Stanford Finds Communication Lessons in '08 Debates
After listening to president/orator-in-chief Barak Obama's first congressional address earlier in the week, I found this tidbit from the latest Stanford Business magazine really intriguing. Together with Stanford University's vice president for public affairs David Demarest, senior lecturer of management JD Schramm used the 2008 presidential debates to help GSB students focus on the "power and pitfalls" of their own communication.
In a half-quarter elective called Political Communication, students dissected the candidates' performances in the three presidential and one vice presidential debates. More than just an entertainment opportunity or current events discussion, "We challenged the students to consider the debates a prism through which they could reflect on their own communication abilities and apply lessons to their own lives," Schramm writes. In their final papers, students applied what they'd learned to their careers.
So what did participants take away from the debates after scrutinizing governor Sarah Palin's winks and the references to Joe the Plumber, ad nauseum, from both parties? The professor sums it up rather succinctly: communicating to large, diverse audiences requires discipline, flexibility, honesty and rehearsal to make sure the points you want to make are actually what listeners take away.
One student, bound for private equity, drew comparisons between the debate setting and his future role "presenting to management, limited partners, and colleagues on the appropriate leverage level for a cyclical business." In both cases, the salient lessons are the same: "Be myself, come prepared, spin a good narrative, and demonstrate flexibility and thoughtfulness."
Although few students in this political communication class will likely run for public office, they can use the debate lessons to improve their communities and companies by being authentic, prepared, flexible, and compelling, Schramm says, adding that there is one major drawback to using presidential debates as course text. "I now have to wait four years for another opportunity."
As someone who despises public speaking, I find this really fascinating. Because I have forced myself to speak on various occasions, I have found that I really do excel when I know what I am talking about! This seems obvious but it does not always happen in practice. Since I have started Stacy Blackman Consulting, I have found that there is a feeling of ease when speaking about things related to my business and the MBA admissions process. That's because I really know my stuff. You can ask questions, challenge me, disagree, roll your eyes, whatever...I am on pretty firm ground and can handle it. But back in college when I was interviewing for various roles, and was not sure of my story, what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be, well, let's just say I was never a star interviewer.
Someone sent me this quote from "Yogi Bhajan" last week: "Your power is exactly how you communicate. A communication which has no spirit behind it has fear and anything with fear will create a handicap for you."
That resonated with me. All the prestigious degrees in the world cannot help you if you cannot communicate, develop relationships and relate well to others. I believe these are the MOST important skills that will serve everyone well, pre MBA, post MBA, in business, and just in life. And I believe that while some people "have it", schools can play a role in helping everyone refine all of these skills. Do you agree?