The Well-Spoken Woman (36 page)

In time you will develop your own writing style just as speakers develop a signature speaking style. Maya Angelou described the experience of writing the poem for President Clinton's inauguration ceremony as all consuming, saying: “I have a sensation that a nation is looking over my shoulder.” After weeks of reading the words of scholars and listening to advice, she carried out her writing routine of sequestering herself in a hotel room with a thesaurus, bottle of sherry, playing cards, and numerous yellow legal pads. The result—in longhand—was the much-heralded “On the Pulse of Morning.”

Q. I am an introvert. How can I work up the courage to speak at an office meeting?

The experts say extroverts “speak to think” while introverts “think to speak.” An extrovert will start talking before she knows what she wants to say. As a result, it often takes her a while to make a point, whereas an introvert will think carefully about what she wants to say before she opens her mouth. The latter approach is excellent preparation for presentations and reduces the likelihood of a gaffe.

Introverts need to give themselves extra time to mull over what they will say before a presentation. With plenty of time to organize thoughts and practice aloud, you can keep your stress level in check. You'll also need additional time after the presentation to decompress. The act of speaking is much more draining for introverts, as more time is required to analyze what transpired and how the audience reacted. Learn to manage modesty
by preparing to share something about your background, expertise, and accomplishments. As uncomfortable as it may feel, the presentation is as much about you as it is about your ideas.

Q. I have the opportunity to introduce a notable figure in my field. How can I do a stellar job?

It can be nerve-racking to prepare and deliver an introduction for someone you admire and respect. What do you leave in? What do you take out? How personal should it be? At all costs, avoid relying on clichés: “Our guest today is a speaker who needs no introduction.” A long-winded recitation of the speaker's résumé and biographical background will drain the life out of the room.

A well-executed introduction sets the stage for the presenter, who will be grateful that you made an extra effort. Craft the introduction around four critical questions: What is the speaker's topic? How is the topic relevant to the audience? Why is the speaker qualified to deliver the topic? What is your relationship to the speaker? By addressing these questions, you motivate the audience to listen and reinforce the speaker's credentials.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke of the “certain kinship” she shares with Madeleine Albright at the ceremony to unveil Albright's official portrait. Rice said if she had remained a music major, she might have ended up “playing at Nordstrom or a piano bar.” It was Albright's father who “opened up a world to me that I never would have known” when she enrolled in his international politics course.
¹

If you haven't met the speaker, search the Internet. Take a minute to chat with her—what are her hobbies and passions? Ask colleagues for suggestions—perhaps they can share a humorous anecdote. Your research will ensure that the introduction conveys sincerity and authenticity. If you are unsure about the correct pronunciation of the speaker's name, ask in advance. It is amateurish to do it while you are making the introduction.

Q. What are some additional resources for viewing speeches by well-spoken women?

It is likely you can watch the women you admire online. The convention speeches by Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan, Sarah Palin, Elizabeth Dole, and Hillary Clinton are all available.
YouTube.com
is an excellent source for interviews and short talks with women in business, the nonprofit sector, and government.

A website that features “riveting talks by remarkable people” is
TED.com
. The presenters at TED conferences have twenty minutes to share their “ideas worth spreading” on technology, global issues, entertainment, science, and a host of other themes. Melinda Gates, Amy Tan, Eve Ensler, Anna Deavere Smith, Temple Grandin, and Doris Kearns Goodwin are among the many featured women.

The Iowa State University Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics (
http://www.las.iastate.edu/cattcenter/
) has an online archive of women's political communication. It contains a virtual collection of political speech texts and a videotape collection of political campaign commercials.

 

 

L
ucy Stone, who was the first and for many years the only woman in America to campaign full-time for women's rights, inspired this book. Nothing could stop “Locomotive Lucy.” When doused with cold water midspeech, Stone picked up her shawl and finished the talk. When spattered with egg, she challenged the listeners to rid their minds of her spoken truths as easily as she wiped away the sticky mess. When confronted with skepticism and anger, she disarmed her detractors with a well-reasoned argument and good humor. Stone's courageous determination to devote her life to “speak for the women” makes her the well-spoken woman's woman.

The insight and advice of kind and talented people sustained this effort. There is no one happier that it is finished than my husband, Paul Hagen, who provided tons of editing suggestions. His unconditional emotional support was there even when he had other demands on his time, which was nearly every day for two years. My friend Sacha Millstone is a special person with the ability to believe in you more than you believe in yourself and the willingness to tirelessly tell you so. Sacha is the ultimate connector who links people with ideas to those who can get the job done. My sister, Lisa Hanson, is a reality touchstone. There aren't many who will repeatedly give you a diplomatic but honest response to the question “Is this stupid, or what?”

