CHAPTER 5
CONVEYING VISION
During his career, Barack Obama has distinguished himself as a man of vision who has dared to pursue a dream of breaking historic barriers, moving past traditional divisions, and bringing about change. But it is not enough to form a vision and to believe in it profoundly. To achieve a vision, it is necessary to communicate that vision to others in an effective and compelling manner, enabling others first to understand the vision and inspiring them ultimately to embrace it.
For years, observers have noted Barack Obama’s ability to communicate his vision with great success. In 2004, Senator John Kerry observed, “Barack is an optimistic voice for America” who “knows that together we can build an America that is stronger at home and respected in the world.”1 But there have been other activists working earnestly on behalf of the poor and the middle class. There have been other aspiring leaders with extraordinary personal stories of triumph and success against the odds. There have been others also who have sought to use their leadership to bring goodwill and hope. Yet Barack Obama’s success has been extraordinary—more substantial than many people would have imagined a mere 45 years after Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Why have so many people embraced Obama’s vision both in the United States and abroad? What allows Obama to convey his vision so well? How does he use communication techniques as effectively as any visual aid when conveying his vision? How does he frame his ideas in ways that have tremendous impact, particularly given the time constraints of a typical speech?
This chapter delves into the techniques that Obama employs to convey vision in ways that are lucid, relevant, and compelling. We can learn lessons from the way Obama references history and frames ideas in familiar terms. We can glean best practices from the way he employs vivid language, relies on symbolic and dynamic imagery, and uses “backward loops.” We can deepen our skills as we assess how he draws on the power of corollaries, personifies ideas, and provides “just enough” detail for significant impact. Together, these communication practices have enabled Barack Obama to communicate his vision with great effect.
REFERENCING HISTORY AND THE FAMILIAR
When Barack Obama articulates his vision to audiences, he employs many notable communication practices to present his ideas in ways that are clear, germane, and convincing. The way he references history serves as one of his techniques. Obama has demonstrated that when placing key ideas in a historical context, they can become more digestible because they are placed in a context that listeners understand. When Obama communicates his ideas as part of the cherished traditions with which audience members are familiar, the ideas can become perceived as a natural extension of or progression from those traditions. Consider this example, when Barack Obama articulates his vision of an America committed to addressing social issues, such as homelessness, violence, living wages, health care, and education. Obama skillfully places his ideas in an historical context, referencing the iconic American leader Robert Kennedy:
I was only seven when Bobby Kennedy died. Many of the people in this room knew him as brother, as husband, as father, as friend….
[T]he idealism of Robert Kennedy—the unfinished legacy that calls us still—is a fundamental belief in the continued perfection of American ideals.
It’s a belief that says if this nation was truly founded on the principles of freedom and equality, it could not sit idly by while millions were shackled because of the color of their skin. That if we are to shine as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world, we must be respected not just for the might of our military, but for the reach of our ideals. That if this is a land where destiny is not determined by birth or circumstance, we have a duty to ensure that the child of a millionaire and the child of a welfare mom have the same chance in life. That if out of many, we are truly one. Then we must not limit ourselves to the pursuit of selfish gain, but that which will help all Americans rise together….
[O]ur greatness as a nation has depended on individual initiative, on a belief in the free market. But it has also depended on our sense of mutual regard for each other, the idea that everybody has a stake in the country, that we’re all in it together and everybody’s got a shot at opportunity.
Robert Kennedy reminded us of this. He reminds us still. He reminds us that we don’t need to wait for a hurricane to know that third-world living conditions in the middle of an American city make us all poorer. We don’t need to wait for the 3000th death of someone else’s child in Iraq to make us realize that a war without an exit strategy puts all of our families in jeopardy. We don’t have to accept the diminishment of the American Dream in this country now, or ever.
