Foreword
Who is this guy? That was my reaction when I first saw the reserved and mysterious Bill Hoogterp in action in June 2010. I had just become editor of Parade magazine and was in Washington, DC, to introduce the very first Parade All-American Service Team to Vice President Joe Biden. Because Bill had played a role in helping to create the program and select the team, he was there at the Washington headquarters of Points of Light to congratulate the winners. I had been told that he was going to coach the kids on their big meet and greet. That afternoon, I learned that Bill was a cofounder of CafeMom as well as a leadership coach, but to be honest, I found it hard to pinpoint what exactly he did—never mind how he was going to prep so many kids in such a short amount of time.
The service team was a group of 15 kids from all across America. What they had in common were clever, innovative ideas for changing their schools, their neighborhoods, and their country. Some of them were precocious and very capable of handling themselves around adults. But most were gawky, self-conscious, and feeling a bit lost in their surroundings. Bill sat in the middle of the room as the kids shuffled into chairs, looking a little out of place around the big conference table. We went around the room and introduced ourselves. The kids rambled on. Some of them barely got above a whisper. Others failed to make eye contact. They were kids, after all. But their ideas had so much potential, and the fact that they didn’t quite know how to deliver them in a sound bite was heartbreaking. After a while, Bill adjourned the meeting and took the kids off to work with them for an hour.
The next day, the service team arrived at the White House to make the presentations. A few of the girls ran into Elena Kagan, who was in the midst of Supreme Court confirmation preparations, in the ladies’ room. It was a heady experience, with Vice President Biden there to salute the kids and their work, so it was hard to imagine the day getting any better. Then it did: When each child stood up to share what he or she had done, that child spoke with wit and clarity. All the children’s voices were strong. They smiled. They told stories. They connected. It was as if Tinker Bell had flicked her wand and showered public speaking pixie dust on this crew. I looked around to find Bill to congratulate him on this miraculous transformation, but was told that he had left. Poof. He was gone.
Luckily for me, Bill quickly reappeared in my life. He invited me to a seminar, and before I knew it, I was using a prop, modulating my voice, moving around the room, and “getting over myself.” As an editor at Time, Inc., I had taken my share of public speaking and presentation courses, but I had never experienced anything like the lively, engaging, and fun afternoon that I spent with Bill and his merry band of coaches. That’s when it dawned on me that Own the Room was not your average public speaking course. Sure, I had learned some surefire ways to connect with a crowd, but it was how I felt when I was doing it—alive, confident, and unembarrassed—that really stood out for me. I felt like myself in front of a crowd. I heard my voice. What a powerful moment to experience. What a magical thing to feel.
Today, whenever I see anyone give a speech, I think of Bill. Did the person start with a question or a prop? How quickly are my filters going up? I now know that a good speaker can command both my head and my heart—if that speaker uses the right techniques. And when the speaker is so-so? I wonder what Bill’s coaches could do for him or her. I wish Bill’s class could be a mandatory part of childhood (and teacher) education because of the power it unlocks in young minds. I know Bill’s book will be a must-have reference for anyone who wants to be a better leader in any business. And I believe that Own the Room will be your ticket to own whatever room you’re in. The fun starts now.
MAGGIE MURPHY
Editor in Chief, Parade