Beginner's Mind: Diary of a Speechwriter

Unspoken secrets from the Speechwriters Conference, pt. 2

There is nothing like buzzing around a hive of like-minded, beautifully long-winded colleagues – and I say that with love, believe me. The recent Ragan Speechwriters' Conference in Washington D.C. was one of those occasions. I learned a hell of a lot from these pros, and dollars to donuts they didn't even know how many subtle insights they were revealing.

While there were no panels titled “What kind of person you need to be”, "What you need to do" and "Who can help you", those were the three key takeaways that soaked into my bones over the course of the conference.

My last post touched on the personality types most suited to communications success. This week : What do you need to do to be a successful speechwriter and executive communicator?

Two simple words: Keep growing.

The best executive communicators are agile and versatile. They can spot holes in the leadership fabric and know how to patch them in creative and powerful ways. They don't sit on their butts or rest on their laurels (although we all need to rest on our butts every once in a while). "Keep reinventing yourself" is advice we are foolish to ignore, especially in this day and age.

Panelists discussing the similarities between corporate and political speechwriting hammered home this point: As communicators, we toil in a very fungible field. None of us has real job security (who does these days?) - leaders leave, teams churn, jobs evolve. It is up to each of us to enhance our value by continually expanding our craft.

Some of the most interesting sessions I attended at the conference included “How to create a TED talk” (Mike Field of Johns Hopkins), “How to make your executive into a thought leader” (Pete Weissman) and “How to coach your speaker” (Nick Morgan). These are examples of adding powerful creative value to our work as speechwriters. After all, we're writing speeches with the intent of communicating - exploring and mastering innovative avenues of communication makes us and our speakers look good. Plus it's a lot of fun.

This is yet another reason why coming to a conference like this one is so valuable: being around folks who do the same kind of work (much of which can be very solitary and isolating) rejuvenates and recharges me like nothing else.

Next time: Who can help you become the kind of speechwriter or executive communicator you want to be?

Pssst... wanna hear a secret?

The pros at last week's Ragan Speechwriter & Executive Communicators conference gave away buckets of trade secrets - maybe even a few more than they realized. Over two days at American University in D.C., about 250 of my closest friends and I immersed ourselves in panels and presentations on the techniques, tactics and strategies of effective communicators - how to be one and how to serve one.

After spending some seriously delightful quality time with my colleagues, I brought home three key insights on what it takes to be a successful speechwriter or executive communicator:

• What kind of person you need to be
• What you need to do
• What (and who) can help you

Let's take these one post at a time. This week: What kind of person do you need to be?

If folks like Grant Neely, Pete Weissman and Fletcher Dean are any indication, a successful speechwriter is open-hearted, kind, proactive and inquistive, with a fairly dry sense of humor. These were just three of the folks who stood out to me for being generous with their insights, anecdotes and advice. Speechwriting is so often a collaborative art and they seemed to have mastered that art – they know that by sharing information with each other, we are not just picking up tips in the moment. We are joyfully planting some mysterious seeds that will sprout at the strangest, most opportune times. The fertile ground of a conference like this one is the perfect garden to do some of that creative, spontaneous planting.

Stay open, stay eager. And while you're at it - stay hungry, stay foolish (thanks, Steve Jobs). And, of course, stay tuned for more speechwriting secrets from the Ragan conference. But remember, you didn't hear it from me.

Where is the rest of this speech?

I am reading the fascinating book "Switch" by Chip and Dan Heath, two wicked smart guys who, along with Malcolm Gladwell, make me think we just might get this meaning of life thing figured out one day after all.

