| Political Party Conference Season - A Minefield For The Speakers |
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It’s Party Conference season which gives us an opportunity to watch the political “brands” in action. And it hasn’t started well for the Liberal Democrats. Last weekend Sarah Teather demonstrated why you shouldn’t use humour in a speech if you are unsure of the response it is likely to get. She cracked several “jokes” which were followed by uncomfortable sniggering and damaged her Personal Brand in the process. Twitter comments came in thick and fast about how she was “bombing” and one of many said “Ouch. Painful watching Sarah Teather fall flat on her face with a series of ill-timed speech gags.” Politicians like anyone else get nervous before a party conference speech I’m sure, but all the more reason to practice, feel comfortable with what you are saying, try to inject some personality and at least sound as though you believe what you are saying! Today - again on twitter - Tom Bradby, ITV political correspondent said “Chris Huhne is not the most charismatic speaker around, is he? Really hard to imagine him as leader even without his local difficulties” and Andrew Neil of the BBC said Vince Cable “didn't sound as if his heart was in it.” It’s now down to Nick Clegg to use that charismatic Personal Brand that served him so well in the televised debates during the election, which I wrote about here. But let’s just hope he hasn’t stolen any gags form Sarah Teather. |