The scene is set:
A by-election in Bradford.
A 40-year old safe seat for Labour.
In the bag – surely…?
Then along comes Mr. George Galloway and wins the seat with a clonking majority.
The Labour party must have been shocked – but they should not have been surprised.
Over the years George Galloway has been on my list of the best public speakers of our time. He uses the same rhetorical skills as did Martin Luther King and Churchill. Though not in their league as a leader, he can certainly win over the most difficult of crowds. So how does he do it..?
I do not always like his methods and I may not always agree with what he says, but there’s no denying he is a master of influencing and persuading others – in the short term certainly.
And here’s how he does it…
He knows his audience – and knows how to control them: GG understood his electorate and who to target. By saying everything they were thinking and feeling, he reinforced those thoughts, creating a strong personal bond. He served his target audience 100%. He inspired and excited them.
He has a powerful voice and confident speech: Listening to GG is engaging. He is convincing. He speaks with energy, enthusiasm and passion. He never hesitates – no ums or errs. He speaks at a measured pace, with pauses for us time to process and reinforce the points he is making. He leaves us in no doubt that he believes in what he is saying.
He uses an emotional tone and powerful language: No jargon. No geeky management or political theory speak. Direct thoughts. Clear, simple statements. Original vocabulary. Consequently producing some perfect soundbites, for examples, “… a Bradford Spring…” (relating to the Arab Springs of last year). He can rouse the crowd’s emotional state to reach a satisfying climax. Crowd control to perfection.
He uses humour beautifully – warming us to him, just in case we might be thinking he’s becoming too pompous. Very clever.
Take a look at these links to see/hear the man in action.
After his win at Bradford West…
Defending a young disabled man from Richard Littlejohn’s insults…
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