It’s time for us to meet the whys of today with the why nots we often quote but rarely live—to answer “why hunger” and “why homeless,” “why violence,” and “why despair” with “why not good jobs and living wages,” “why not better health care and world class schools,” “why not a country where we make possible the potential that exists in every human being?”2
In linking his ideas not only to history, but also to an admirable historic American leader, Obama helps to substantiate his ideas as well as to make them more understandable and acceptable. He strengthens his ability to present a vision that will be embraced. Leaders seeking to convey vision effectively can learn from his successes. Are there ways in which you can reference history to make your ideas and your vision more understandable to listeners? Take time to consider how you might reference history and things that are familiar in ways that enhance your communication.
USING DESCRIPTIVE WORDS AS VISUAL AIDS
Another important practice that allows Barack Obama to convey his vision effectively is his excellent use of descriptive words. In many cases, speakers present their talks in settings in which they cannot, or should not, use visual aids, such as overhead slides or electronic presentations. For some speakers, the lack of visual aids might be a significant handicap. But outstanding orators master the art of using well-chosen descriptive words in lieu of visual aids. They paint pictures with vivid words, focusing at key points on words that call to mind rich images. If chosen carefully, rich language can affect a listener as significantly as any visual aid: a listener will visualize the ideas and themes and be more likely to remember them.
Several things make certain words rich in descriptive power—their precision or the specific image they call forth, for instance. Consider the difference in these two statements:
In this campaign, we won’t employ harsh politicking.
vs.
What you won’t hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge and patriotism as a bludgeon. (Obama, June 2008)3
In the latter statement, the use of the words wedge and bludgeon conjure up specific images that make a stronger impact. They are rich in descriptive power; they don’t simply “tell,” they “show.” In creating imagery, the words help to convey vision.
Similarly, compare these remarks:
You came out to support us in large numbers.
vs.
They said this country was too divided; too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose.
But on this January night—at this defining moment in history—you have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do. You have done what the state of New Hampshire can do in five days. You have done what America can do in this New Year, 2008. In lines that stretched around schools and churches; in small towns and big cities; you came together as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to stand up and say that we are one nation; we are one people; and our time for change has come.” (Obama, January 2008)4
Obama’s reference above to “lines that stretched around schools and churches” brings forth images of people huddled for hours, perhaps cold and uncomfortable, yet willing to endure the long lines in order to have a chance to support him. This, in turn, implies that what Obama represents and his candidacy are very worthwhile. That is, the word choice that invokes “lines of people” implies many other things in addition to what is actually said, with all of the implied ideas contributing positively to Obama’s message. The language serves as an excellent example of well-chosen, richly descriptive words.
There are many examples of Obama’s excellent use of vivid imagery and rich descriptive words. Consider his remarks during his 2009 inaugural address, when he stated:
… let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At the moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words to be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive … that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”
America: In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
When issuing public remarks in 2011 following the military action that led to the death of Osama bin Laden, President Obama used very descriptive words to speak to Americans about the great tragedy of 9/11 and to place the pursuit and killing of Osama bin Laden in context, conveying a strong vision of his commitment to the fight against terrorism. He stated:
It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory—hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.
And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.5
As President Obama spoke before government officials in India in 2010, he used vivid language—a reference to a tricolor flag—to evoke the memory of the important moment of India’s political independence, in words that resonated with his Indian audience. He said:
An ancient civilization of science and innovation; a fundamental faith in human progress—this is the sturdy foundation upon which you have built ever since that stroke of midnight when the tricolor was raised over a free and independent India. [Applause.]6
In 2012, when President Obama put forth a strong vision of his commitment to Israel, he employed a single descriptive word—fork—that helped emphasize his point. He remarked:
… as you examine my commitment, you don’t just have to count on my words. You can look at my deeds. Because over the last three years, as President of the United States, I have kept my commitments to the state of Israel. At every crucial juncture—at every fork in the road—we have been there for Israel. Every single time. [Applause.]7
Likewise, President Obama used strong imagery to end his 2012 State of the Union address excellently when he remarked:
Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those 50 stars and those 13 stripes. No one built this country on their own. This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is great because we worked as a team. This nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.
