1. Its not Red or Blue Just Boring
This RNC had a different schedule of speakers than the traditional convention. The first night was mostly what I refer to as “amateur” speakers. Amateur speakers are people who are professional in their competency but not paid to speak.
Earlier in the day I met one of the soldiers who had protected the Benghazi Embassy. He told me he was speaking that evening. He is very brave, and was very specific in his recounting of the night’s siege. He made a typical mistake of “amateur” speakers: he went on too long. That’s why movies are edited. The best stories in the world still need to be edited.
2. Queen for a Day
Monday night heard from several parents of adult children who had been murdered. While each parent’s story was compelling, from a communication perspective it was overload. In the 60’s there was a TV show called Queen for a Day. Three women told their sad story to an audience and the audience applause-meter chose the woman who had the saddest story. The winner, the QUEEN, won whatever it was that would make her life better: a refrigerator a washing machine, or a hearing aid. I felt like the parents were vying for a very sad award to the most bereaved parent.
3. It’s Not About the Story – How It is Told
Most everyone has a great story within them. Especially the people, who are chosen to speak to basically the world, have a great story to tell. Having a great story isn’t enough. Every story has to be told well. Well in the speaking world means concise. The story needs to be connected to a call for action. The story may be nice, but what do you want the audience to do as a result of the telling of this story?
4. My Little Pony
Grammarly is an app that proofreads and checks plagiarism. It is an APP that college students or anyone can download for free. Melania has a dilemma. She says she wrote it herself so the 70 words that exactly mimic Michelle Obama’s words, are hers to own. If she did not write it, then she should not have said she did. Just as she should not have said she graduated from college when she did not. Even the author of My Little Pony wants out of the discourse.
5. Team Means Working Together
One definition of TEAM is a group of individuals working together on a common goal. Police officers from around the country came to Cleveland to help out. Cleveland didn’t have enough of their own so a call went out: A presence was sent from California, Florida, Kansas, Indiana, and D.C. to name a few. Citizens have been observed giving water bottles to police officers as they do their job. Tourists walking around wanting to just be apart of the event, seemed to go out of their way to be nice to the police. That’s a team.
