Manage Well - Speeches Matter

Like many, I am a student of public talks – speeches: those times when public figures bring remarks for this or that occasion. I have even wondered what it might be like to teach a university course where each week we listen to speech and dissect it: what it meant; what difference it made – if any. And whether it made a difference for good. Or for the not-so-good.

Speeches are part of civic life. But those in leadership know it is not just politicians who do this. Business leaders have team meetings. Academic leaders have occasion to bring remarks to faculty and staff. And yet, we are likely most aware of those in public office where the speech is their primary currency.

On that score, Abraham Lincoln was a master of the art and in many respects the gold standard. But there are others who excelled at it: Kennedy and his “ask not . . . “ speech. Reagan and his “tear down this wall . . . “ remarks in Berlin. King Charles in his reflections to the Canadian parliament leading up to the speech from the throne in 2025. And more, of course.

This past week, two caught my attention. Mark Carney, after the Canadian World Cup win, in the team dressing room. Zohran Mandammi, at the end of the New York parade celebrating the win by the Knicks for the NBA championship. So very interesting to hear these remarks in the context of a major sporting event. And yet, if I were to teach such a course, I would likely include these two speeches as well and ask: what do we see and what do we learn about how to do this well? The one was offered to a small group in the team dressing room; the other on a major public stage in downtown New York. What can we all learn about how to use the opportunity to bring remarks to a situation?: remarks that are timely, encouraging and fitting. At the very least, I would note the following:

Keep it brief. The genius of Abe Lincoln was how much he said with so few words, in such a short speech. I wonder if a good rule of thumb is 12 minutes: keep it brief; keep it concise. Less is more. Avoid wordiness.

No platitudes or cliches or god-talk. I add the god-talk because in my religious circles this is often the default mode: God this and God that and we think that with this kind of reference to the Almighty we authenticate our own voice. That we speak for God. But such talk often clouds the issue and it is all soon forgotten. We can of course make reference to the Creator, but make it judicious: remarks and that can be owned by all hearers. Most of all, cut the jargon and the cliché – the platitudes that have no real meaning.

Keep to the facts. One of the great temptations in a speech is, well, two temptations. First, to overstate. To exaggerate. When we do, lose credibility quickly. The other temptation, is to speak of something that is false as though it is true. To gain political points. To play to the political base: to speak what we know is not true or not verified as a way to presumably get some traction with that base. The weakness of a major US figure claiming that Haitian immigrants were eating pets. Not verified. But it fostered the very thing he wanted to feed: anti-immigrant sentiment. A good public speaker is obsessed with the truth: naming reality; eager to have a journalist do the fact checking. It matters. Truth matters. Your credibility as a speaker is tied directly to the lack of cliché and attention to the truth.

At times, the Mandami speech seemed a little over the top – his excitement, his raised voice. But he was clearly obsessed with the facts: he repeated them often. Very precise. I will give him that.

It is not about you. For Lincoln it was the republic; it was not about him. For Reagan, it was the potential a strong and united post-war Europe. For Mark Carney it was the team. In his case, he could have almost given the very same speech if they has lost the match. It was all about character. The character qualities of the team. It was not about him – the prime minister. For Zandami, again a little over the top at times, but still, it was not about him: it was about the citizens of New York. And here too, though he was not as explicit as Carney, it was also about character. The character qualities of New Yorkers, exemplified by the team.

To young emerging leaders – in business, in the academy, in the church and in the public space – learn this art: to bring remarks, to provide comments, even a speech: to realize that it matters and that it is worth doing well. Keep it brief and concise. Avoid cliches, especially religious jargon. Keep to the facts: Do not overstate. Be easy to fact check. And remember that it is not about you or your reputation or your legacy. It is about those you are called to serve – your constituents.