Obama illustrates that leaders who desire to use communication to convey vision in a compelling manner can benefit from using words that evoke rich imagery. Words filled with descriptive power can deepen the impact of speech. Employing richly descriptive words can create multilayered communication that enables speakers to articulate their vision with great efficacy.
DRAWING ON SYMBOLISM
Obama is also very good at conveying vision by using words rich with symbolism. Symbolic images often elicit emotional reactions. For example, referring to a national flag draped over a coffin evokes patriotism and notions of loyalty and sacrifice to a country. When Obama mentions that his grandfather was buried in a coffin draped with an American flag, therefore, he connects himself to all of those positive elements. The net effect: Those well-chosen words enhance Obama’s standing. Drawing on symbolism when it will enhance your image can be considered a best practice.
LEVERAGING COROLLARIES
A practice closely related to the excellent use of symbolism is the practice of choosing words rich in corollary meaning. Obama does this with great skill. Unlike symbolic words, a word rich in corollary meaning is not necessarily laden with patriotic or emotional meanings. Nonetheless, such a word is multidimensional in the ideas and images it evokes. The effectiveness of Obama’s communication demonstrates that, in choosing key words, selecting a word that “implies 20 others” can prove worthwhile. Think about this example:
In the year I was born, President Kennedy let out word that the torch had been passed to a new generation of Americans. He was right. It had. It was passed to his youngest brother.
From the battles of the 1960s to the battles of today, he has carried that torch, lighting the way for all who share his American ideals.
It’s a torch he’s carried as a champion for working Americans, a fierce proponent of universal health care, and a tireless advocate for giving every child in this country a quality education.
It’s a torch he’s carried as the lion of the senate, a man whose mastery of the issues and command of the levers of government—whose determined leadership and deft political skills—are matched only by his ability to tell a good story.8
Obama could have referred to some other light-bearing object, rather than a “torch,” as being passed on. A torch, however, has positive corollary value. It elicits images of Olympic athletes and is associated with great achievement, great heroism, and the quest for excellence. The word choice sets powerful imagery dancing in the mind. Leaders seeking to convey vision excellently can leverage corollary meaning to achieve greater impact with their words.
PERSONIFYING IDEAS AND CONFERRING PHYSICALITY
Obama also employs the technique of personification very well. I use the term “personification” to refer to the act of giving inanimate objects or ideas human characteristics, such as emotions or actions. For example:
Every house on the street was sleeping.
The wind began to moan and the clouds wept down rain.9
More often than employing a personification technique, however, Obama gives ideas physicality, such as when he sees “hope” in the “light” of eyes. In doing so, Obama ties emotions or ideas to concrete images. Giving ideas physicality is a highly effective way to present ideas in ways a listener will remember. The embodiment of ideas gives the imagery power; the words resonate at a deeper level and listeners are more likely to remember how the imagery makes them feel. Consider this difference: suppose if Obama had simply stated, “I know you all are hopeful; I can see this.” Contrast the impression of those words with the impact when Obama uses words that confer physicality, as he did after the Iowa primary on January 3, 2008:
But we always knew that hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it.
Hope is what I saw in the eyes of the young woman in Cedar Rapids who works the night shift after a full day of college and still can’t afford health care for a sister who’s ill; a young woman who still believes that this country will give her the chance to live out her dreams.
Hope is what I heard in the voice of the New Hampshire woman who told me that she hasn’t been able to breathe since her nephew left for Iraq; who still goes to bed each night praying for his safe return.
Hope is what led a band of colonists to rise up against an empire; what led the greatest of generations to free a continent and heal a nation; what led young women and young men to sit at lunch counters and brave fire hoses and march through Selma and Montgomery for freedom’s cause.
Hope. Hope is what led me here today—with a father from Kenya; a mother from Kansas; and a story that could only happen in the United States of America. Hope is the bedrock of this nation, the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is—who have the courage to remake the world as it should be. [Emphases added.]
The first statement, “I know you all are hopeful. I can see this,” sounds flat and fails to stir a listener. In contrast, Obama’s elaboration on “hope” above enables the listener to visualize the notion. The listener can see hopeful eyes. The image is vivid. Similarly, when Obama ties the notion of hope to honored history, he makes the notion more memorable and enables it to resonate at a deeper level. Obama’s practice of conferring physicality to ideas often serves his purposes very well.
