Learning From Hilary Clintons Speaking Mistakes!
First off, this is not a partisan diatribe and/or endorsement of Hilary Clinton for president. What this article ascribes to be is information that you as a speaker can learn from and utilize in your public speaking (Did I sound like a politician there? Probably not, because I’m striving for truth!)
I observed Mrs. Clinton speak on the September 23, 2007, Sunday morning pundits only show, ‘Face the Nation.’ BTW, I do not regularly watch this show or other Sunday morning pundit shows except my satellite dish receiver appears to have a bug up it’s….
But, I digress. Mrs. Clinton appeared on cue, and began to talk about a number of issues which Mr. Schiffer and Mrs. Clinton, no doubt prepared way in advance of this appearance.
What was noticeable to me as a speaker was the number of what I call ‘verbal hiccups’ Mrs. Clinton sprinkled within her responses and ensuing discussion. Within the first five minutes, I counted no less than 20 ‘ah’s’ (there could have been more I started counting a little late) There were considerably more throughout her entire presentation! As well, there were some ‘ums’.
I found this to be incredible! I felt that surely, as she ‘warmed up’ the latter part of her discussion would be ‘ah’ and ‘um’ free. Afterall she is a very poised and experienced presenter. She is a Senator, and as a former first Lady quite accustomed to public speaking. So, why was her speech, talk, and discussion on this show so littered with ‘ahs’ and ‘ums’?
The repetitive use the verbal hiccups served to distract and detract from Mrs. Clinton’s message, at least, for me. I was into a analytical-clinical mode, as I am when observing and listening to other speakers and performers counting the verbal hiccups and wondering what about what she was saying did not set well with her!
I do not have the answers to the questions I posed but here is what we as speakers and performers can take away from Hilary Clinton’s appearance.
(1) REAL PASSION for the messages we deliver will help us overcome or seek to overcome, the distractions that serve to lessen, detract, and dilute our message(s) I would assume Mrs. Clinton is passionate about what she says. But, the fact that HER VERBAL HICCUPS were in play, allows for doubt. DO NOT LET YOUR SPEECH OR YOUR PRESENTATION ALLOW FOR DOUBT OF YOU…THE EXPERT!
(2) In order NOT to have someone like me count your verbal hiccups instead of listening to YOU or wondering if you the speaker believe what you are saying, you the speaker, the performer or presenter MUST be aware of your bad speech habits! Have someone listen to you, record yourself, give your speech in front of a Toastmasters audience.
(3) No matter how BIG you are publicly (Senator, Presidential candidate, former First Lady) a bad speech habit(s) is like blood drawing sharks!
I was EXPECTING someone like Mrs. Clinton NOT to have the same verbal hiccups as myself or other speakers! The LESSON here is that our audiences EXPECT US TO BE BETTER SPEECH GIVERS, PRESENTERS, PERFORMERS, WORDSMITHS, etc than them, the regular audience, the regular people! This statement and observation also ties in with an article I authored on ezinearticles on evolving as a speaker. Do everything to progress your evolution as a speaker, performer, person or whatever! NO one is too BIG to be better!
NO matter who you think you are do not hamper your evolutionary progress as a speaker! Do EVERYTHING to make yourself better! “…by any means necessary.” –Malcom X
(4) What Mrs.Clinton did RIGHT in her discussion was STYLISTICALLY speak as if she were already the President! She answered a question at one point stating that after the elections she would look into some situation with the troops and confer with her cabinet immediately (I’m paraphrasing of course)
Somehow, she exuded CONFIDENCE, even though her verbal hiccups in a sense betrayed her! The lesson here is PRESENT YOURSELF CONFIDENTLY! Maybe people will think you are more human with your errors of speech (just kidding, although some might think that!)
(5) She demonstrated POISE. Regardless of what her agency is at this point, she effectively gave the public what the public needs, the semblance of poise. THE LESSON: POISE EXUDES confidence, and allows the audience to think you or a candidate can effectively ‘deal’ with situations.
(6) The discussion allowed the candidate to demonstrate an internal STRENGTH, as well as the strength of her words, the force of her words, and the strength of her presence.
Audiences may forgive or forget, the distractions and detractions of speeches as long as stronger factors are readily at play. Those factors are : Articulating Strength in the presentation, the gift or skill of Presence, exceptional Poise, Passion and Confidence or the ability to ACT confidently.
The question I have after seeing this speaker is: Does confidence and poise override passion?
Adrienne Zurub is a RN on the open heart/heart transplant team at Cleveland Clinic. She is an Actor/Comedian and Spoken Word pOet. Ms. Zurub has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a master’s degree in Philosophy as well as her nursing degree.
She is the author of ‘Notes From the Mothership ~ The Naked Invisibles, a nonfiction work that incorporates and coalesces elements of her open heart experiences/patient advocacy with numerous aspects of her attentive, and at times randy life, due out 11/2007. She is a member of Toastmasters, NSAOhio chapter, and an active volunteer with the Cleveland Clinic Speakers Bureau speaking throughout the communities of Greater Cleveland.
She is an AKA (Sorortity,Inc) and a member of AORN. She trained at the American Comedy Institute in New York City, Second City, with Victor D’Altorio and with Judy Carter in NYC and California.
Peep her at: http://adriennezurub.com
http://chasewunderlickpublishers.com.cn
http://thenursewhisperer.com and also on LibraryThing, twitter, facebook, myspace/notesfromthemothership, Ning, mybloglog.
