Lessons from Barack Obama on communication

After two terms, Barack Obama distinguished himself with his successful administration. Check out lessons from Barack Obama to apply to your own life!

The importance of knowing how to communicate – one of Barack Obama's main lessons.

Clarity and objectivity are key to any successful speech. And the former president knows the importance of these aspects better than anyone!

In every event he has participated in – such as speeches and TV programs – since his presidential campaign, Barack has always known how to use these points to captivate his audience.

Furthermore, by demonstrating confidence and mastery of the topics discussed, along with his oratory skills, Obama became a benchmark when it comes to communication.

Building a "brand"

The impact of Obama's administration is something that should always be highlighted when discussing modern politics.

Unlike the more serious style Americans were used to, Obama knew how to build a persona where, despite dealing with serious issues that politics demands, he knew how to break with convention through his relaxed manner.

By constructing this persona, the politician helped generate greater identification with his voters, creating a sense of closeness, even though he held a position as unattainable as the president of the United States.

This only serves to highlight the power of good image building.

Consistency between speech and gestures.

You may like Obama or not, but one thing you have to admit: He possesses an enviable gestural posture, one that few politicians still have today.

He knows how to conduct a conversation that ranges from more relaxed topics to more serious subjects without exaggerating his demeanor.

Another very striking characteristic of the former president's personality is his oratory skills.

By maintaining an appropriate pace in his speeches, Obama manages to keep his audience following his line of reasoning and understanding where he is going with this while communicating with the public.

Another tool frequently used by politicians, and one that proves very effective, is to make good use of pauses between speeches to emphasize the most important topics and messages, such as when presenting data and figures, for example.

Embrace simplicity – a lesson from Barack Obama that you should implement now!

Have you noticed that most people, when giving a public speech, always try to use difficult words? And often, instead of making things easier, this only serves to hinder understanding?

It doesn't take much effort to understand the messages that Obama wanted – and still wants, now in his post-presidency appearances – to convey in his speeches.

This is because, when speaking to large crowds, Obama always made a point of using simple vocabulary that was easy for everyone in his audience to understand, regardless of their cultural or social background.

This fact, despite being very simple, makes his speeches clearer and easier to understand, both for listeners with a high intellectual level and for those who do not have an advanced education.

In addition to facilitating the transmission of the message he wants to convey, this attitude also reinforces the feeling of closeness, making it seem as if he is speaking directly to each of the viewers.

This is an interesting stance to take, even in our daily lives.

The power of feedback

No one is born with great oratory skills. It's something you acquire through a lot of practice.

And for improvement to happen, the famous feedback sessions are necessary. To achieve this, always seek the opinion of someone you trust – it could be a family member, a friend, or a coworker – who can provide feedback on your performance.

It is through this feedback that you will gradually be able to better structure your public speaking skills. But remember: always seek someone who will give you an honest opinion and help you improve more and more.

Relaxing is a very important step.

Did you know that the pre-speech stage can be just as important as the speech itself?

It may seem like an exaggeration, but giving due importance to a restful and worry-free routine in the day/hours leading up to the speech can make all the difference in your success.

During his first debate, Obama faced a series of setbacks, preventing him from following his usual relaxing routine: His flight was delayed, he couldn't have a proper meal, and to top it all off, he was anxious before bed.

For their second debate, Michelle Obama took charge of the situation and informed the entire team that her husband needed to follow his pre-debate routine in a structured manner.

And that has become routine ever since.

Conclusion on the lessons of Barack Obama

Although most of us don't deal with debates and speeches constantly, working on public speaking skills is a practice that should be part of everyone's routine.

By improving this skill, we improve our communication as a whole.

Therefore, tips like these are valid in all contexts and can be adapted to fit any daily routine, whether you work from 8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday, or are governing the world's greatest power.

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Nathalia Silva

Journalist, writer, and lover of words.

October 5, 2021