PROVIDING JUST ENOUGH DETAIL
Another very instructive practice Obama employs as he conveys vision involves his use of “just enough” detail. He has demonstrated on many occasions his ability to calibrate the amount of detail he provides in order to illustrate the depth of his knowledge about key issues. A master of using well-chosen detail, Obama also understands the value of vagueness. Consider the remarks below, through which Obama relates the Iraq War issue in terms of one specific soldier, Shamus:
A while back, I met a young man named Shamus at the VFW Hall in East Moline, Illinois. He was a good-looking kid, six-two or six-three, clear-eyed, with an easy smile. He told me he’d joined the marines and was heading to Iraq the following week. As I listened to him explain why he’d enlisted, his absolute faith in our country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service, I thought this young man was all any of us might hope for in a child. But then I asked myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he was serving us? I thought of more than 900 service men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who will not be returning to their hometowns. I thought of families I had met who were struggling to get by without a loved one’s full income or whose loved ones had returned with a limb missing or with nerves shattered but who still lacked long-term health benefits because they were reservists. When we send our young men and women into harm’s way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they’re going, to care for their families while they’re gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.10
With his choice of words, Obama paints a picture. He has met a soldier named Shamus, but he outlines only a broad image—the good looks, the clear eyes, the easy smile, his height. Nothing else. Given the lack of additional details, a fascinating thing can happen in the minds of many listeners. They fill in the gaps themselves. What ethnicity is Shamus? The only clue is his name—a name unfamiliar to many, thus many listeners will attribute no specific ethnicity at all, except for the one they see fit. With scant description, they are free to imagine Shamus as they please. In many cases, a listener will imagine Shamus to look a lot like themselves, their own ethnicity. If so, the character becomes in many ways more understandable to the listener, and the example can resonate closer to home. Free to imagine, the story can connect with a broad range of listeners, helping to create a powerful and lasting impact. This is also highly effective use of “just enough” detail.
CREATING DYNAMIC IMAGES
Dynamic images serve as another powerful tool for conveying vision effectively. By dynamic, I simply mean “not static.” Consider this example:
That is what we started here in Iowa, and that is the message we can now carry to New Hampshire and beyond: the same message we had when we were up and when we were down; the one that can change this country brick by brick, block by block, calloused hand by calloused hand—that together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things; because we are not a collection of red states and blue states, we are the United States of America; and at this moment, in this election, we are ready to believe again. Thank you, Iowa.11
The words “brick by brick, block by block, calloused hand by calloused hand” create moving images—dynamic rather than static. In the mind’s eye, the image becomes an animated, living thing; it is in motion. This helps to create a sense of forward momentum.
Obama used similar words during his 2008 acceptance speech following his election as U.S. president, when he remarked:
… above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years—block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
At key times, leaders seeking to convey vision excellently can benefit from using words that create moving images. Dynamic words can be powerful. Imagery that becomes alive in the mind is likely to be remembered long after a speech is delivered.
LEVERAGING A BACKWARD LOOP
A much more rare technique that Obama has leveraged to great effect is what I call the “backward loop.” Obama’s knowledge and use of this unique technique helps demonstrate how he has mastered the art of highly effective communication. Many speakers, when seeking to create a dynamic image, put forth a picture of what they hope the future will bring. Obama, however, has also discerned the power of looping back in time. Examine this excerpt:
The scripture tells us that when Joshua and the Israelites arrived at the gates of Jericho, they could not enter. The walls of the city were too steep for any one person to climb, too strong to be taken down with brute force. And so they sat for days, unable to pass on through.
But God had a plan for his people. He told them to stand together and march together around the city, and on the seventh day he told them that when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn, they should speak with one voice. And at the chosen hour, when the horn sounded and a chorus of voices cried out together, the mighty walls of Jericho came tumbling down.
