President-elect Obama has picked a retired general, Eric Shinseki, as his Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  This is an extraordinarily important and difficult job, and by all accounts Shinseki is well-suited to fill it.  He has a reputation for integrity – he was cashiered by the Bush Administration for speaking out on Iraq – and he is a decorated veteran of Vietnam himself. 

He was Army Chief of Staff from 1999-2003, and is the highest-ranking Asian-American in the armed services. 

What kind of public speaker is he?

A serious one, as you might expect.  His affect is minimal, but he has the gravitas for the job, and the authority.  His voice is nasal, giving it presence, but not monotone, and it also has some resonance, so that it is not unpleasant to listen to in short doses.  He could improve it by supporting better with good belly breathing.  During a long speech, we would begin to find the nasal voice grating, so he should work on balancing his vocal presence and resonance better if he wants to be a successful platform speaker. 

I suspect that, in a job as political and difficult as this one, public perception will be extremely important – nearly as important as actually getting things done.  Of course, the VA is in terrible shape, and urgently needs modernizing, streamlining, and updating.  Most of all, it needs to honor the service of our veterans by treating them with the respect and deference they are due for their sacrifice. 

But the politics of the job will also demand a vocal Secretary who knows how to mobilize public opinion and comment to get things done.  Otherwise the Congress will continue as it has always done, paying lip service and not much else, to our veterans.

That suggests that successful public speaking will be an important part of General Shinseki’s work, and he would be well-advised to increase his charisma quotient.  He can do this by increasing his affect – the tactful display of a range of emotions. 

Charisma comes from two sources, self-awareness, and awareness of the audience.  Shinseki has to show his self-awareness with the strategic use of emotion when it will serve the cause.  Strategic displays of anger, for example, could forward his agenda powerfully if used wisely.  Especially in the halls of Congress.

Awareness of the audience will come when the General settles into the job and shows that he understands the needs and causes of all of the many stakeholders he must deal with.  Can he connect with the ones that he must connect with?

It’s a tall order, the one that General Shinseki must fill.  And a much-abused and neglected segment of our society, our veterans, is depending on him.