Barbara Lee is an extraordinary woman who has devoted herself to lifting up all women through her support for the arts and her commitment to social justice. Barbara and I have a shared passion for electing the first woman president. Gloria Steinem has so much to teach us all. I am grateful for her generosity, and the mere thought of her committing outrageous acts and fomenting everyday rebellion brings a smile. Ann Richards liked to say, “You dance with the one that brung ‘ya,” and Jane Danowitz of the Women's Campaign Fund provided me with an early home in the women's community in Washington, DC.

Kersti Frigell is a Boulder, Colorado-based artist who created the wellspoken women portraits and illustrations in this book, including the cover. Nearly thirty drawings were produced on a tight deadline, all while Kersti reassured me that it was “no problem” to send the latest request right away. My thanks to the team at Prometheus Books for their belief in the relevance of the subject matter. Literary agent Gail Ross at the Ross Yoon Agency took on a first-time author, even when we were told a book about the presentation styles of famous men would sell better. Some of the most rewarding training experiences in my career have come through my association with Michael Sheehan Associates. My thanks to Michael and to Joanna Caplan, Deb McGraw, and Sara McLaren for all of our shared adventures.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing the book was the opportunity to “interview” really cool women who shared their perspectives from behind and in front of the stage curtain: Suze Orman, Tammy Baldwin, Shirley Bloomfield, Debbie Coffey, Vinca LaFleur, Isabelle Goetz, Jill Alper, Amy Weiss, Celinda Lake, and Ann Lewis.

Many thanks to the friends and colleagues who pointed me in the right direction and who gave pointed, much appreciated feedback: Kathy Beusterien, Allida Black, Matt Burgess, Julie Burton, Amy Conroy, Pearse Edwards, Becky Fleischauer, Amy Greene, Page Harrington, Adrienne Kimmell, Mac McCorkle, Bill Murat, Ruya Norton, Lenny Santiago, Bar-bara Shaw, Traci Siegel, Joan Wages, and Nord Wennerstrom. And, thanks to Elizabeth Johnson and Erin Williams for assisting with research and data collection.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

1
. Sari Bashi and Maryana Iskander, “Why Legal Education Is Failing Women,”
Yale Journal of Law and Feminism
18 (2006): 389.

CHAPTER 1: THE WELL-SPOKEN WOMAN PERSONA

1
. Suze Orman, interview with the author, December 30, 2010.

2
. Ann Richards and Peter Knobler,
Straight from the Heart: My Life in Politics and Other Places
(New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989), p. 26.

3
. Ibid., p. 62.

4
. Leslie Stahl, interview by Walter Scott,
Parade Magazine
, October 10, 2010,
http://www.parade.com/celebrity/personality-parade/2010/10/10/lesley-stahl-60-minutes.html
.

5
. Bart Barnes, “Dorothy I. Height, Founding Matriarch of U.S. Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 98,”
Washington Post
, April 21, 2010,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042001287.html
.

6
. Holly Gleason, “Dolly Parton: Here I Come Again,”
Saturday Evening Post
, October 1, 1989.

7
. Dolly Parton, interview by Bob Edwards,
Morning Edition
, NPR, September 24, 2002.

8
. Mike Shropshire and Frank Schaefer,
The Thorny Rose of Texas: An Intimate Portrait of Governor Ann Richards
(Secaucus, NJ: Carol Publishing Group, 1994), p. 225.

9
. Ann Oldenburg, “Lady Gaga Explains Her VMA Raw Meat Dress,”
USA Today
, September 13, 2010,
http://www.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2010/09/lady-gaga-explains-her-vma-raw-meat-dress/1/
.

10
. Shropshire and Schaefer,
The Thorny Rose of Texas
, p. 213.

11
. Richards and Knobler,
Straight from the Heart
, p. 23.

12
. Ann Richards, “The Keynote Address,” speech, Democratic National Convention, Atlanta, GA, July 19, 1988,
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/19/us/text-richards.html
.

13
. Ann Richards, “Welcoming Remarks,” speech, Women's Campaign Research Fund Conference, Austin, TX, September 27, 1991.

14
. Liz Carpenter, “How to Write a Speech,”
Texas Monthly
, July 2003,
http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2003-07-01/howto4/
.

15
. Ann Richards, interview by Morley Safer,
60 Minutes
, CBS, October 27, 1991.

16
. Margaret Chase Smith, “Declaration of Conscience,” speech, US Senate Floor, Washington, DC, June 1, 1950,
http://www.mcslibrary.org/program/library/declaration.htm
.

17
. Margaret Chase Smith, story produced by Joe Richman and Samara Freemark,
All Things Considered
, NPR, October 16, 2008.