There are many lessons to take from this passage, just as there are many lessons to take from this day, just as there are many memories that fill the space of this church. As I was thinking about which ones we need to remember at this hour, my mind went back to the very beginning of the modern civil rights era.
Because before Memphis and the mountaintop; before the bridge in Selma and the march on Washington; before Birmingham and the beatings; the fire hoses and the loss of those four little girls; before there was King the icon and his magnificent dream, there was King the young preacher and a people who found themselves suffering under the yoke of oppression.12 [Emphasis added.]
This example demonstrates Obama’s mastery of public speech. He skillfully uses imagery to illustrate a powerful point. Moving the motion backwards, Obama compares the launch of another significant American movement (the civil rights movement) to current-day efforts to bring positive social and political change. Obama begins with references to Memphis and Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. The reference conjures up for many Americans images of hundreds of thousands of people marching on the Washington mall in a commendable effort to secure equality. Obama continues backward in time to Selma, and he refers to beatings and police use of water hoses against unarmed civil rights protestors. He finally rests on the image of Americans suffering amid discriminatory conditions at the very inception of the civil rights movement.
Consider how much more powerfully these remarks resonate than a more straightforward, succinct statement might have. Instead of stating, “supporters of the civil rights movement once stood like us, facing a big challenge,” Obama takes listeners back in time, referencing the many accomplishments of civil rights supporters and illustrating that those protestors had once been just like his listeners, standing at the inception of a movement. Powerfully, the backward loop asks an implied question—if they did it, why can’t we? The message transmitted becomes: they did it, so can we! Given the focus on a very laudable movement—the civil rights movement—a listener can be inspired, motivated, and stirred by the example. Obama makes his point powerfully.
ILLUSTRATING WITH ANECDOTES
Finally, Obama uses anecdotes as powerful tools for conveying vision. Anecdotes allow him to use brief narration to go into greater depth and illustrate points in memorable ways. When speaking about the United States and its future in 2008, for instance, Obama said:
This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation—the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election.
There is one story in particularly that I’d like to leave you with today—a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr. King’s birthday at his home church, Ebenezer Baptist, in Atlanta.
There is a young, twenty-three-year-old white woman named Ashley Baia who organized for our campaign in Florence, South Carolina. She had been working to organize a mostly African American community since the beginning of this campaign, and one day she was at a roundtable discussion where everyone went around telling their story and why they were there.
And Ashley said that when she was nine years old, her mother got cancer. And because she had to miss days of work, she was let go and lost her health care. They had to file for bankruptcy, and that’s when Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom.
She knew that food was one of their most expensive costs, and so Ashley convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches. Because that was the cheapest way to eat.
She did this for a year until her mom got better, and she told everyone at the roundtable that the reason she joined our campaign was so that she could help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents, too.
Now Ashley might have made a different choice. Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mother’s problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work or Hispanics who were coming into the country illegally. But she didn’t. She sought out allies in her fight against injustice.
Anyway, Ashley finishes her story and then goes around the room and asks everyone else why they’re supporting the campaign. They all have different stories and reasons. Many bring up a specific issue. And finally they come to this elderly black man who’s been sitting there quietly the entire time. And Ashley asks him why he’s there. And he does not bring up a specific issue. He does not say health care or the economy. He does not say education or the war. He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama. He simply says to everyone in the room, “I am here because of Ashley.”
“I’m here because of Ashley.” By itself, that single moment of recognition between that young white girl and that old black man is not enough. It is not enough to give health care to the sick or jobs to the jobless, or education to our children.
But it is where we start. It is where our union grows stronger. And as so many generations have come to realize over the course of the two-hundred and twenty-one years since a band of patriots signed that document in Philadelphia, that is where the perfection begins.13
The anecdote demonstrates in great detail the power of small changes in mind-set and the choice to unite across traditional societal divisions. It conveys these points excellently by focusing on one person listeners can relate to—Ashley. Focusing the discussion in this manner, Obama makes his points well and those points are more likely to linger with listeners.
