Say It Like Obama
Book

Say It Like Obama

The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision

Shel Leanne
McGraw-Hill, 2008

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

President Barack Obama’s considerable ability to capture people’s attention and move them to action is closely tied to his exceptional oratorical skills. But how exactly does he do it? Shel Leanne, president of a leadership development firm, dissects Obama’s powerful speaking style and shows how it is integral to his entire leadership package. Using examples from Obama’s speeches, she explains how you can improve your own communication and leadership capabilities. The book is practical and readable, although repetitive, and it would have been even more useful had the designer set off the speech excerpts more clearly from the rest of the text. getAbstract considers this work essential for any aspiring speaker’s library. Even if you never become president of the U.S., you will probably find yourself in front of a group of colleagues, employees or students whom you need to impress.

Summary

Words That Resonate

Separating Barack Obama’s leadership skills from his talent as one of the most accomplished speakers of the current era is difficult. Observers have compared Obama’s oratorical skills to those of Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. His speaking style is charismatic, magnetic and energizing, and it enabled him to attract a wide following after his exceptional address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and to leap to the front of the 2008 Democratic presidential race.

Many qualities make Obama a particularly compelling orator. His messages are uplifting. He has great control over his baritone voice and uses different tones to express optimism, determination or anger. He understands symbols and rhetorical structures. In short, he has married his vision and goals to mastery of his delivery style, connecting with millions of people.

Obama’s Speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

When then-Senator Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, he faced the largest audience of his career to that point. After his friend...

About the Author

Shel Leanne is president of the Wishel Corporation, a leadership development firm. She has worked for McKinsey & Company and Morgan Stanley, and taught at Harvard University. She is the author of //How to Interview Like a Top MBA. //

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