A Mr. Shmooze Classic:  The Great Communicator
(Written soon after President Reagan's death... a lesson from one of history's greatest communicators.)

Article Date: August 14, 2006

While contemporaries and historians will naturally have differing opinions about President Ronald Reagan's place in history, nearly everyone who knew him or heard him speak agrees on one thing... they liked him, personally.

Why was Reagan so "likeable?"  A very powerful clue was revealed during "Glasnost," when Gorbachev invited Reagan to speak to the Russian people over national television.  After the speech, the majority of the people interviewed -- even though they did not understand English and had to rely on translation -- said things like, "he looked much friendlier than I imagined."  "He seemed very sincere."  "He looked like a man I could trust."

What can we learn from Ronald Reagan that we can apply to our craft, this week, to improve our production?  Several keys come to mind.

• Reagan started almost every meeting with a good story.  He understood the power of humor in helping people to relax and let their guard down a notch.  Tip O'Neill said Reagan was the best storyteller he ever met.
• Reagan understood the self-fulfilling power of optimism.  He studied Franklin D. Roosevelt's efforts during the Great Depression and was profoundly influenced by FDR's ability to lift people's spirits through optimistic presentations ("The only thing we have to fear is... fear itself").
• As a professional speaker, Reagan made great use of the power of "the pause" in his presentations.  Top litigators know this technique.  "The truck swerved to the left, almost turned over, then... (pause for two or three seconds)... slammed into my client's SUV at 60 miles per hour."
• Finally, Reagan had a wonderful natural pace to his speaking... around 140 words per minute.  Like FDR's fireside chats, he wasn't lecturing at us, he was talking with us, in a way that felt very personal and trustworthy.

Ronald Reagan was the ultimate inspirational figure for those of us who communicate for a living.  Yes, he was an historic figure, but at the base of it all was his ability to make people feel good about themselves on the personal level.  He was the ultimate communicator, and a great model for us to keep in mind as we pursue our craft.

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