Communication Politics

The concession and acceptance speeches by our political leaders on Saturday night played out an interesting contrast as well as providing a microcosm of the respective campaigns.

Tony Abbott’s victory address, while never reaching great heights as a speech, delivered a reserved and graceful series of acknowledgments to the Prime Minister and to voters. It was laced with the reserve and predictability of his campaign.

Kevin Rudd, also consistent with his own campaign, delivered a rambling and staccato address, full of incongruence and inconsistency. The artificial joy and almost immediate self-focus of his language was matched only by the poor timing of his gestures and the inauthenticity of his smile.

A useful lesson was provided for business leaders in the value of commitment, consistency and authenticity in communication.