The
Old Coot pans public speakers
By
Merlin Lessler
Public
speakers need public speaking lessons. It’s embarrassing to watch. Take a politician (they do most of the blah,
blah, yacking) standing at a podium to talk about a new bill he or she is
introducing. Something they claim to be passionate about. They constantly look
down at their speech notes, saying something like. “I am so (looks down)
pleased to introduce Bill number (looks down) S-527, which will (looks down)
once and for all, revitalize our small businesses.
It's
especially annoying when they are expressing sympathy for the victims of a mass
shooting. You have to read notes, to say how sad you feel for the victims and
their families? Really? (You can’t just speak from the heart?)
It’s
not just politicians – It’s police chiefs, CEO’s, school superintendents and
many other public spokespersons. Put a podium in front of them, and their head
starts bobbing. Speakers who use tele-prompters are just as annoying, staring
off into space as they speak.
Football
coaches don’t use notes when interviewed at half time and are asked, “What does
your team need to do to get back in the game?” Then comes the typical response.
“We have to move the ball down the field and put some points on the board.”
DUH! Maybe THEY should have notes to come up with more relevant responses. Those
reporters need lessons too, so they can ask questions that don’t evoke stupid answers.
Anyhow,
public speaking and public questioning need a revamp. It’s a social skill that
was taught in grade school in my day. We were made to stand and answer a
question or go to the front of the class and give an oral report on a book we
read. Or, in my case, to explain to the class why it wasn’t acceptable to send
spit balls through a straw to the girls side of the room. I learned to speak in
front of an audience, but not to stop sending spit balls.
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