Peter Mandelson - The Third Man, effective speaking and public speaking expert.
Peter Mandelson has been at the centre of British politics and shaping the Labour party for the last 15 years. Whether you agree with him or not, you cannot deny his very effective speaking, communication and public speaking abilities. Mandelson has just published his memoirs in his book The Third Man and not surprisingly they have created some controversy. His effective speaking abilities could be clearly seen when I went to an event in London organized by The Times and Foyles Bookshop. Times columnist James Harding interviewed Mandelson on stage and his performance was a brilliant example of both effective speaking and how to have an audience eating from your hand. When we want to know how to do something we no longer need to reinvent the wheel. We can simply role model an expert and in this case the expert at effective speaking and public speaking is Mandelson. What can we all learn from him regards effective speaking. There are seven important routes to effective speaking; it is clear that all seven of these paths where addressed as Peter answered James’ questions and those of the audience. This article concentrates on paths 1 and 4. Path 1- organisation Path 4- language This is how Peter Mandelson performed in these two areas of effective speaking technique; Path 1- He was brilliantly prepared and knew what he wanted to say. When questioned he took time to think what his answer would be rather than speaking straight away. The gap was approximately 2 to 4 seconds before he started speaking and this gave him plenty of time to think before replying. In addition in respect to planning, the interviewer, James Harding, made it clear that the questions from the floor where to be short and not statements or speeches. An example of effective speaking from the ‘Mr’ as well as the ‘Lord’. Path 4 – You did not need to know the content of his book or be knowledgeable about politics to understand the words and language used to get a lot from an evening with this effective speaking expert. For someone of his intellect, he still chose language which was easy to understand. Surprisingly he used self deprecating humour to good effect although he managed to make himself look good. This for me was one of the great insights and lessons that I learned from watching an effective speaking and public speaking master at work. So in conclusion what lessons can be learned? Pause before answering, stay calm, know your content, and use simple language peppered with humour, which appeals to your audience. If you do these things you will be proficient at effective speaking and public speaking. Learn the Art of Effective Speaking - Secrets and Strategies of the Very Best Speakers in the World. Go to www.thespeakingwell.co.uk to find out more.
