The headline in the New York Times three days after Pope John Paul II died, "Cardinals Want Next Pope To Be Strong Communicator."

Regardless of your views on Pope John Paul II's politics, he was a skilled communicator who routinely dominated the headlines, broadcasts and airwaves around the world - even when he wasn't traveling to a foreign country. The Catholic Church, as an institution, realizes the importance of a strong communicator in the head position. Whether it is giving a sermon (which is just another name for a speech or presentation) or appearing at a press conference, Popes must communicate strong and forceful messages (that's what Popes do).

Increasingly, that's what world leaders of any organization must do. If you want to be the leader of the United Nations, or a non-profit medical charity, or even a mom-n-pop fudge shop, you must become a skilled communicator.

Every day there are thousands of new web sites that sprout up, new newspapers, radio stations, and, seemingly dozens of new TV networks and stations emerging in the world. There are more and more media than ever before. On one hand, that makes it easier to communicate. On the other hand, it makes it much tougher. If you make a bad impression in any interview, it can be magnified 1,000 times over across the internet and then back into traditional media. (Just look at Sara Palin as an example!) However, if you do one interview well, it might not get widespread bounce.

When I was a kid, we had three network newscasts and a local paper to contend with. If you made one of those four outlets, you were golden. If you didn't, you were non-existent. Today's media environment is much more complex, and with that complexity, the demands on the communication skills of international leaders will only continue to escalate.

Are you a leader who can communicate?

~ TJ Walker

1. Nervousness is inversely related to preparation.
2. If you want to drastically reduce your nerves before public speaking and present at a consistent high skill level, you must watch a lot of yourself on videotape.
3. That’s the only way to get an accurate sense of how others perceive you or how you think you come across your best.
4. If you watch yourself enough, you will begin to develop a sense of what you like about your speaking.
5. You will start to like certain things you do and say, even if it is only 10 percent of the time you are talking.
6. Now you have a role model for yourself when you are speaking - and that role model is you.

1. Ask the media to call you by your first name, especially on TV and radio.
2. Don’t demand to be called “Doctor” or “Ph.D.” People will think you are a sanctimonious windbag.
3. Don’t audio or videotape an interview in front of a reporter unless you are 99% sure you are going to be mistreated.
4. It’s fine to audio tape any print or radio interview when you are in your home or office (check your state laws to see if both parties have to be informed.)
5. Sometimes a reporter will bombard you with three, four, even five questions in a row.
6. This may be a strategy to rattle you and make you crumble.
7. More often, the multiple questions in a row isn't part of any grand strategy on the part of reporter. Instead, the questions-in-a-bunch are simply a reflection of the reporter’s disorganized thought process regarding that topic at that moment.

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	December 4 & 5, 2009 New York, NY Inspired Work Leadership Workshop with David Harder Call for info (800) 755-7220
	Q&A with MTW Team December 21, 2009 Anywhere - Online Interactive Web TV Show Learn More - $99.00
	Talking Head Social Media Workshop December 21, 2009 New York, NY A one-day workshop on how to create simple, talking-head videos that will maximize your public relations effectiveness.

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