Allow me to engage in some straight talk … I didn’t want to watch Senator John McCain’s speech tonight. But since I believe lessons in public speaking can be learned from every speech, I forced myself to watch.
This was a much better speech than the one he gave in front of the dreadful green backdrop a few months back. He’s certainly improved. That being said, McCain was average tonight. The speech was well written, but McCain lacked the ability to deliver it the way it was written. His timing and rhythm were non existent.
Still, McCain did have his moments. When he told the story of his capture, McCain was most comfortable. At that point, it became less about the speech and more about sharing his story with the audience. When that happened, he connected. His final rally cry to fight was quite a surprise. I was actually moved.
So what lesson can be learned from McCain’s speech tonight? Share from the heart and you’re more likely to connect with your audience.
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