I tuned in to parts of C-SPAN's coverage of the Senate's debate on the Iraq war resolution on Saturday. While the comments ranged from the high-minded to the lowbrow, there was one performance that caught my attention.
Sen. Judd Gregg (R - N.H.) made me think I was watching a tennis match. He paced incessantly, taking two steps to his left, two steps to his right, then repeating the process over and over. I felt like my head was on a swivel. It was such a distraction that I cannot remember the thrust of his argument.
Some speakers pace because they are nervous. If you fall victim to that distraction, find another outlet for your energy. Boost your vocal volume a bit or slightly increase your gestures, for instance.
It is fine to move as you speak (provided you are not delivering remarks behind a lectern). Just avoid leaving the impression that you are little more than a perpetual motion machine. Take two or three deliberate steps, then hold your position for a bit. Repeat as necessary. Who wants to be stuck with the nickname, Human Tennis Match?
And by all means, never EVER watch C-SPAN to learn how to speak in public. Poor gestures, poor punching, and pausing for dramatic effect every time they turn a page. As Eeyore would say, "Puuuuuh-THET-ic."
Posted by: Ike | February 20, 2007 at 01:01 PM