President
Bush, Articulate Expression
and
the Perception of Intelligence
In politics, as in all professional endeavors, first impressions and perceptions
are crucial for success. Regardless of how intelligent a person might (or might not)
be, the way he or she speaks has a dramatic impression on the way he or she is initially
perceived. When one speaks well, people assume a certain level of intelligence. When
one falters verbally, people assume something else. Like it or not, people judge
us initially based on how we speak and what we say.
I'm not interested in delving into the pros and cons of the George W. Bush Presidency.
And the intention here is not to denigrate the President. But there is no doubt that
public speaking, especially when speaking in an unscripted and uncontrolled environment,
is not among his greatest strengths. The list of verbal missteps has provided more
than a little bit of cannon fodder for the late night television hosts. There have
been a number of gems:
“The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.”
“One year ago today, the time for excuse-making has come to an end.”
“It's important for folks to understand that when there's more trade,
there's more commerce.”
“There is an old saying that says fool me once, shame on… shame
on you. Fool me… you can't get fooled again.”
John Steinbeck once wrote, “We give the President more work than a man can
do, more responsibility than a man should take, and more pressure than a man can
bear.” I would add to that list that we put our Presidents in the spotlight
more than any man should endure.
As a result of 24-hour news, the modern American President is in the public eye
so often that it would be impossible for even the best public speaker to avoid making
a few verbal fumbles. But the 42nd President's Greco- Roman wrestling matches with
the English language take it to a whole new level.
I know many bright individuals who struggle to express themselves well. Therefore
I do not believe that there is a direct correlation between articulate expression
and intelligence. But there is a direct correlation with the public perception of
intelligence. We all want to be thought of as intelligent. We all want credibility.
We all want to be taken seriously. And one of the best ways to do that is to express
ourselves clearly and articulately.
Is President Bush intelligent? I have absolutely no idea. And the point here is
not to debate that question. Until someone shows me an IQ test, I'll withhold my
judgment. Rather, I am highlighting the reality that the perception of his intelligence
is heavily influenced by the way he speaks. When he tells us that “We need
an energy bill that encourages consumption,” our eyebrows go up. When he tells
us that “A tax cut is one of the anecdotes coming out of an economic illness,” we
wince. And when he says, “I am the decider,” we laugh… hard.
The lesson here for professionals is that not everyone speaks brilliantly, but
the ability to speak well is something we should all pursue and we would all benefit
from. Eloquence and articulate expression are powerful tools. The importance of verbal
expression, and the way it affects public perception, is crucial for success and
has never been more important than it is today.
 Beacon Issue -
November 2006
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