Show emotions, but stay in control
Recently, US President Barack Obama gave a public speech on the subject of "gun control" in the presence of numerous media representatives. When he spoke about school shootings with numerous deaths among young students, his emotions and grief could not be overlooked.
At some points in his speech, he could no longer speak, had to pause and fought back tears. He didn't quite win the "battle" and all the media present as well as the TV viewers could see his tears.
Many people around me have since asked me: Is a politician, a president, and one of the most powerful men in the world, allowed to cry in public?
My clear answer to this: Yes, he may. Yes, he should! A politician, including the President of the United States, must be allowed to show emotions. After all, voters don't want robots at the various points of power, but people with feelings with whom they can identify.
It should be noted in the case of emotional demonstrations in public, however, always one thing: whether they are appropriate for the occasion. Anyone who expresses his deep concern with the families of the students in this way will certainly not have to fear any loss of power in the public image. Such a politician then comes across as more positive as "one of us". In addition, Barack Obama – see for yourself in the video – had his facial features as well as his voice under control at all times, his facial expressions did not derail, he continued to speak. Albeit slower and more concentrated. He was master of his feelings at every moment, but allowed himself to show them! Despite all the sensitivity he demonstrated, he always seemed strong, powerful and powerful. However, a real outburst of tears with sobs or even a crying fit in front of the media and cameras would have a completely different, certainly more negative effect and could indicate weakness ...
How to do it in other words, not to lose complete control of a situation despite all the emotions? To do this, it is important to act as professionally as possible and in compliance with all important rules of public appearance. But only those people who regularly work on their appearance and also on optimizing their voice can do this. If you deal with it constantly and intensively, you will succeed in creating an effective and convincing appearance even in a very emotional situation.
The participants of my In seminars and coaching sessions, I always say: Show your true feelings in front of an audience, be completely yourself – but still know at all times what you are doing and, above all, how you are doing it! If you take this to heart and know the rules of good body language and a powerful voice, you can cry in front of your audience.
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Arno Fischbacher
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The author:
Arno Fischbacher is a business voice coach and rhetoric expert, speaker and author. He prepares executives and employees of the top companies in Germany and Austria for negotiations, presentations and media appearances. Fischbacher is the author of several books, past president of the German Speakers Association (GSA) Austria, chairman of the European Network of Voice Experts, stimme.at.
If you would like to learn more about specific training opportunities with Arno Fischbacher, make an appointment here free information talk.
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