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Instructional DVD touts Obama's communication skillsPASADENA, May 29, 2009 (San Gabriel Valley Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- In the world of business, good communications skills are vital. Whether it's negotiating real estate transactions, speaking at corporate board meetings or interacting with potential clients, the ability to speak well -- and get your point across -- can literally make or break the deal. No one knows this better than Chris Berthelsen. And according to Berthelsen, no one better embodies the concept of effective communication than President Barack Obama. Berthelsen, who has had a varied career as a video editor, writer/producer, brand strategist and business owner among other things -- recently produced an instructional DVD for Futura Films about effective communication. The DVD, "The 5 Communication Secrets That Swept Obama to the Presidency," offers a compelling case for why the nation's newest chief executive is such an effective communicator. The film is being distributed by Futura, a company with operations in Pasadena and Encino that makes corporate training films and supplies overhead projectors and power-point systems for businesses. The film's content was put together by Richard Greene, an industry expert in effective communication and the author of a system he calls The 5 Secrets of Effective Communication. "I think Obama is a masterful storyteller," Berthelsen said. "In the first section we talk about words, voice, tone and body language. He takes the time to make eye contact with the audience. And he pauses long enough to allow a little silence to settle in ... as if he's listening to your response." The film also examines the president's ability to make listeners feel as if they are "included in your circle of intimacy," Berthelsen said. Obama additionally has a knack for "speaking from a place of authentic passion," he said. "Audiences can smell when you're coming from a manipulative place," Berthelsen said. The goal of the new DVD is for users to master some of Obama's skills in order to persuade their listeners of the value of what they believe in, and to have a greater impact on listeners -- in large groups or in a one-on-one setting. Pete Tzavalas, vice president of the Southern California region for outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said good communication skills are vital in today's climate of rampant layoffs. "It's immensely important," he said. "You need to communicate back to the employees who are left behind because there is this survivor guilt that they have. If you don't there will be a reduction in productivity. It's called the doom loop." A sense of clarity, Tzavales said, can help to get employees back on track and become more productive again. [email protected] (626) 962-8811, Ext. 2701 To see more of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sgvtribune.com. Copyright (c) 2009, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |