Say It Like Obama : The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision

by Leanne, Shel; Leanne, Shelly

• ISBN13: 9780071615891
• ISBN10: 007161589X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-09-08
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Summary

Includes Obama's historic acceptance speech from the Democratic National ConventionIn speech after speech, Barack Obama has "fired up" millions of enthusiastic supporters with his inspiring vision, rousing rhetoric, and charismatic presence His outstanding communication skills gave rise to an unprecedented political movement and fueled Obama's success in becoming the first African American presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party.But inspiring and persuading millions isn't simply a product of innate abilityBarack Obama honed techniques that made him a highly effective speaker before audiences numbering thirty to 200,000. These techniques are vital not only in the political arena, but also for business executives, managers, and leaders from all walks of life.This book is about the art of persuasion, the power of presentation, and the most effective techniques of communication. From building strong arguments and facing tough issues to inspiring a team or workforce to new levels of innovation and productivity,Say It Like Obamagives you the tools you can use to instill positive change at every level of your organization by learning how to: Make a strong first impression Use body language and voice Establish common ground Gain trust and confidence Win hearts and minds Drive your points home Convey your vision through imagery and words that resonate Build to a crescendo and leave a lasting impressionWhether you're a manager, executive, or public speaker, a teacher, business owner, or community leader,Say It Like Obamawill provide you with presentation techniques that have inspired and mobilized audiences of every size.

Author Biography

Shel Leanne is President of the Wishel Corporation, a leadership development firm whose clients include Fortune 500 businesses across the world. Prior to launching her company, Leanne gained experience working for McKinsey And Company and for Morgan Stanley in New York and London. She subsequently served as a full faculty member at Harvard University from 1997 to 2001, where she taught courses on social entrepreneurship and organizational design. She is also the author of How to Interview Like a Top MBA.

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Table of Contents

Introduction	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
The Speech That Started It All	p. 1
2004 Democratic National Convention
Keynote Address	p. 2
Effective Use of Body Language and Voice	p. 14
Establishing Common Ground	p. 15
Speaking to Audience Concerns: Winning Hearts and Minds	p. 16
Conveying Vision through Personification and Words that Resonate	p. 17
Driving Points Home	p. 17
Excellent Persuasion Techniques	p. 18
Building to a Crescendo and Leaving a Strong Last Impression	p. 18
Earning Trust and Confidence	p. 21
Charisma of a Leader	p. 22
Creating Strong First Impressions-Image and Body Language	p. 23
Leveraging Second Impressions-Voice and Intonation	p. 25
Using Effective Gestures	p. 28
Maximizing Props	p. 29
Beginning Strong	p. 33
Conveying Admirable Ethics-Developing Teflon	p. 36
What We've Learned-Practices for Earning Trust and Confidence	p. 39
Breaking Down Barriers	p. 41
Achieving Transcendence	p. 42
Acknowledging the Elephant in the Room	p. 43
Stressing Common Dreams and Values	p. 44
Drawing Attention to Shared History	p. 48
Illuminating Shared Experiences	p. 52
Employing Words that Resonate: The Historical and Political Lexicon	p. 54
Using Words that Resonate-Biblical Truths	p. 57
Leveraging Other People's Words	p. 58
What We've Learned-Practices for Breaking Down Barriers	p. 62
Winning Hearts and Minds	p. 65
Knowing Your Audience	p. 66
Knowing When Not to Enumerate	p. 68
Employing Details Effectively	p. 72
Personalizing the Message: "I" and Experience	p. 74
Connecting One to One: "You" and "I"	p. 76
Personalizing the Message: The "We" Connection	p. 78
What We've Learned-Practices for Winning Hearts and Minds	p. 80
Conveying Vision	p. 81
Referencing History and the Familiar	p. 82
Using Descriptive Words as Visual Aids	p. 85
Drawing on Symbolism	p. 87
Leveraging Corollaries	p. 87
Personifying Ideas and Conferring Physicality	p. 89
Providing Just-Enough Detail	p. 91
Creating Dynamic Images	p. 92
Leveraging a Backward Loop	p. 93
Illustrating with Anecdotes	p. 95
What We've Learned-Practices for Conveying Vision	p. 101
Driving Points Home	p. 105
Prioritizing and Focusing on Themes	p. 106
Using Rhetorical Questions	p. 106
Employing Effective Repetition	p. 107
Leveraging Pace and Tone	p. 115
Communicating with Slogans and Refrains	p. 124
What We've Learned-Practices for Driving Points Home	p. 127
Persuading	p. 129
Eliciting a Nod	p. 130
Sequencing Ideas	p. 131
Addressing Nonrhetorical Questions	p. 132
Addressing Objections	p. 134
Using Juxtaposition and Antithesis-Comparing and Contrasting	p. 136
What We've Learned-Practices for Persuading	p. 152
Facing and Overcoming Controversy	p. 155
Knowing Your Goals: Rejecting and Denouncing	p. 156
Recasting the Tone: Humility and Gracious Beginnings	p. 159
Resetting Your Image: Leveraging Props	p. 160
Recasting the Dialogue: Language Choice	p. 161
Addressing Error Head-On: Accepting Responsibility	p. 162
What We've Learned-Practices for Facing and Overcoming Obstacles	p. 170
Motivating Others to Action and Leaving Strong Last Impressions	p. 173
Inspiring Others to Great Achievements	p. 174
Creating a Sense of Momentum and Urgency	p. 177
Building to a Crescendo	p. 181
Repeating Takeaways and Slogans	p. 185
Directing to Low-Lying Fruit	p. 187
Putting It All Together to End Strong	p. 189
What We've Learned-Practices for Motivating Others to Action and Leaving Strong Last Impressions	p. 192
The Speech That Made History ... Again
2008 Democratic National Convention Presidential Nomination Acceptance Address	p. 193
Endnotes
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