Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m guessing that if you follow the British political news, you would not want to have the same kind of tarnished image which the Prime Minister is currently projecting.

 

 

And to be more specific, I’m guessing that you wouldn’t want to be in Boris Johnson’s position on any issue where you were forced into making a grovelling apology like this one.

 

 

One of the reasons Mr Johnson is currently finding it so hard to get a sympathetic hearing with the British public is because of the disconnect between what he’s been saying and what he – and some of those around him in 10 Downing Street – have been doing. 

Alas it’s gone past the point where just coming up with the right set of apologetic words will solve the problem.

 

 

Saying ‘sorry’ when you’ve done something wrong is the right thing to do, but there can be situations where the sins have been too persistent – and too long denied – for the apology to earn the desired forgiveness.

And the problem Boris Johnson has created is that too often he’s been discovered to be saying one thing and for him and/or those in his personal team to be doing another.

This is particularly the case in relation to the rules he and his government have been announcing about what the people should do to protect themselves and each other from Coronavirus.

What’s doing potentially irreparable damage is that the Prime Minister has been advocating strict rules about not gathering together for social events, only for it to be found that his inner circle has not been consistently abiding by them.

These events have been described – with varying degrees of accuracy – as “parties”.

 

 

Even worse, Boris Johnson has had to admit that he, himself, joined one of the social events in the Downing Street garden – only for it to be perceived by the media and the general public as being an against-the-rules “party”.

This is what triggered the abject apology – and what has undermined the prime minister’s authority on anything else he wants to direct the public to do in future.

So everything he now says is being viewed through the lens of what he – or those working for him – have actually been doing.

It’s why a growing number of people – including some on his own side in parliament – have been calling for his resignation.

 

YOU ARE A KEY PART OF YOUR MESSAGE!

 

In communication terms, what the Prime Minister has failed to appreciate is that whenever we’re communicating in a professional capacity, we ourselves are a key part of our message.

If we’re viewed as not abiding by what we’re advocating for others, or not sticking to principles that we’re espousing, then we’re not being seen a credible messenger.

So for those who are not (yet) prime ministers, what does this mean for you when it comes to your communication?

It means authenticity is vital.

And it means that anyone advocating anything is destined to be judged not just in relation to what they say, but also in regard to what they actually do.

So practising what you preach is not just a morally wise thing to do.

In communications terms, it’s also essential to your ongoing effectiveness.

Whether you’re planning an announcement, making yourself available for questioning, or preparing for a media interview, make sure you’re performing in line with what you’re saying.

In communications training sessions which can take place ahead of any important audience interaction, it’s vital to make sure you can present whatever you’re saying so that it’s seen to be in line with what you do yourself.

If there are any grey areas, it’s critical to get the wording absolutely right so that what you’re advocating is in line – and seen to be in line – with what you do.

In communication training sessions, you and your team have the opportunity to plan, prepare and practise to get your wording and delivery style absolutely right – and be tested along the way.

There’s more about sessions on giving great answers to tough questions at:
http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/give-great-answers-to-tough-questions/

 

 

And there’s more about media training sessions at:
http://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/media-master-classes/

But when it comes for making your pronouncements for real, you also have the additional task of making sure you act in line with what you’re saying!

 

LEARNING FROM THE KING OF THE CLEVER COMPARISON

 

While Boris Johnson and many around him in Downing Street have been increasingly condemned for their communication flaws, there has been one outstanding performer whose been consistently praised for his excellence.

He’s one of the government’s leading scientific advisers who has proved to be the master of explaining the complicated scientific aspects of the fight against Coronavirus in a way that the public can easily digest.

He’s Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam who has shown the way for scientists – and anyone else who has to convey specialist knowledge to a general audience.

 

 

The professor has largely done this through crafting comparisons and mastering metaphor – and sharing them with the public in his numerous press conference and interview performances.

By doing so he’s provided enlightenment in his role as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England – a role which, alas, he’s now leaving.

News that Professor Van-Tam is returning to his roots at the University of Nottingham is great for academia – but a loss for the rest of us.

He can at least focus on enlightening his students by using his striking gift for formulating his own comparisons – rather than recycling tired old phrases.

I can tell that years ago, another bunch of students – in a hot Sydney classroom – the Manly Boys’ High School English Teacher, Mr Head – a master at not practising what he preached in a deliberately memorable way –  used to tell us to “avoid clichés like the plague”.

This self-contradiction helped me to remember it – and pass it on to those I work with in communications training.

Professor Van-Tam has been a great exemplar of how to craft your own comparisons to aid enlightenment.

In doing so, he’s shone out in like a giant sparkling waterfall inside a partially lit cave. (Mr Head, please note: I wrote this comparison all by myself!)

 

 

Here’s a BBC video tribute to some of Professor Van-Tam’s more colourful pandemic analogies which are destined to live on long after he leaves the coronavirus spotlight.

 

If you’re faced with explaining complicated stuff to an audience without your technical understanding, just work out enlightening comparisons for your audience and…

…Wham-Bam, you’ll be more Van-Tam!!!