“Liar, liar, pants on fire”!

Is this really what people think when they hear political leaders speak?

After all the hoopla, razzmatazz and the millions spent leading up to and during the legion speeches made at recent Democratic and Republican conventions in support of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in North Carolina and Florida…

…isn’t it amazing that the majority of Americans trust ‘neither’ Presidential candidate?

Of course, ‘not trusting political leaders’ isn’t just a US phenomena.

Right across the Globe, from Paris to Prague, from Beijing to Berlin and from Dublin to Damascus and more – you’ll find the same thing again and again!

Double speak. The other guys are worse. The sniff of scandals. Blotted copybooks. Questions avoided. Policies that don’t add up.

Sound Familiar? Probably. And any combination of these will add up to tainted credibility and a lack of trust.

Leaders Must Crave Perceived Sincerity to Connect With Audiences

Without the perception of sincerity, speakers will have an uphill battle to win audiences’ hearts and minds for any reasons other than self-interest. And once trust is lost or questioned, it’s very hard to recoup.

And yet – how is that political leaders still get elected, despite voter misgivings about their characters?

In most cases, it has more to do with electorates finding themselves making choices because of whom they ‘trust more’ versus the likelihood that promises made will ever come to pass!

In effect, too many people admit they vote for the least worst options.

What’s going on? If political leaders can get away with integrity issues…

…Do Other Leaders Need to Seek Trust When Speaking?

You bet!

And here’s why:

The first test audiences apply before they assess any arguments you make as a speaker is “Are you trustworthy?”.

They’ll consider:

• Any perceptions they’ve formed about your character so far
• Your appearances and demeanour (do you fit in?)
• Whether your apparent motivations mesh with theirs
• Your conviction or passion

And if they detects even a hint of ‘smoke and mirrors’ about you or your speech – expect them to discount or even ignore much of what you say.

Audiences hate to think speakers are trying to pull the wool over their eyes – regardless of whether the topic at hand is of vital importance or about seemingly small issues.

So, here’s something real leaders can learn from election dog and pony shows:

• It’s not enough to focus on worthy topics or to merely speak with the best of intentions
• You also need to earn credibility in the eyes of your audiences.

Your audiences must believe any arguments you make are firmly rooted in their best interests. And while it’s essential to recognize and address valid, opposing ideas – shy away from denigrating those who don’t agree with you.

And contrary to the suggestion of Jean Giraudoux, a famous 19^th Century French novelist and diplomat, who claimed:

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

If there’s any chance your audience could form the view that you are less than genuine about some or all of what you say…

…Rethink your speech, as otherwise you’ll likely find you would be better off to have said nothing at all.

Over To You

What leaders have impressed you with their integrity as well as their arguments? Why?