Bill Gates public speech critique

TJ’s Insights

May 18, 2005

New Books, TJ Walker’s “Media Training A-Z”
http://www.mediatrainingworldwide.com/mediatrainingaz.html
“Presentation Training A-Z” http://www.mediatrainingworldwide.com/presentaz.html

Substance Can Trump Style

Bill Gates is not known for being a riveting speaker. He is the poster boy for nerdy geeks everywhere. Still, he can create quite an impact when he speaks—when he has something important to say. Sure, if you are worth more money than the entire Gross Continental Product of South America, people listen carefully to anything you say. But just because you are rich it doesn’t mean your audience will remember anything that comes out of your mouth.

In February 2005, Gates made a speech to the National Governor’s Association and he made news, and not because he was announcing a new version of Windows. He got people’s attention because he said things that were genuinely interesting. Below is an excerpt from his speech:

“America’s high schools are obsolete.

By obsolete, I don’t just mean that our high schools are broken, flawed, and under-funded – though a case could be made for every one of those points.

By obsolete, I mean that our high schools – even when they’re working exactly as designed – cannot teach our kids what they need to know today.

Training the workforce of tomorrow with the high schools of today is like trying to teach kids about today’s computers on a 50-year-old mainframe. It’s the wrong tool for the times.

Our high schools were designed fifty years ago to meet the needs of another age. Until we design them to meet the needs of the 21st century, we will keep limiting – even ruining – the lives of millions of Americans every year.

Today, only one-third of our students graduate from high school ready for college, work, and citizenship.

The other two-thirds, most of them low-income and minority students, are tracked into courses that won’t ever get them ready for college or prepare them for a family-wage job – no matter how well the students learn or the teachers teach.

This isn’t an accident or a flaw in the system; it is the system.

In district after district, wealthy white kids are taught Algebra II while low-income minority kids are taught to balance a check book!

The first group goes on to college and careers; the second group will struggle to make a living wage.”

Wow. That’s not typical, bland, boring corporate speak. Gates is attacking with force and speaking with passion. He has special standing, given that he is one of the largest employers in the world. Plus, he is putting his money where his mouth is—he gives billions to education. His ideas can not be dismissed for any of the typical reasons. He’s not a teacher or a lobbyist trying to get more money for selfish reasons. He isn’t a politician trying to get votes.

I’m not saying Gates is a saint, but his message and his background allowed him to frame an issue he cared about strongly so that it got lots of attention. And not just from the people in the room, elements of this speech were reported widely in the mainstream media.

Even if you aren’t a billionaire, there are lessons from Gates that can apply to almost any business speaker.

1. Have something interesting to say.
2. Don’t be afraid to deliver strong criticism.
3. Offer well-thought out solutions to problems.
4. Let people know how you personally feel about your subject, especially if you see a crisis where others don’t.

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TJ Walker
Media Training Worldwide
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Media Training Worldwide provides more media and presentation training workshops and seminars (54 separate courses) than any other company in the world. Media Training Worldwide also publishes more than 100 presentation training books, DVDs, CDs, and other information products and is the largest presentation/media training publisher in the world. For a product catalog or more information on training services call 800-755-7220 or visit http://mediatrainingworldwide.com/mediatrainingcatalogapril2004.pdf.

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