There are two particularly prominent characters on the world stage at present – one a clever communications hero; one a snarling spooky pantomime villain.
Communications skills don’t always directly align with a person’s true character, but in these two instances the evidence overwhelmingly points to the fact that they largely do.
The snarling spooky pantomime villain seems to be sliding down what novelists call “a negative character arc” – going from calculating pragmatist to something far more dangerously erratic after more than 20 years in high office.
The communication approach of Russian President Vladimir Putin is now coming across as so crazed and scary that, if he didn’t have such enormous firepower with the troops and weaponry behind him, it might be hard to take him seriously.
His latest pronouncement about putting his country’s nuclear deterrence forces on high alert has done nothing to make him seem any more balanced or any less threatening.
Perhaps Vladimir Putin had a hard time learning his trade back in KGB spy school in the old Soviet Union – and is deteriorating further in line with that truism about absolute power corrupting absolutely.
FROM ‘SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE’ TO CLEVER COMMUNICATIONS HERO
In contrast, clever communications hero Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has become increasingly impressive at conveying his message – however tough the conditions become.
It seems that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has progressed higher up his positive character arc by successfully building on his comedy circuit days and further enlarging upon his talents as a comic actor….. a skilled funny man now adapting to a tragically unfunny situation.
And maybe his 2015 role as the star of the television series “Servant of the People” – where he fortuitously played the part of a Ukrainian president – was helpful preparation for his emergence as the now real wartime Ukrainian President!
Whatever the contributions of their respective backgrounds, there’s much we can learn from studying both “Volod” and “Vlad” – particularly if you would prefer to convey yourself more as an inspirational communications hero rather than an embittered deranged potential loser.
While almost nothing’s impossible in life’s unfolding movie, it’s statistically unlikely that a regular reader of this column will one day emerge as a leader of free democratic country under ruthless assault – or as head of a geographically gigantic empire facing almost universal global condemnation.
What’s far more likely is that there will be times when you need to communicate effectively under pressure in the business world.
In this case, it’s worth taking note of how these two prominent characters have been communicating – one under the pressures of outside attack and the other under pressures entirely of his own making.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING THE COMMUNICATIONS ‘TRUTH TEST’
If the first casualty in war is truth, President Putin has been doing his best to demonstrate just how accurate this saying can be.
Before his unprovoked attack on the unthreatening Ukraine you may recall that he repeatedly insisted he no plans to invade the country.
So any feeble credibility he might have built was undercut the moment he ordered in his troops to cross Ukrainian borders.
President Putin now seems to be willing to say anything that he thinks will help his situation in the apparent belief that he will somehow be believed.
This is demonstrated in the following video address, where Vladimir Putin claims that the Ukraine is being led by neo-Nazis and drug addicts – without any attempt to offer proof.
The video performance on the same day by Volodymyr Zelenskyy ranks as a communications masterstroke.
In it he addresses the Russian people directly, speaking in their language and – by being immaculately presented in a business suit – looking nothing like a stereotypical drug addict and sounding nothing like stereotypical neo-Nazi.
President Zelenskyy personalises his video performance by dropping in warm credible references to his personal experiences and links with the predominantly Russian-speaking Donbas and Donetsk regions of the Ukraine – demonstrating his affinity with the people of the two regions.
These stories help undermine President Putin’s is claim that these regions are in need liberation by his outside forces.
President Zelenskyy’s use of positive language is exemplary.
Rather than getting bogged down in the grubby fictional details of the smears against him, he conveys admirable positivity using statemanlike sentences peppered with powerful positive words and thoughts such as: “We want to build our own history – peacefully, calmly, truthfully.”
You don’t need to be an expert in Russian to admire President Zelenskyy’s superb delivery style.
Check it out, with its English translation, here:
Note that Volodymyr Zelenskyy commendably looks straight at the camera – conveying the intended impression of sincerity and trustworthiness to his target Russian viewers.
President Zelenskyy speaks with a calm, warm fluency projecting an “I’m-being-absolutely-straight-with-you” aura.
This contrasts starkly with President Putin’s increasingly sinister on-camera demeanour.
Sitting behind his desk with his hands clasped in front of him makes him look insecure.
President Putin’s menacing gaze towards the camera hardly endears him to viewers and makes him look threatening – perhaps matching his intentions.
President Putin’s tendency to make unfounded allegations without proof, contrasts with President Zelenskyy’s diligence in offering evidence to back up his contentions.
For example, in the following social media video – aimed at demonstrating a vital truth to his own Ukrainian people and to the wider world – President Zelenskyy set out to show that he and others in important Ukrainian positions are still in Kyiv and still in their posts during the early part of the invasion.
So, to demonstrate that the president and his senior colleagues had not fled the Ukraine as the Russian forces entered, Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t just SAY they were still there. He SHOWED it.
The video features the five leaders on camera, with distinctive Kyiv landmarks behind them, to demonstrate the truth of what he was saying – this time while speaking in Ukrainian.
This is smart, simple communication which – while being recorded amidst extraordinarily difficult circumstances – has an inspirational effect!
BECOMING AN INSPIRATIONAL COMMUNICATOR
If you want to work towards being an inspirational communicator – or an EVEN more inspirational communicator – it’s helpful to spot those in the public eye who are communicating in a way that you admire and in a way that works.
The trick is to examine what they’re doing and – where appropriate – adapt impressive practices to your ideal communications approach.
Clearly you need to make sure you’re always communicating in a way that you’re being totally true to your authentic self.
If you need communications training on becoming an inspirational business leader, check out what’s available at:
http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/become-that-inspirational-business-leader-in-12-hours/
And if members of your team need to enhance their communications skills, then a programme to help them transform their approach can be drawn up to take them to new heights.
If you pick Volodymyr Zelenskyy as someone with communication qualities you or your team would like to project, then you could be making a heroic start.
If you reckon Vladimir Putin’s approach is the one upon which to model yourself and your organisation’s communications style then, er…… please think again very very fast!!!