enough stories.

If you want to improve your public speaking skills, you can do little better than get involved in Toastmasters International.  There are two TM clubs in Northern Ireland (see Hillsborough Speakers Club above).  Every budding Obama has to start somewhere.

Sensei will be organising a training conference in the next few months on the place of Storytelling in business.  Keep watching.