Obamarama: Speechmaking As It Should Be Done

OK, no matter where you stand politically, you have to hand it to our just-a-month-into-the-job President Obama.  He gave what could be considered, by ordinary standards, the speech of his life last night but since he is Obama and has already given numerous speeches at that height of excellence, we'll just have to accept that it was extraordinary and leave it at that.

Considering his speech from the perspective of a leader in need of rallying his troops, let's see how he fared. 

One of the objectives, when monumental challenges confront an organization, is for its leader to create a sense of shared urgency.  Check.
Another objective is to acknowledge that there is a problem.  Probably several.  Maybe lots of them.  And that they are serious.  Check.
Another--and this is the tricky place where many fail--is to deliver the message that even though things are admittedly dire, the challenges can be overcome.  Check
And, finally, once you've convinced your audience that the challenges can be overcome, you have to sell them on the concept that they have to step up to be a part of the solution that will overcome the challenges: they can't stand by the sidelines and play devil's advocate.  Check.  Check.  Check.  (Yes, I know there are many people--some of them members of the US Congress--who fall into the camp of wanting Obama to fail.  But believe me, they are the dogs barking as the caravan moves on.)

Obama is a terrific public speaker who has gotten even better since he began his presidential campaign.  He modulates his voice so that appropriate drama is inserted when he wants to engage his audience emotionally.

Anyone teaching public speaking (I once did, to high school kids) could simply take the video of this speech, cut it into pieces, assign it to the class, and use it as the basis of an entire semester's course on how to go beyond reaching an audience to engaging an audience.  This man is a master of the ultimate in great public speaking: creating a conversation with the audience even when you are the only person talking.  That's the top level.  It means that each person in your audience feels you are talking directly to them...and they answer you in their heads.  Moreover, what you say next appears to be responsive to what they are thinking in their heads.  Few can do it.

He can. Well done, Mr. President.  You made us, once again, proud to be citizens of a country that despite terrible odds, has determined it will slog its way to the right solution.  And in the process, create jobs while improving the environment, fixing a broken health care system, educating all our kids properly and, yes, rehabilitating our infrastructure.

Whew.  I'm tired already and we've just gotten started.