Special Delivery Part 8: Fourteen Things to Try If the Judge Hates You
This is part of a series on special delivery, answering a reader question from Spencer. Read the previous posts here:
Special Delivery Part 1: Universal Skills
Special Delivery Part 2: Specialized Skills
Special Delivery Part 3: The Four Core Delivery Skills
Special Delivery Part 4: Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses
Special Delivery Part 5: Picking a Specialization
Spencer, in the last article, we suggested that you find universal ways to improve your likability. Here are a few ideas that don’t conflict with your gravitas.
These are not generic speaking tips. Use these tools only if you’re struggling with a likability issue.
Don’t take risks. Make sure you’re not doing anything that could alienate the judge. Risk-taking only pays off if you’re focused on sympathy. Maybe you have some pet idiom, mannerism, or argument that isn’t going over well. Sand down the corners of your delivery.
Avoid humor. Jokes that fall flat are less likable than no jokes at all. All jokes contain the potential to offend. There’s nothing wrong with taking the round seriously.
Be extra respectful. Instead of “John,” it’s “Mr. Smith” or “My Opponent.” Be mentally present during formalities like introductions and post-debate handshakes.
Speak quieter. Even if you don’t change your intonation, speaking at a slightly lower volume makes you easier on the senses.
Mute your wardrobe. Swap out aggressive reds for calming blues and grays. Avoid high contrast, like a white shirt with a black jacket.
Be congruent. That means acting the same way inside and outside the round. Judges are always watching you. Your tournament performance starts when you get out of bed.
Open your hands. Fists and podium-pounding are aggressive. Switch to gestures with exposed, upward-facing palms.
Be gentle with opposing space. When you gesture in your opponent’s direction, using smooth flowing gestures. Don’t point, stab, or jerk.
Use the Politician Point and Politician Grip. Pointing with an index finger is aggressive. Put your thumb and index fingers together to create the Politician Point.
Alternatively, slide the thumb down to the first knuckle of your index finger and curl your other fingers around it, like you’re handing someone a stack of money. This is the Politician Grip.
These gestures are great for communicating specificity without coming off as aggressive. They’ll stop feeling awkward after one or two speeches of conscious practice.
If you watch for it, you’ll notice these gestures all the time on television. Top-level speaking coaches use it heavily because unlikability is always a major factor in politics.
Put down the pen. Pointing with a pen is aggressive. Set it down before making a gesture with your dominant hand.
Be impersonal. If you want to use forceful language, distance your opponent from the thing you’re upset about first. Your opponent isn’t a bad guy. He means well and just doesn’t understand the situation. He’s been deceived by the propaganda. It’s not: “Steve wants to put wiretaps in your home, and you need to stop him,” it’s: “The government wants to put wiretaps in our homes, and it’s time for us to take a stand.”
Don’t let your opponent get to you. Your opponent may upset you, but you will never let the judge see that. Whenever you show strong emotion, it is always directed at the issue and the faceless bad guys who caused it. You’re not calm, you’re unreactive. You’re upset because you choose to be upset. This will particularly help in cross-examination.
Loosen up a little. You’re not cracking jokes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t laugh. If you trip on a shoelace or lose your train of thought, chuckle softly. If your opponent says something funny and the judge likes it, you can smile and shake your head, as if to say: “That was a good one.” You’re showing human emotions without giving up control.
Have a likable partner. Your partner’s “good cop” delivery frees you up to be a bit more “bad cop.” This will only take you so far, however. You still need to fix the unlikable aspects of your delivery.
Notice that none of these tools seek to make the judge actively like you. They only help you become palatable and inoffensive without compromising on your passion, gravitas, or rapport. The Politician Point is not for everyone.
Of course, we’re only scratching the surface. A session with an Ace Peak coach will be helpful. One of our coaches can hear you speak, go over your ballots with you, and apply their expertise to pinpoint exactly what you need to improve.
What do you want to learn next? Maybe you want to read more about how to incorporate humor if you are one of the lucky twenty percent. Or you want an advanced series about speaking personas, brands, and how to specifically counter opposing speaking styles.
Let us know what you’re curious about, and check back soon.