The incredible advantage of speaking well

When my wife and I go on a road trip, she has to bear the heavy burden of listening to some of my favorite podcasts. There is one, in particular, that I love and she hates most of all — the All In podcast.

The hosts are four friends who also are very wealthy businessmen who have made their way in America. My wife does not like it because they talk about their $4,000 dollar sweaters and $100,000 dollar watches. They speak like how you would assume rich guys to speak in many ways.

I enjoy it, not for those sidebar conversations, but for the main focus of the conversation. They often have access to rooms that I never will, and are sharing insight on world-changing decisions.

One of the most recent examples of their reach was going on a tour of the White House and interviewing one of President Trump’s closest allies both personally and in government, Howard Lutnick.

As I listened to the interview, the thing that stood out to me had nothing to do with governmental policy and everything to do with how he spoke. Everything he had was narrative. He did not have a straight answer. Rather, everything he was doing and deciding fit into this larger story. And he beautifully articulated how President Trump and his folks were doing just that.

The hosts of the interview actually called out his ability to tell story.

Lutnick responded by saying that this administration as a whole is a collection of the best storytellers in America. In fact, how a candidate was picked for their position was not based primarily on knowledge of the position being hired for, but rather how the candidate spoke and carried themselves.

Anyone can learn anything. It is much harder to train someone to speak well, to have great posture, and control a room with an aura of confidence.

This administration is moving at lightening speeds. It is a pace that is only able to be kept and accomplished because of the narrative that has been and continues to be told.

Story is shaping our country. But this is not new, as story always has shaped our country.

In fact, story is shaping your life. You are living out a story that you have been telling yourself from the moment you woke up. The human mind seems to work in this sort of way as you perceive who you are in relation to the world that you are living in.

It may be time to rethink and rewrite the story that you are choosing to live in.

Your ability to influence the story around you grows as you grow your ability to communicate a new kind of story. By developing a personally vision of what world you are hoping to see, of one you are willing to step out and participate in creating.

To be able to speak well, to articulate your thoughts, to dialogue with storytelling partners, is your ability to change the course of the world around you.

So, stand up straight and speak clearly. The world is listening.

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