If a contest were held to identify the world’s most unexciting vegetable, I’m guessing the winner might – however unfairly – be the humble turnip.
And if a similar contest were held to identify the politician currently viewed as the world’s most unexciting, the winner might be Britain’s Thérèse Coffey.
But what if you put the two together?
What if Britain’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs –
Thérèse Coffey – suddenly acquired a new role as the Unofficial Ambassador For The Turnip?
Well it’s kind of happened over the past week – and the results have been…well, er… less than electrifying!
Prompted by the sudden European shortage of tomatoes, cucumbers and other salad vegetables – resulting from a cold snap in the vegetable farms of Spain and North Africa – Ms Coffey has stumbled into the role of promoting the turnip as an available British alternative.
And given that the UK Government isn’t capable of magically refilling the green groceries and the supermarket shelves with salad vegetables, Ms Coffey’s pro-turnip message seems sensible enough.
But alas her communication efforts have not been up to the task – and have been widely ridiculed.
This is partly because of the dullest of dull ways she’s gone about trying to talk up the turnip.
What’s happened before our eyes is a profoundly important lesson in communications in which Thérèse Coffey has failed abysmally…
WHEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT, REMEMBER THOSE ‘E’ WORDS!!!
The key learning point for everyone is that whenever you’re performing in the public spotlight, there are 3 key words you typically need be striving to project.
These are the 3 “E” words:
Energy!
Enthusiasm!!
Excitement!!!
Whether you’re giving a presentation, answering questions or performing on TV, if you don’t project enough energy, enthusiasm or excitement then you’ve missed an opportunity to fully engage with your audience.
In fact, you could hardly come across as being more un-energetic, more un-enthusiastic and more un-exciting than Thérèse Coffey has managed in her new role as Apologist For Turnips.
Here’s how it looked when Thérèse Coffey tried, with seemingly minimal effort, to promote the turnip in Britain’s House of Commons.
Not only did she rush through her script with minimal animation, but she managed to do so without any real engagement with her colleagues in parliament – or the poor viewers watching on TV.
As a communicator, you are always a key part of your message.
And if you can’t project any energy, enthusiasm or excitement into your role, you might as well not bother.
The American writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, was among those who realised this.
And the fictional Mary Poppins clearly grasped it!
COMMUNICATIONS-BOOSTING SESSIONS FOR YOU
In communications-boosting sessions – whether for media interviews, presentation skills or giving great answers to tough questions – it’s my role to ensure that participants realise they have a responsibility to project those vital E-words in every performance.
Energy, enthusiasm and excitement – wherever appropriate – need to show up in your tone of voice, in your facial expressions and in your body-language.
Being able to watch and listen to yourself back on a video recording within sessions helps underline how important hitting these E-words is in connecting with your audience.
There’s more information about sessions on media interview response skills at:
If you or your team need to project more energy, enthusiasm and excitement in your company’s presentations, you can find out more at:
And if you need a communications-boosting professional speaker to underline the importance of injecting more energy, enthusiasm and excitement in your company communication – in a keynote at your next conference or away day – there’s more at:
So whenever you and/or your team are performing in the public spotlight, please be less Thérèse Coffey, and more Mary Poppins.
In this way you can be less like a stodgy dull over-promoted turnip and more like a healthy colourful in-demand nutritious salad!