TV Evangelist Joel Osteen has signed a $10 million book deal with Simon & Schuster imprint The Free Press to write his next book. Is Osteen a world renowned theologian? No. Does he have credentials as a Biblical scholar? No. Does he have a degree from a seminary? No. Does he even have an undergraduate degree in anything remotely close to divinity studies?
Again, no.
Osteen studied video production and communication in what time he did spend attending college.
I don’t point these issues out to attack Osteen, but merely to point out the secret of his success. Osteen is now one of the top handful of “writers†in the world and yet he doesn’t really write or have any training to write.
Indeed, here is the quote from Osteen’s publisher when the news of the book deal was released:
“We have long admired Joel for his unparalleled ability to touch people and communicate with them,” said Dominick V. Anfuso, V.P., editorial director of Free Press. “We are thrilled and honored to be working with him on his next book.”
Please note that Anfuso praised Osteen for his abilities to “touch people†and to “communicate,†but not to “write.â€
If you are a big Osteen fan, please don’t get angry with me. I’m not attacking him, really. But I do think that it is important to realize why he is getting more money to “write†a book than most small nations earn as GDP in a year.
Osteen’s secret? He is a speaker. He’s a fantastic speaker. In fact, as much as I try, I can’t fault Osteen for any of his public speaking skills. If you haven’t seen Osteen delivering a sermon, you likely don’t have a TV. His church buys time on seemingly half of the TV networks and broadcast stations around the US and many around the Globe.
Even if you have seen Osteen preach on TV before, I urge you to take another look. No, I’m not trying to convert you to Osteen’s brand of religion. In fact, I urge all of my clients to watch Osteen, regardless if they are Jewish, Atheist or Muslim, to learn from his speaking example.
Why is Osteen successful? Because he employs the perfect public speaking techniques in every sermon. He is positive, upbeat, conversational, fluid, never abstract and always accessible. He doesn’t lecture. He doesn’t deliver sermons. Instead, he tells stories to make points. He never hides behind a lectern; instead he walks around on stage comfortably. He looks like he is having the time of his life when he is speaking.
And those are skills that will serve you well, regardless of whether you want to be a preacher, a best selling author, a CEO billionaire, or a winning politician.
Archive for March, 2006
Speaking Skills Spill Into All Other Communication
Friday, March 17th, 2006Attack Reporters At Your Own Risk
Friday, March 17th, 2006Newsmakers are human beings too and they can get their feelings hurt. And, like most of us, they sometimes react by attacking. But when a newsmaker attacks a reporter, the results often backfire on the newsmaker.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan got into a tussle with a reporter on December 21, 2005. Annan was facing unpleasant questions from James Bone of the London Times regarding his son’s business dealings. Here is what Annan said to Bone according to Reuters:
Attack Reporters At Your Own Risk
Thursday, March 16th, 2006Newsmakers are human beings too and they can get their feelings hurt. And, like most of us, they sometimes react by attacking. But when a newsmaker attacks a reporter, the results often backfire on the newsmaker.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan got into a tussle with a reporter on December 21, 2005. Annan was facing unpleasant questions from James Bone of the <em>London Times</em> regarding his son’s business dealings. Here is what Annan said to Bone according to Reuters:
The REAL Secret to Confident Speaking
Wednesday, March 15th, 2006So what is the real secret to being a confident speaker? It is knowing this little secret: You have little competition! Most speakers are horrible! And most speeches are awful!
Think about this for very long and you will become filled with confidence for your next speech. When is the last time you heard a colleague or someone in your industry give a fantastic and memorable speech? Chances are, you can’t remember one.
Why are most speeches bad? Because the speaker didn’t practice AND he or she never received any formal training on how to give a speech. How would this translate into other areas in your life?
Don’t Leave Your Speech Road Map at Home
Tuesday, March 14th, 2006I often work with average to better-than average speakers who have long and complex notes for their presentations. After they’ve practiced once or twice they get cocky and they stop using their notes. And they give a great speech!
Unfortunately, they give it only to me in an empty room, plus my video camera. As wonderful as it is to see my trainees gain confidence and give up the shackles of a fully prepared speech or a several-page-long outline, there are dangers with the prospect of ignoring your outline altogether.
Eye Contact and Appropriate Pausing
Monday, March 13th, 2006I have often written on how reporters will use a politician’s or executive’s ability to speak well without referring to notes as a metaphor for the person’s competence and intelligence. The opposite is true as well. If a speaker seems in any way uncomfortable or less than fluid when presenting his or her ideas, reporters will use this as a hook to comment negatively on the speaker. The lack of smooth performance skills is used as a metaphor suggesting that the speaker doesn’t really have strong beliefs or convictions. This might not be fair, but it is the way reporters, and even average spectators, often judge speakers. If you doubt me, just take a look at how presidential candidate Mark Warner was featured in a profile interview in the <i>New York Times</i>.
Don’t Be Dramatic, Be Real
Friday, March 10th, 2006What keeps a lot of very good speakers from every becoming GREAT speakers? It is this belief: “I’m just not comfortable being dramatic the way professional speakers are.†The irony is that these good speakers are quite emotional and, well, dramatic, when then are telling me how much they don’t want to be dramatic in their speeches.
Talk Your Problems Away
Thursday, March 9th, 2006There are few problems in life that can be solved simply by talking about them. Talking about your debts or your failing transmission won’t make those problems disappear. But when it comes to a public official caught in a scandal crisis, simply talking about your problems can make them eventually disappear.
Emotional Stress During Tough Questions
Wednesday, March 8th, 2006You know the tough questions are coming. Your client or boss has told you explicitly that he or she is displeased with you. Now there is to be a meeting with all hands on deck. And you must be there and be held accountable.
Hand Gestures with a Handheld Microphone?
Tuesday, March 7th, 2006What do you do if you are suddenly given a handheld microphone right before you are about to speak in front of a large audience? You were expecting a wireless microphone or one with its own stand.
If you are like most people, you just deal with it. Specifically, you hold the mic solidly in one hand and then gesture with the other. That’s not awful, but the problem with holding a microphone is that it immobilizes not only your one hand but the arm it is attached to and even one whole side of your body. You become less visually expressive and therefore less interesting.