"Switch" is subtitled "How to change things when change is hard." One of the first examples in the book is the story of Donald Berwick, now the U.S. administrator of Medicare and Medicaid. Several years ago, as leader of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Berwick set out to save 100,000 lives in 18 months simply by getting hospitals to follow six specific intervention protocols. He issued this challenge in a speech to a large group of hospital administrators in 2004. His speech ended with this vision of how success would look:

And, we will celebrate. Starting with pizza, and ending with champagne. We will celebrate the importance of what we have undertaken to do, the courage of honesty, the joy of companionship, the cleverness of a field operation, and the results we will achieve. We will celebrate ourselves, because the patients whose lives we save cannot join us, because their names can never be known. Our contribution will be what did not happen to them. And, though they are unknown, we will know that mothers and fathers are at graduations and weddings they would have missed, and that grandchildren will know grandparents they might never have known, and holidays will be taken, and work completed, and books read, and symphonies heard, and gardens tended that, without our work, would have been only beds of weeds.

Anyone know where I can find this speech in its entirety? I've searched online but no luck. I would love to read the rest of it, as I find this closing quite compelling. Apparently the audience did, too.

(Are you wondering if Berwick reached his ambitious goal to save 100,000 lives? Pick up a copy of "Switch" and see for yourself whether a speech can, in fact, change the world.)

What kind of writer are you?

Recent experience has borne out my theory that there are two kinds of writers, much as there are two kinds of artists and two kinds of musicians: those who create at the behest of others and those who create for themselves. Let's call them the Construction Workers and the Auteurs.

Perhaps because writing is such a solitary craft, the Writer as Auteur is society's paradigm for us. And there are probably few for whom the potential celebrity of writing holds no appeal whatsoever.

 But we freelance speechwriters toil mostly in the Worker trenches, writing because we feel compelled and excited to contribute our craft in service of another objective, and meeting that objective is why we're in the game. We enjoy being part of a team that's building something together.

A friend recently recounted a very arduous process of writing, rewriting, constant feedback and re-direction on a speech for a new client. While many would find this process arduous and downright distasteful, my friend actually appreciated the chance to revise and improve work that wasn't yet as good as it could be.

I agree that this kind of feedback loop can be killer, and with every round of revision there's another opportunity for some idiot to stumble in and totally screw things up. But in a collaborative endeavor, you try to stay open to that input and recognize when it has real value.

I tend to be someone who kind of enjoys slogging through this process IF I know that I'm on a competent team working toward a unified and admirable goal. And, of course, if the process doesn't continue indefinitely.

But what's the tipping point? How do you know when to switch from your Worker's hardhat back to your Auteur beret? When is enough enough?

In my experience as a freelance speechwriter, if all you're doing is the Hokey Pokey, it's time to stop the music. You need to lead your client forward in a new direction. After all, the reason things are stuck in a rut is because something's not working. People are looking for a solution, and you're the professional that's been charged with creating one. That's when your solo vision can save you and the project.

Of course, it can also get you fired. Such is life.

It's a balance, this delicate tension between self and service. Trying to keep that balance is part of what makes the speechwriting business so much fun.

The Speechwriter's 12 Days of Christmas

What's in your stocking, speechwriters? Grab a cup of joe, sit back and enjoy this little ditty I created about the gifts our speakers may bestow upon us. Happy holidays!

 

 

The best Sorensen tribute I've read

Thanks to Alvin Felzenberg at US News & World Report for this insightful tribute that demonstrates a profound appreciation for and understanding of the counselor relationship that Sorensen shared with Kennedy. Time-intensive and totally dependent on a complex meshing of personalities and purpose, but it CAN happen. And how much better our businesses, schools, government and relationships would work if this high aspiration was always our goal.

http://bit.ly/aLakXS

 

Ted Sorensen

“I still believe that the mildest and most obscure of Americans can be rescued from oblivion by good luck, sudden changes in fortune, sudden encounters with heroes... I believe it because I lived it.” - Ted Sorensen, counselor to JFK and mentor in some way to everyone who has ever dreamed that they could make a difference simply by choosing the right words at the right time.

On the eve of this election, we would all do well to remember perhaps the most famous words that Sorensen penned: "Ask not what your country can do for you... Ask what you can do for your country." You can vote.

Thanks for your words and wisdom, Ted.

