Why Reagan was "The Great Communicator" by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

Former President Ronald Reagan was often referred to as "The Great Communicator." He was seen by many as a leader who had an uncanny ability to connect with people, including those who disagreed with his policies, on a very personal and human level.

Consider just some of Reagan's communication attributes that offer valuable lessons for the rest of us:

--A great sense of humor and timing that he often used to diffuse difficult situations. Consider the 1984 debate between then President Reagan and his opponent Walter Mondale. At the time Reagan was 73 and Mondale was in his 50s. Many questioned whether Reagan was too old to run for a second term. The president knew the question was coming. When it did, he said “…I want you to know that I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” The audience roared, and even Mondale laughed. Reagan's humor (and quick wit) was a powerful and disarming communication tool.

-- Reagan was a superb speech reader off a script or teleprompter. Clearly his acting training helped. While I am not a big advocate of reading speeches, Reagan mastered this craft by going slowly, pausing for dramatic effect and capturing the essence of what he was actually saying and never trying to cheat by reading ahead.

--He was a master with the media. He spoke in pithy sound bytes. He rarely got angry if a reporter asked him a confrontational question. Author of the book “How to Sell Yourself,” Arch Lustberg recounts a story of Sam Donaldson shouting a particularly provocative question at Reagan as the president was about to enter a helicopter. Instead of getting into a protracted response, the president just smiled and said, “Sam, you are just trying to get me in trouble.” Says Lustberg, "Reagan didn’t need an answer because of Reagan's charm and style compared to Sam's aggressive tone."

--Reagan knew his audience. He had a tremendous sense of what people wanted and needed to hear. On the 40th Anniversary of D-Day, Reagan spoke to a group of World War II veterans who courageously put their lives on the line. They wanted to hear that their president understood their sacrifice. Reagan didn’t let them down. He was eloquent, compassionate and genuinely moved, and so were the war veterans.

--Reagan's face and body communicated even when he wasn’t talking. He had a very open and engaging face. He had a comfortable and natural smile. His eyes were expressive. There was something reassuring about Reagan's facial gestures and body language that communicated a sense of authority without being arrogant.

--Reagan loved to tell stories. He spoke in anecdotes, many from his Hollywood days. He would find a way to communicate about complex subjects with simple stories that had powerful messages. While some saw it as a weakness, Reagan rarely got caught up in the details and nuance of an issue. He was clear on his message and didn’t deviate. There was an eloquence in such simplicity.

--Reagan had a passion for what he believed, which made him comfortable in his own skin. This gave him confidence when he spoke. Even his critics believed that Reagan believed in what he was saying. They knew he was speaking from his heart. Even if you disagreed with him, it was hard to dislike him.

Few presidents, in fact few highly visible public speakers, have mastered the public communication game the way Ronald Reagan did. His legacy as a passionate, persuasive communicator and the techniques and tools he used offer powerful lessons for the rest of us still working on our game.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.