political communication

We Need To Talk About Romney

BY Ruth ShermanWed Feb 8, 2012

Mitt Romney’s front-runner status has been thrown into question once again after his triple loss in state primaries. For professional communicators, the reason for his difficulties is obvious--he doesn’t connect, and connecting is all about communicating. And in presidential election after presidential election, however, the candidate who connects best, wins.READ»

STATE OF THE UNION | Comment

The State Of The Union Address Is The Ultimate Master Class In Public Speaking

BY Ruth ShermanWed Jan 25, 2012

Rhetorical devices and flourishes play a big role in increasing impact and helping us remember what's been said, and President Obama is a master at using them. Learn advanced--yet simple--speaking techniques likes anaphora, anapest, and chiasmus by breaking down last night's State of the Union address (don't worry, we'll explain). READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

The 7 Greatest Communication Successes Of 2011

BY Ruth ShermanFri Dec 30, 2011

Media darlings and mavens of masterful storytelling who took center stage with aplomb in 2011.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

The 7 Worst Communications Failures Of 2011

BY Ruth ShermanThu Dec 22, 2011

Want a good lesson in how to tarnish your public image, put off your fan base, torpedo your career, or lose the trust of your clients? There's plenty to pick from in our annual list of 2011’s communication losers. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Why Newt Gingrich And Elizabeth Warren Are So Damned Persuasive

BY Ruth ShermanFri Dec 9, 2011

Left for dead only two months ago, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is now a front-runner for the GOP nomination. On the Democratic side, Elizabeth Warren has buzz of her own. The candidates couldn’t be more different, but both use tried and true communication techniques to connect with voters.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Preparation Is The Magic Bullet To Public Speaking Success

BY Ruth ShermanWed Oct 26, 2011

Preparation is where most people go wrong with public speaking. It is the biggest obstacle by far, and the most tedious and difficult part of the journey to becoming great at speaking and presenting. But it’s also the most necessary component of the process, so don’t ignore it.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Conflict For Its Own Sake Is Not An Option, But It Can Also Create Positive Change

BY Ruth ShermanThu Oct 6, 2011

People who don't engage in conflict don't commit.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Recipient Of Anthony Weiner Tweet Shows Media Mastery

BY Ruth ShermanMon Jun 6, 2011

I've been very interested in the ham-handedness with which Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York has managed his Twitter fiasco. But even more interesting is the way the recipient of the tweet, Gennette Cordova, a college journalism student in Washington, has handled her sudden brush with the proverbial "15 minutes."READ»

PUBLIC SPEAKING | Comment

Schwarzenegger And The Fragility Of A Personal Brand

BY Ruth ShermanThu May 19, 2011

I'm never surprised when famous people behave badly. They're only human after all, and their behavior is usually not any different from the population at large. (Watch my video on this topic here.) What continues to amaze me, ...READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Keeping It Short Takes Longer

BY Ruth ShermanMon Apr 18, 2011

Did you know it can take much longer to prepare a short presentation--I'm talking about something really tiny--than, say, a 30 or 40 minute or even 1 hour version?READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Congressional "Dating" and the Power of Symbolism

BY Ruth ShermanWed Jan 26, 2011

Congress decided to "mix it up" for the State of the Union address, to sit together instead of opposite sides of the aisle. It was even referred to as "dating," and fraught with the same social complexity and awkwardness teenagers encounter. This seemed like an empty gesture, but I was quite surprised by the outcome.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Sticks and Stones? No. Words Matter.

BY Ruth ShermanSun Jan 9, 2011

In the wake of the horrific shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, I've been thinking a lot about how the words that we've been using in our political discourse may have impacted the situation.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Holiday Greetings Game Change

BY Ruth ShermanTue Nov 30, 2010

I don't have the time, inclination, or energy to wrangle another 300 or so holiday cards, signatures, and stamps. Nor do I want to send the message of impersonal, mass-delivered inauthenticity. Thanks to the pervasiveness and ease of modern video technology, there is another option. READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

The Persuasion Formula: Take A Lesson From The Pols

BY Ruth ShermanSun Oct 24, 2010

When you're trying to persuade people to take action, identify a simple, powerful message and return to it as many times, and as emotionally, as you possibly can.READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

Wanna Lead? Learn How To Apologize

BY Ruth ShermanWed Jun 2, 2010

After being caught in a series of statements that allowed and encouraged people to believe he served in Vietnam, even though he honorably served in the Marine Corps Reserves during that time, Connecticut Attorney General and ...READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

Jobs, Obama Say, “Welcome To My World!”

BY Ruth ShermanThu Jan 28, 2010

Yesterday was a great day for me to watch and observe two great communicators deliver high-stakes presentations. Steve Jobs launched the much-anticipated iPad and Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union ...READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

Kanye West, Have You No Sense Of Decency?

BY Ruth ShermanMon Sep 14, 2009

Our communication with each other has unacceptably coarsened.READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

Powell, Giuliani, Montana, Forbes, L. Bush & Obama: Great Speakers, Great Motivators, Great Leaders

BY Ruth ShermanSat Sep 12, 2009

What do all these greats have in common? Read on to find out...READ»

COMMUNICATION | Comment

Two New Books You Should Read

BY Ruth ShermanMon May 25, 2009

I’ve just gotten done reading a couple of new books. The first, Where to Go From Here, by Douglas Campbell III, is a primer on how to manage your business -- and yourself. To Campbell, the personal is one with the ...READ»

POLITICAL COMMUNICATION | Comment

Our Obsession With Women's Looks Not Over Yet

BY Ruth ShermanMon Mar 9, 2009

Just when I was beginning to think our national obsession with women's looks was over, we have the ongoing discussion about Michelle Obama's arms. In Sunday's New York Times, Maureen Dowd told of discussions with her fellow columnist ...READ»