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All indications are that our new President has in mind a "New Deal" when it comes to Presidential communications. He certainly knows his way around the technology. He fought with government lawyers and security agencies to keep his own BlackBerry for personal and private messages. He welcomes opportunities to meet the press. His rhetorical flair and unflappable confidence on the platform catapulted him onto the national stage four years ago; he just kept getting better. It isn't all about style -- it's the way he thinks about communication. Running a tight campaign ship (No Drama Obama) set a pattern that most expect will continue in the Oval Office. Mr. Obama even created something heretofore unheard of -- the office of the President-Elect -- complete with a media room and a presidential-worthy podium. As Gerald Seib, Capital Journal columnist for the Wall Street Journal observed, our Commander in Chief apparently intends also to become a "Communicator-in-Chief."
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It would be easy to pigeonhole Barack Obama's style as
charismatic. He certainly commands the room, no matter the venue, and
connects with audiences in every situation. He adapts with ease -- a
comfortable, conversational, hipster, down-home style for a reporter
sit-down, which contrasts with his confident, motivational way of delivering
the rhetoric of hope on the platform. He does have some annoying vocal
habits -- I noticed after awhile that the phrases "as I've said," or "I've
made it clear," frequently crept in, just prior to the answer to a tough
question. Still, you cannot help but admire the way he can work a crowd into
an absolute frenzy.
Having said all that, there is certainly more to Obama's effectiveness
than charisma. The fact that he has carved out so much precious time for
press conferences during the transition is an indication of how he sees his
role. It isn't just his relationship with the press -- it's the overall
message that communication and leadership are one. Sure, he always prefaced
remarks on policy and news events by saying we still have one President at a
time, and yet, by becoming so highly visible, Obama gained control of the
national dialogue, anyway, filling the potential news vacuum during the Bush
to Obama transition. Had Mr. Obama chosen to stay behind the scenes, the
nation would not necessarily have expected him to be out there, but it would
have made us feel restless and leaderless. Instead, there was this
perception that someone was already in charge.
What can leaders learn from Barack Obama's approach to communication? It
really isn't about style. Every leader has to develop his or her own style,
from interpersonal to platform skills. You find a way of communicating with
people that is honest, effective, and authentic to you. The real takeaway
from watching Mr. Obama begin his presidency is that in challenging times,
leaders know that communication is everything. Sheperding your organization
through the turmoil our economic meltdown requires you to put yourself at
the center of the communication universe. You cannot view the communication
"function" as such -- something that "other people" manage and execute. You
have to stand right there and make sure it happens -- position yourself in
the middle of the loop.
This can be difficult on a personal level. It's hard to communicate when
you don't have the answers. In times of stress we are inclined to retreat
and wait. If you don't feel like you have something good to say, perhaps you
think you should say nothing at all. Yet what is really required -- is a
full court press. You have to communicate more often, with greater purpose
and passion than ever before. While you don't have all the answers, you get
an honest, open, creative dialogue goiung with your employees and customers,
and keep it going. You look for real signs of progress and give them hope.
People are comparing Obama to FDR, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King
Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, and these comparisons are real and
noteworthy. These were leaders who made people believe. They didn't come by
it naturally -- Martin Luther King was a mediocre speaker who aspired to be
great; Reagan fashioned his style in Hollywood; Winston Churchill practiced
his speeches incessantly. All knew the importance of honing their skills to
becoming great leaders. In addition they surrounded themselves with people
who could help them - they hired great speechwriters who employed writing
techniques such as parallel structure ("I have a dream", "Ask not what your
country can do . . . ") and they practiced over many years to develop a
highly effective style, using pace, pauses, and timing.
So leadership and communication go hand in hand, and in challenges times,
you have to deliver a message of hope. You must motivate and inspire people
by communicating with purpose and passion at every opportunity. Connecting
people with a message of hope may be the highest definition of leadership.
As a leader, you can change the course of your business by making people
believe in themselves. People who are motivated and inspired will overcome
the obstacles, defy the odds and accomplish more. And this will have a
direct, undeniable impact on the bottom line of your business, and the
future of your company.
What is the leader's challenge? It is to recognize first that you are the
Communicator-in Chief. You must clearly communicate the mission, purpose and
plan so that it inspires people. This allows them to connect with their own
sense of purpose, to be a part of the solution. Just as Barack Obama intends
to harness the power of communication to spark creativity, ingenuity and
purpose, so too, must business leaders set this intention.
Copyright © 2009 Suzanne Bates, author of Motivate Like a CEO:
Communicate your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act!
Author Bio:
Suzanne Bates is author of Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate your
Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act! (McGraw Hill 2009) and the
best-seller Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting
Results. President and CEO of Bates Communications,
www.bates-communications.com she also writes The Power Speaker Blog
www.thepowerspeakerblog.com
January 2009
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