18
. Jay Conger and Nancy Rothbard, “Orit Gadiesh: Pride at Bain & Co. (B),” supplement,
Harvard Business Review
, no. 494047-PDF-ENG, September 9, 1993.

19
. Molly Ivins, “Remembering Ann Richards,”
Truthdig
, September 15,2006,
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060915_molly_ivins_remembering_ann_richards/
.

20
. Ann Richards, “Commencement Address,” speech, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, May 28, 1995,
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/csj/950605/richards.html
.

21
. Evan Thomas, “Transition: Ann Richards,”
Newsweek
, September 25, 2006,
http://www.newsweek.com/2006/09/24/transition-ann-richards-73.html
.

CHAPTER 2: THE CONFIDENCE CONUNDRUM

1
. Thomas Jefferson, letter to Samuel Kercheval, September 5, 1816, in
The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia
, ed. John P. Foley (New York and London: Funk & Wagnalls, 1900), entry 7284.

2
. Tina Fey, “Acceptance Speech for Mark Twain Prize,” Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, November 15, 2010,
http://video.pbs.org/video/1645426185/
.

3
. Tina Fey, interview by Walter Scott,
Parade Magazine
, November 28, 2010.

4
. Indra Nooyi, “Commencement Address,” speech, Columbia University Business School, New York, May 15, 2005.

5
. Ann Curry, interview by Jimmy Fallon,
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
, NBC, May 27, 2010.

6
. Sudipto Dey, “I Am Proud to Call US My Home,”
Economic Times
, May 20, 2005,
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2005-05-20/news/27494483_1_pepsico-president-indra-k-nooyi-finger/
.

7
. “Indra Nooyi at the Asia Society (with Vishakha Desai),” YouTube video, 1:10, from Asia Society President's Forum Interview, filmed April 14, 2009, posted by “asiasociety,” July 15, 2009,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJW9IhH2g8w/
.

8
. Indra Nooyi, “Keynote on Women in Business,” speech, Catalyst Awards Conference, New York, April 9, 2008.

9
. Patricia Scileppi Kennedy and Gloria Hartmann O'Shields,
We Shall Be Heard: Women Speakers in America, 1828-Present
(Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 1993), p. 45.

10
. Robin S. Doak.
Dolores Huerta: Labor Leader and Civil Rights Activist
(Minneapolis: Compass Point Books, 2008), p. 86.

11
. Michael McCarthy, “Erin Andrews Interview: I Need to Find My Smile Again,”
USA Today
, March 29, 2010,
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/mccarthy/2010-03-29-andrews-interview_N.htm
.

12
. Samantha Smith, letter to Yuri Andropov, December 1982,
http://www.samanthasmith.info/samantha's_letter1.htm
.

13
. Shirley Chisholm, “Presidential Campaign Announcement,” speech, Concord Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY, January 27, 1972.

14
. Paul Kane, “Pelosi Makes History and Enemies as an Effective House Speaker,”
Washington Post
, May 2, 2010,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/02/AR2010050202769_pf.html
.

15
. Manuel Foig-Franzia, “Credit Crisis Cassandra,”
Washington Post
, May 26, 2009,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/25/AR2009052502108.html
.

16
. “Brooksley Born Honored with JFK Profile in Courage Award,” video, 09:07,
NECN.com
, May 18, 2009,
http://www.necn.com/searchNECN/search/v/39581252/brooksley-born-honored-with-jfk-profile-in-courage-award.htm
.

17
. “Conversation with Indra Nooyi SOM 80,” YouTube video, 37:01, from Yale School of Management Leaders Forum Lecture Series, posted by “YaleUniversity,”May 3, 2010,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-msw7mJPF6A/
.

CHAPTER 3: THE VOICE

1
. Caroline Kennedy, “Tribute to Ted Kennedy,” speech, Edward Kennedy Memorial Service, Boston, August 28, 2009.

2
. Kathleen Hall Jamieson,
Beyond the Double Bind: Women and Leadership
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), p. 81.

3
. Andrea Moore Kerr,
Lucy Stone: Speaking Out for Equality
(New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1992), p 44.

4
. David M. Halbfinger, “Gillibrand Gets the Gavel on Big Stage,”
New York Times
, July 13, 2009,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/nyregion/14gillibrand.html
.

5
. Michelle Cottle, “Senator Surprise,”
Newsweek
, January 23, 2011,
http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/23/senator-surprise.html
.

6
. Albert Mehrabian,
Silent Messages: Implicit Communication of Emotions and Attitudes
(Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1971).

7
. Ibid., pp. 56, 50.