Read the NYT tribute to Sorensen here: http://tinyurl.com/33zrukx

Five nasty habits that can make you a (much) better speechwriter

The other day I was beating myself up over some bad habits, until I realized that they actually work in my favor as a speechwriter. Do you share any of these?

I am way too sensitive.
As a kid, I used to get my feelings hurt all the time and barely survived my share of teasing and taunting. Even into adulthood, my thin skin has been pierced many times by comments and actions that weren't even particularly malicious.

How it helps my writing: Instead of engendering bitterness, this experience blossomed into an empathy for almost every person I encounter. It's given me a heightened awareness of my audiences and readers. It's also taught me how to speak carefully to different interests and internalize what their response might be, which helps me solve a lot of problems before they become problems.

I have a hard time forming an opinion about issues.
I can usually see some validity in both sides of a contentious issue. This is why I always hated to debate, because I just didn't feel I could pick one side. I used to think I simply had no opinion, which of course is ridiculous. I just hadn't been sufficiently persuaded to espouse one view or another.

How it helps my writing: While speechwriters are hired to put forth a particular point of view (their speaker's), it is a great gift to be able to see both sides of every issue. This is a skill that never fails to add balance, contrast and complexity to my writing. And in sketching out the other side, I find that it usually circles back around on itself to add weight to the original intent and perspective of the speech.

I am nosy and always want to know what's going on with everybody else.
I'm always asking “who, what, why” till I think people want to throw me out the window.

How it helps my writing: I pay attention to small details and I try to figure out how disparate events and elements can fit together. If I find that a client likes sailing, or I hear that a competitor is launching a new product, or I read an op-ed that really gets me thinking, I'll jot it down in a little notebook, organized by client or theme. I revisit that book regularly and it's amazing how many chances I get to work these gems into a conversation or reinforce a point of view or just sound smart. It pays to pay attention.

I get bored easily.
I have spent many years in creative endeavors - the film and television industry, advertising, marketing - because I love the project-based nature of this work. The launch of a new idea, the tangled, twisting trail to the final product, the sweet, brief denouement before kicking off on the next new challenge. But I have not followed a linear career path and sometimes I've wondered if that's a liability.

How it helps my writing: Being a creative dilettante serves me well as a speechwriter. For example, thanks to my theatrical training I can offer presentation skills coaching to my clients; because I was the Presentation Technology Director at a large agency, I understand the technical elements of presenting as well as the written, vocal and physical ones. All experience can be valuable experience if you take it on with an open mind and make a commitment to incorporate it into the next step on your path.

I'm a worrier and a "what-iffer."
I frequently focus on what other people might think and puzzle over the possible consequences of my words and actions.

How it helps my writing: Obviously this kind of thinking can be paralyzing; but it can also be extremely helpful in anticipating audience response and objections. I can identify areas of weakness or vulnerability in a speech and pump them up before they blow up on their own.

So the next time you start to criticize yourself about a bad habit or lousy character trait, step back and see if you can't make it work to your advantage. After all, you're a speechwriter, right? Use your powers of persuasion to persuade yourself!

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Homework is as homework does... so do it!

I love to write cover letters. (That's where my business name - LetterPerfect - actually came from, and it was one of my first specialties.) They are a seriously overlooked opportunity to make ourselves stand out - whether in job applications, introductions or any other communication. For speechwriters, they are the "pre-speech" on which we are often judged. You know what they say, we only get one chance to make a first impression. That's what our cover letter does.

I recently applied for a high-profile speechwriting position and took particular pleasure from one of my favorite parts of any writing assignment: doing my homework. Like all good speechwriters do, I learned about my audience, what they needed and wanted to hear from me, and why they are really looking for help.

How did I do this?

By studying the company's language, not just on the pages of their website but in corporate videos, the annual report and the CEO's letters - all readily available on their site. I quickly learned (because it was clearly stated) that communications is an area in which they need and want to improve. So, in the penultimate paragraph of my letter, I made sure to let them know I understood their challenges and knew how to help. Throughout the letter, I also judiciously grafted some of their own, very specific language onto my rhetoric to create an impression (I hope) of a successful potential teaming.

