Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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Boris Johnson made a speech to the United Nations this week; highlighting the threat to our planet from climate change.
I haven't always found him to be a great political orator, but on this occasion, I thought his speech was both well-written and well-delivered. Of course, it's rare for leaders to write their own speeches. Many famous orations have been written by a team, or by a single expert political speechwriter. That's a topic for another newsletter.
In this speech, Mr Johnson managed the remarkable feat of quoting Sophocles, Oxford philosopher Toby Ord and Kermit the frog.
He used a powerful metaphor, likening the world to an adolescent who had to learn to grow up. Referring to the upcoming conference on climate change in Glasgow, COP26, he concluded by saying:
"I hope that COP26 will be a 16th birthday for humanity in which we choose to grow up, to recognise the scale of the challenge we face, to do what posterity demands we must, and I invite you in November to celebrate what I hope will be a coming of age and to blow out the candles of a world on fire."
Nicely done. I hope he is right. |
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Thank you so much for your donations to my fundraising appeal for Cancer Research. With your help, I exceeded my fundraising target.
Alas, after I had started the appeal, one of our very close friends was diagnosed with cancer, and sadly less than two months later, she passed away this week.
Whenever these things happen, they make you think about the fragility of life, and the importance of putting as much as possible into research to fight the things that can take it away.
I bid a very fond farewell to our friend Elaine. |
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 | Neil Mullarkey is a comedic genius who has been performing for more years than he'd like me to mention.
He is part of the inimitable Comedy Store Players, who have returned to live performances on Sunday evenings in The Comedy Store. There isn't a better night out in London.
Neil also created a character, based on the motivational speaking gurus that have delivered their ideas and exhortations over the years. L Vaughan Spencer has been quiet for a while, but is making a triumphant return to the stage on Monday October 4th at The Comedy Store.
So if you want to be inspired by the Gangsta Motivator, in his show "Don't be Needy, be Succeedy", book your ticket now. I will see you there!
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And there's also a terrific song from Rob Corcoran and the Necessary Evils |
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The MediaMaestro is veteran journalist Andrew Neil.
He left the BBC to help launch a new news channel, GB News. The launch was not without its problems, and the channel has struggled to position itself as a news source to rival BBC, ITN and Sky News.
However, I give credit to them for trying, and to Andrew Neil in particular for his efforts on their behalf.
But Mr Neil left the channel for a "break" a few weeks after launch, and recently announced that he would not return. He declined to say too much about his departure, simply asking people to judge for themselves. But the channel has not been so polite, as Mr Neil pointed out in a recent tweet.
I have the greatest respect for Mr Neil, hence my nomination for him this week. For GB News, I care somewhat less. |
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The MediaMug is Suriname Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk. He bought a football club. He told local media that he was naming the stadium after himself.
And on Tuesday, the 60-year-old decided to play himself in the CONCACAF League, North America and the Caribbean's version of the Europa League, against Honduras side Olimpia.
Not only that but he made himself captain and played for 54 minutes. His side lost 6-0, while Wikipedia claims he completed 14 of his 17 attempted passes.
However, any hopes that he would inspire an incredible comeback in the second leg have been dashed by Interpol.
That’s because, according to the local press, he’s wanted for ‘drug trafficking’ and can’t leave Suriname.
You couldn't make it up.
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Speaking Tip - How to introduce |
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Introducing a speaker sounds the easiest thing in the world. However, there are some simple guidelines which make things much more professional and efficient for everyone concerned. Here are some do's and don'ts if you are called on to make an introduction.
Don't: - Mention their name until the very end
- Give away their best story
- Use slides
- Mis-pronounce their name or title
- Read out a long, rambling introduction
- Act as though you've never heard of them
Do: - Ask the speaker in advance how they would like to be introduced
- Let the speaker know who you are
- Prepare a brief note, on a card, of the key points
- Conduct a technical rehearsal
- Walk through the movements on stage
- Smile
- Make sure that the last thing you say is the speaker's name. e.g "Will you please give a warm welcome to our main speaker - Alan Stevens"
A good introduction is brief, gains the attention of the audience, and prepares them to listen. Your job as introducer is to be a catalyst, not a performer
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Media Tip - How to make journalists love you |
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OK, steady on. I'm not talking about how to get a date with a journalist. I'm offering some advice on how to maintain a professional relationship with a member of the press, so that they will call you when they need a quote or an interview. Here are five ways:
1) Do your research. Just as a journalist will find out information about you, so should you about them. It's easy to check whether they are staff or freelance, where they used to work, what their interests are and what big stories they've worked on. They will be much more likely to remember you if you've taken the trouble to get to know them.
2) Be polite. Yes, this seems blindingly obvious, but in the hurry and flurry of a news story, simple politeness can be overlooked. Always say please and thank you.
3) Be truthful. You may get away with a lie in a live interview, but someone will spot it, and it will come back to bite you. If you don't know that something is true, don't say it.
4) Be reliable. If you say you're going to do something, do it. If you have promised to send more information, send it immediately. Always turn up ahead of time. In short, never let a reporter down.
5) Be easy to work with. Everyone likes to work with people who are fun to work with, and reporters are no exception. Smile, be welcoming, and make the experience a good one.
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Social Media Tip - Being liked is not enough |
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Every day, I see posts on Facebook from people that I know well, vaguely or not at all, asking me to "like" their page. Sometimes I do, but it really doesn't mean very much to me, and I hope it isn't a major focus of their social media strategy. The same seems to apply for the LinkedIn system of endorsements, where a single click can endorse you for a variety of skills.
Clicking the "like" button has become almost meaningless, and Facebook themselves have admitted that they have to remove fake likes from pages on a regular basis, having identified that they were "clicked' by automated software. So why do so many people obsess about "likes"?
It seems to me far better to encourage people to leave comments, ask questions and engage in debate. Of course, that's more work for you, since you have to be responding rather than counting the ticks. The advantage is that you not only develop a relationship with visitors, you also create advocates. They are people who will speak favourably of you on social media, and even represent your point of view.
So don't worry too much about "likes". Focus on creating raving fans.
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There's a wonderful music project called Playing for change, which brings together musicians and singers from around the world to collaborate on a song. Their latest video is a wonderful version of the Yusuf/Cat Stevens (no relation) song "Peace Train" |
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An online or in-person speech to make? I can help.
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The information in this ezine may be freely re-used in any online or offline publication, provided it is accompanied by the following credit line - "This information was written by Alan Stevens, and originally appeared in "The MediaCoach", his free weekly ezine, available at www.mediacoach.co.uk." |
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