8
. Mary Beth Rogers,
Barbara Jordan: American Hero
(New York: Bantam Books, 1998), p. 41.

9
. Eva Ramos, “Interview with Barbara Jordan, 1992,” YouTube video, 6:16, posted by “sawndiddle,” April 25, 2008,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBqDprWP8p8/
.

10
. Mary Beth Rogers,
Barbara Jordan: American Hero
(New York: Bantam Books, 1998), p. 61.

11
. Barbara Jordan, “Statement on the Articles of Impeachment,” speech, US House Judiciary Committee, Washington, DC, July 25, 1974,
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barbarajordanjudiciarystatement.htm
.

12
. Emily Bronte, “High Waving Heather ‘neath Stormy Blasts Bending,” in
The Complete Poems of Emily Bronte
, ed. Clement King Shorter and William Robertson Nicoll (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1908).

13
. Barbara Jordan, “The Keynote Address,” speech, Democratic National Convention, New York, July 12, 1976,
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barbarajordan1976dnc.html
.

CHAPTER 4: STAND UP STRAIGHT

1
. Michelle Obama, “International Olympic Committee Address,” speech, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 2, 2009.

2
. Robin Givhan, “First Lady's Olympian Effort Falls Short: But Her Impassioned Appeal Earns Plaudits,”
Washington Post
, October 3, 2009,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/02/AR2009100205214.html
.

3
. Ed Henry, “Michelle Obama Steals the Show in Copenhagen,”
CNN.com
, October 2, 2009,
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-10-02/politics/michelle.obama.olympics_1_ioc-members-michelle-obama-olympic-flame?_s=PM:POLITICS
.

4
. Pat Summitt and Sally Jenkins,
Reach for the Summit: The Definite Dozen System for Succeeding at Whatever You Do
(New York: Broadway Books, 1998), pp. 12-13.

5
. Ibid., p. 68.

6
. Ibid., p. 109.

7
. Ibid., p. 223.

8
. Ibid., p. 24.

CHAPTER 5: MINDING THE MESSAGE

1
. Patricia Sellers, “Melinda Gates Goes Public,”
CNNMoney.com
, January 7, 2008,
http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/04/news/newsmakers/gates.fortune/index.htm
.

2
. Tony Hayward, press conference, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Port Fourchon, LA, May 31, 2010.

3
. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center, “Greenhouse Gases: Frequently Asked Questions,” updated February 23, 2010,
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html
.

4
. Perry Bacon Jr., “Language Lessons for Democrats, from the Political Brain of Drew Westen,”
Washington Post
, May 18, 2010,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/17/AR2010051703823.html
.

5
. Steve Lohr and Stephanie Strom, “No Longer in Shadow, Melinda Gates Puts Her Mark on Foundation,”
New York Times
, July 6, 2006,
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/06/us/06gates.html
.

6
. Alan Houston Monroe,
Principles and Types of Speech
, 4th ed. (Chicago: Scott Foresman, 1955), p. 307.

7
. Frank I. Luntz,
Words that Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
(New York: Hyperion, 2007), p. 167.

8
. Dan Morse, “At Komen Race, Breast Cancer Fundraisers Wear the Cause Proudly,”
Washington Post
, June 6, 2010,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/05/AR2010060502953.html
.

9
. Melinda and Bill Gates, “Why We Are Impatient Optimists,” speech, Sidney Harman Hall, Washington, DC, October 27, 2009,
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/livingproofproject/Pages/impatient-optimists-speech.aspx
.

CHAPTER 6: PREPLANNED SPONTANEITY

1
. John F. Dickerson and Nancy Gibbs, “Campaign 2000: Elizabeth Unplugged,”
Time
, May 17, 1999,
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990969,00.html
.

2
. Robert J. Dole and Elizabeth Hanford Dole (with Richard Norton Smith and Kerry Tymchuk),
Unlimited Partners: Our American Story
(New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996), p. 91.

3
. Ibid., p. 51.

4
. Ibid., p. 90.

5
. Kerry A. Goodenow, “Elizabeth H. Dole,”
Harvard Crimson
, May 27, 2010,
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/5/27/dole-harvard-government/
.

6
. Molly Meijer Wertheimer and Nichola D. Gutgold,
Elizabeth Hanford Dole: Speaking from the Heart
(Westport, CT: Praeger, 2004), p. 20.

7
. David A. Peoples,
Presentation Plus: David Peoples' Proven Techniques
, 2nd ed. (New York John Wiley and Sons, 1992), p. 124.

8
. Elisabeth Bumiller, “We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint,”
New York Times
, April 26, 2010,
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoint.html
.

9
. Ibid.

CHAPTER 7: WELL-WRITTEN IS WELL-SPOKEN