Great interview here from Public Speaking Sucker - I'm biased as Ross Bowring actually interviewed me. But in addition to some self serving stuff, there were some nice pieces on using Video, and how YouTube is being used to communicate. (See a good example here.)
Excerpt: "Hey Ross, these questions are too comprehensive – I could write a book! Put simply:
- Everyone can, and should, put up their video clips! (short – not over a minute or two at most) on YouTube. But it’s more than YouTube.
- Hillary Clinton has used ‘this new tool’ best by making her ..."
Bert, do you remember the first time that it really hit you how crucial it can be in life to be an effective communicator?
Sure, the day I lost a $450,000 film contract. I was a young film producer, and reached the finals for a big government documentary film bid (years ago when I was making films.) I had a great written proposal, but when I flew to Washington, DC for the orals – I lost it. My friend who observed the three finalists said, “You looked nervous Bert.”
This wasn’t even a stand-up presentation, but an hour sit down meeting. I don’t know what I did – probably said “um” and “uh” with no eye contact, and a lot of other things I didn’t know about then. But for the first time I knew how important it was to speak and present yourself well in ANY setting. And that the written medium was very different from the spoken medium.
And I decided to do something about it, which ultimately led to Decker Communications. That’s why our program is about all spoken communication, not only “public speaking.” (After all, there is really no such thing as private speaking.)
Your website talks a lot about The Decker Method. What is this and how did it come about?
I knew the power of video feedback when I began my company, because I was a film producer/director helping corporate execs and politicians on how to be confident on camera. I always used video (or film) to show them, because observed behavior changes.
So when I decided to start a communications training company I knew that video would be the major component. Other courses had usually a couple of videotapings – we started with six and now have eight. That’s the behavioral side.
And on the content side we very early on developed the Decker Grid™ so people could very quickly develop a presentation in our two day course. As it became refined it also became the best way to naturally cut preparation time in half and always have a focused, listener based message as well.
So these components are the major portions that are unique to The Decker Method – with a philosophy behind it. The natural communicator is the best communicator. We have to get out of our own way – so we added distinctive exercises and private coaching to accomplish this.
You recently predicted that 2007 would be the year of desktop video. Should people be spending more time building their skills and confidence in addressing a video camera? And if so - what are some good ways to do this?
Absolutely! We will be on video now like we’ve been on the phone and in still pictures for the past decades. It’s no longer enough to ‘say cheese.’
Video will become ubiquitous – and the smart entrepreneur and leader will become adept at knowing how they come across so they can use the medium. It’s more than just YouTube – we will be sending video in our emails, using it embedded in power points, and having instantaneous messages in this most powerful of mediums.
Everyone should go to a communication course (perhaps self serving, but true.) And once one has the tools, people should use video (including the video now immediately available on your digital still camera) to get feedback in real life situations. Observed behavior changes.
We've begun to see Presidential candidates utilizing YouTube to reach out to voters. From what you've seen of the candidates so far, who's doing the best job of using this new tool - and how would you be using YouTube to connect to voters if you were running for President in 2008?
Hey Ross, these questions are too comprehensive – I could write a book! Put simply:
- Everyone can, and should, put up their video clips! (short – not over a minute or two at most) on YouTube. But it’s more than YouTube.
- Hillary Clinton has used ‘this new tool’ best by making her announcement in a ‘soft’ form of video as if it’s a conversation with the voters. Although of course it is not, it does shift her image from hard to soft, by allowing her to control her exposure. She will get enough of the hard exposure on news and in the Senate – she is now being viral.
- Barack Obama is the best on both interviews, direct to camera pieces and news shows (and is my Number #1 Communicator last year, not un-coincidentally). He is already using short clips, but could use YouTube and the like more.
- If I was running for office, I’d use YouTube, yes, with short clips as above. But I would also work hard to make news in some of the videos – and not just be a talking head but use the real power of video (film) by doing filmed mini-stories, including interviews, with music. I’d have my commercials producer make a series of short (1-4 minutes max) vignettes with real people and situations – documentary style. We actually used to do that in my filmmaking days, but in 15 and 30 minute versions because shorter distribution was not available then. In the last year, and more and more, video compression with technology is going to give all of us more opportunities to communicate our message. And who needs to do it more than politicians.
For those yet to visit your blog, what kind of topics do you cover - and how can someone subscribe by email so that they receive your posts in their in-box?
My blog is called Creating Your Communications Experience because that is what it is really all about. It’s more than just speaking - what I put on my squib on BlogTopSite describes it best:
Regular insights, tips, surveys and methodologies for communicating more effectively - for those leading, selling or otherwise influencing others. That's everybody.
The easiest way to subscribe is to go to the blog at www.deckerblog.com and put your email in the designated box on the left hand side. Thanks for asking.
Thank you Bert.