President Obama also used an anecdote very powerfully during his 2008 acceptance speech, following his election as U.S. president. He spoke about a 106-year-old African American woman who had seen many changes in her lifetime. Earlier in her life, Obama elaborated, this woman could not vote in the United States both because of her race and because of her gender. But, in 2008 she was able to cast a vote for the first African American president. After speaking about this through his anecdote, Obama summarized the importance and tied it to his theme of change, saying:
[T]his year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.
While serving as U.S. president, Barack Obama has continued to use anecdotes as a means of connecting with his audiences, underscoring points and helping to convey his vision. During his comments before the National Governors Association Meeting in 2012 in Washington, DC, for example, Obama used an anecdote to relate more deeply with the audience while underscoring the importance of education as a means for spurring innovation. He said:
There was a kid—the kid who actually got the most attention was a young man named Joey Hudy of Arizona. That’s because Joey let me fire off an extreme marshmallow cannon. We did it right here in this room. We shot it from here. We pumped it up—it almost hit that light. I thought it was a lot of fun. And while the cannon was impressive, Joey left a bigger impression because he had already printed out his own business cards—he was 14 years old. And he was handing them out to everybody, including me. He’s on our short list for a Cabinet post.
Under his name on each card was a simple motto: “Don’t be bored, do something.” Don’t be bored, do something. Don’t be bored, make something.
All across this country there are kids like Joey who are dreaming big, and are doing things and making things. And we want them to reach those heights. They’re willing to work hard. They are willing to dig deep to achieve. And we’ve got a responsibility to give them a fair shot. If we do, then I’m absolutely convinced that our future is going to be as bright as all of us want.14
In his 2011 State of the Union address, he used an anecdote equally well. When focusing on the need to meet the challenges of the globalizing world, Obama referred to the admirable efforts of a middle-aged mother. He stated:
One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she’s earning her degree in bio-technology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams, too. As Kathy said, “I hope it tells them to never give up.”
If we take these steps—if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they are born until the last job they take—we will reach the goal that I set two years ago: By the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.15
Leaders seeking to use communication to convey vision excellently should consider whether an anecdote will allow them to crystallize a point or make a theme more memorable. Will listeners relate to the issues or key themes more readily? Carefully narrated anecdotes can enrich communication, enhancing a speaker’s ability to convey their vision successfully.
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED—PRACTICES FOR CONVEYING VISION
There is much to learn from the way Barack Obama conveys vision. Obama has shown a keen ability to convey vision in a compelling manner, which enables others to understand his vision and has inspired many people to ultimately embrace it.
Leaders can draw on the techniques that enable Obama to do this so well. When seeking to convey vision in a compelling manner, referencing history can make ideas more understandable and digestible. Listeners can relate to ideas more readily from a prism of shared history and cherished tradition, and may relate better with references to admired historical figures. Efforts to convey vision are more effective also when leaders “show, don’t tell” at crucial times. That is, effective communicators will draw on vivid language at key times to paint pictures as effectively as they might with visual aids. They know to employ richly descriptive words—a torch instead of a light; a wedge; a bludgeon. They draw on symbolic language for emotional impact. They leverage the power of corollaries to bring about multilayered communication, saying 1 word while implying 20 others.
The practice of giving ideas physicality can also play a role in conveying vision effectively. “Embodiment” makes ideas more memorable, such as seeing “hope in the eyes.” Highly skilled communicators also employ detail effectively, calibrating the ideal amount of detail they provide as they convey their vision. At times, ample detail establishes a depth of knowledge. But skillful speakers also recognize the value of vagueness, allowing listeners to imagine when appropriate with “just enough” detail.
Use of dynamic imagery represents another useful communication technique. Effective communicators find ways to make pictures move in the mind—“brick by brick, block by block, calloused hand by calloused hand.” Similarly, backward loops can be powerful, as a speaker takes listeners back in time to imagine how it once was, comparing and contrasting the past with the present with great effect. Finally, effective communicators often employ anecdotes, which provide brief narration and short tales to breathe life into key themes. Together, these techniques enable leaders to use communication to convey their vision in highly compelling ways.