Vocal talent aside, why was Obama's performance so much more compelling?
Obama's "Let's Stay Together" conveyed real emotion, while Romney's "America the Beautiful" did not. Romney led the song, while Obama sang the song. And the audience immediately felt the difference.
From the Green Room: If you want to convey emotion, be a singer, not a song-leader. Emotions are contagious. The surest way to get your audience to feel a certain way, is if they feel the emotion coming from you.
Listen to how Michelle Bachmann responds to her introduction at the opening Iowa Caucus Night Speech:
Brad gives her a rousing introduction which he ends by saying that Bachmann:
"...pound for pound is the toughest person in Washington, DC."
Bachmann proceeds to take all the energy out of his words when she says:
"I was introduced in all 99 counties counties with that same phrase, "pound for pound."
From the Green Room: No matter how embarrassed or annoyed you are by a on overly flattering, repetitive, or lengthy introduction, don't express this publicly. You will only undermine yourself.
To avoid this problem in the first place, take time to go over introduction beforehand. People are almost always happy for the speaker to give guidance on this.
Watch New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees' speech, after breaking Dan Marino's single season passing record:
Notice how he rarely speaks about his own feelings and accomplishments, but instead focuses on the roles played by everyone else. Not only does this show tremendous moral character, but it is a much more compelling and exciting speaking style.
From the Green Room: As much as possible, substitute "you" for "I."
For example, try to avoid beginning a speech by saying something like "I'm honored to be here." Instead, begin with a "you" statement: "Each one of you made this day possible."
Sarah Gershman is president of Green Room Speakers, a presentation skills training company based in Washington, DC.
Sarah teaches people how to craft and deliver knockout presentations.
Recent clients include Microsoft, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Department of Treasury Executive Institute, the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, InsideNGO, Perseus LLC, Dechert LLP, HOK, the National Council on Teacher Quality, the Embassy of Canada, So Others Might Eat (SOME), UJA Federation of New York, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Red Cross, AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, the Society for Mechanical Engineers, the Kauffman Foundation, DMB Pictures, the Kauffman Foundation, the St. Louis Jewish Federation, and the US Department of Justice.
Sarah combines more than 15 years of classroom teaching experience with a strong background in theater.
Sarah is a Wexner Graduate Alumni Fellow and has a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University and a Masters in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
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