[October 3, 2015] Since time immemorial there has been one effective act by leaders that has been so useful that its employment is considered an indispensable skill. The art of delivering a formal address in public is an ability considered a must have in the personal collection of the most successful leaders. It’s so important today that each word and phrase is carefully considered beforehand to ensure maximum impact on the audience.
There have been many speeches that were considered great by any standard. For example, in John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address we note that he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”.1 Or, Ronald Reagan’s Brandenburg Gate speech where he said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”2 Or, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech when he said, “I look to a day when my four children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”3 There are, of course, many more.
We can read all about how to make great speeches; many books, articles, and blogs are dedicated to the “how to”. If we look closely at these how to ideas, their common link is really about making an impact with a presentation. They give advice on how to connect with the audience, the use of flattery and empathy, and use of metaphor and contrast. Of course, these are not as relevant when making a truly great speech; there’s something more important.
A great speech, in the societal sense, must be on an issue that has grand consequence to the vast majority of people. JFK, Reagan, and MLK Jr. spoke about issues that confronted the United States as a nation, had the effect of uniting people, and provided moral clarity. In addition these leaders had credibility and could relate to people what we needed to do; these were not just words they spoke… people believed those leaders.
At the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln said, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”4 Yes, it is true that each of these leaders were among the best orators, very intelligent, and were capable of understanding key issues of the day and knowing what people were thinking. Their speeches were not just great words but provided something to aspire to.
A few days ago, U.S. President Obama and Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu each gave a speech to the United Nations General Assembly.5 Netanyahu criticized the UN as a world body for its indifference to Iranian threats to wipe Israel off the map; a violation of its founding charter. Obama praised the UN for the “international system that imposes a cost on those who choose conflict over cooperation.”
These two contrasting views of the UN are important as we debate war throughout the world, disease, poverty, and other scourges. But these two speeches could also be contrasted in the ability of these men to present a clear moral clarity; one did, one did not.
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- http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=8032
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tear_down_this_wall!
- http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mlks-content-of-character-quote-inspires-debate/
- http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbpTl3N6n6M
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaJkTsy2SsQ