Feature Article - May 2009

Cracked Credibility :

News Conference Put Pelosi's Leadership in Limbo

                                                                                                                                                  by Tom Davidson

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s careful countenance cracked on May 14 during a national news conference, spotlighting the dramatic connection between communication and credibility.

While the event was clearly intended to clarify timelines and to solidify her positions on “enhanced interrogation techniques,” it had nearly the opposite effect, clouding the torture issues and diminishing her standing with stakeholders of every stripe. 

This episode will become a case study of poor eloquence at an executive level, and it marks a derailing moment in Pelosi’s career.  Here is how her words and gestures were the Speaker’s undoing this month in the media so you can avoid this fate.

Words

A leader’s words are her weapons.  President Obama earned an international reputation for eloquence during his 2008 presidential campaign and beyond.  Previous presidents John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt were similarly gifted.  Of Winston Churchill, Edward R. Murrow once reported that “he   mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.”

Ms. Pelosi’s words were halting, circular, and exculpatory.  She had trouble putting them in plain English and had to refer to her written statement to ensure that she was consistent in her message.  Her key points should have come from memory and her heart, not the carefully chosen words of a script.  In addition, the content of her explanation was confusing and raised more questions about her actions and intentions than they answered, leaving listeners with serious doubts about her integrity, undermining her reputation almost beyond repair.

Gestures

Perhaps more damaging was her demeanor and delivery, which was characterized by nervous mannerisms and overt annoyance, not just at Republicans but at the media itself.  She repeatedly licked her lips, waved her hands incongruently, stumbled over her words, fumbled with papers, interrupted questioners, darted her eyes, and gulped repeatedly.  In addition, she parsed words, became defensive, and appeared generally desperate rather than in charge.

It may be some time before we fully understand “what she knew and when she knew it,” but a lesson in words and gestures is immediately apparent.  A leader’s credibility is her stock in trade, and it behooves every manager to speak plainly and deliver messages sincerely.

For more information on the linguistics of leadership, read Speak like Churchill, Stand like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History’s Greatest Speakers by James C. Humes.  In the meantime, say what you mean and mean what you say.  It’s your job, and your credibility is always at stake when you communicate.

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