Critical Moment

20 Mar Critical Moment

This week, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a compelling speech to President Biden and Congress. He asked for America’s support; specifically, military aid. We usually avoid politics, but there is no better example of a memorable speech when the fate of a country and even a continent is at stake.

Zelenskyy, as a former producer, writer and performer, understands and employed effective storytelling. He used crystal clear language and spoke plainly, but with artful touches that he believed would resonate with the U.S. He referenced Martin Luther King, Jr. with “I have a dream…” (Zelenskyy’s dream is to protect Ukraine’s sky when he calls for a no-fly zone.) He asked Congress to recall Pearl Harbor and 9/11 when the U.S. was attacked. He connected both countries’ pain and love of freedom, dignity and the ability to steer the course of our own destinies.

Especially in a moment of crisis, Zelenskyy’s speaking is a model for leaders. Tailor your talk to your audience. Speak to their values and beliefs. Make the images visual and striking. Whenever possible, incorporate a theme or an easily repeatable phrase like Zelensky’s “I need it now.” Use repetition in triplicate. (“I remember…I remember…I remember…”)

2,500 years after Aristotle invented rhetoric (defined as the art of persuasion) one truth is inescapable– when you speak with heart, head, and character, you are a force to be reckoned with. Zelenskyy rose to the moment.