About a week after I submitted for this position, an article hit the wire trumpeting the "news" that this organization had a new-and-improved attitude toward communication. But of course I already knew this - and had directly referred to it in my letter more than a week earlier.

Yeah, I was feeling pretty smart that day.

Now, they may call me, they may not. But the reaction that matters most to me is my own feeling of a job well done. This cover letter was a little assignment in and of itself - and I feel I rose to the occasion and delivered the message that this audience needed to hear. What they do with that information is, of course, is their call. You can lead a horse to water, but he can still buck you off on your butt.

C'est la speechwriting vie.

Whether for a cover letter or an actual assignment, background research can be intimidating. Sometimes I think that, since I'm no PhD, I'm destined to sit second chair to others for whom research is the music of their lives. But this experience reminded me that I know good facts when I see them. And being able to collect, sort, repurpose and relay them is one of the most satisfying things about being a speechwriter.

So how can you make yourself stand out in your next cover letter?

Like all good writing, your cover letter has to be a lean, clean communication machine. Every word must be necessary. No word of more than three letters needs to be repeated. Your letter should radiate energy and enthusiasm for the position, without being ridiculous, embarrassing or a total kiss-up.

Read the job description - then complement and augment that. If they ask for someone who shares their passion for philanthropy, for example, talk about your own non-profit board service or involvement. Make it personal and relevant - not just a regurgitation of "I've done this and written that." Turn the 2-D picture that they've begun to limn into a sparkling, three-dimensional vision of how you're going to make them shine.

Most of all, make sure there is some authentic fit between you and this opportunity. It's just like we tell our clients: Find your passion and let it loose. If this assignment doesn't make your heart sing, if you don't have a unique background to contribute, if there's nothing about it that jazzes you at all, maybe the energy you'll spend writing that cover letter would be better spent searching for another job.

Between the lines, part 2: Adding value on the stage

In my previous post, I talked about how I try to infuse all my professional engagements with a real sense of partnership between me and my speechwriting clients, and how really simple but effective those efforts can be.

So how do we continue to operate as "communication counselors" when the curtain goes up on the actual speech?

* I make a note of my clients' speaking dates and, a day or two before, send a short email with best wishes for a successful presentation. I always try keep a positive and friendly tone in all my communications because I want every exchange with my clients to leave them feeling good and energetic about the work we're doing together. That's why I don't use words like “good luck” or “I hope you do well” in these pre-presentation messages - too much pressure! Instead, I use lighter language like "have fun" or "enjoy your time up there" or "I'm confident your audience will enjoy your presentation." Obviously the tone depends on your client and your relationship with him/her.

I guess this is some form of creative visualization, which can get a little woo-woo if you're not careful. But in my experience, positive thinking never hurt anyone who was adequately prepared for the task at hand.

* I offer to review presentation slides or rehearse the presentation with my client. Unlike many speechwriters, my background includes theatrical writing, directing and performing as well as presentation design and even experience on the technology side. So I can add real value here, helping my clients get comfortable not just with the words but with the whole experience of presenting.

* I try to attend the presentations of my local clients, when it's possible and appropriate. Of course, I always clear this with my client first. Some folks are nervous to have me there, but I explain that I also like to check out the venue, gauge the audience reactions, and give myself a sense of what other obstacles my client might be facing. Because of my background in presentation design and technology, I can sometimes even help with a technical glitch. Of course, my ulterior motive is to hear my speaker's delivery!

* I use my handy-dandy Olympus digital recorder to record the speech, if they don't have in-house people who do that for them. Then I email it to my client as a little "morning after" gift, a day or two later. Of course, this leads straight into another opportunity to add value: together we can review the things that were effective (always start with those!) as well as those that might not have gone over as well in delivery as we had hoped.

Anybody else have ideas to share about how we can support and serve our clients on the Day Of?

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