why women are good speakers: Montagu

Writing in the Jerusalem Post last week, columnist Judy Montagu offered these musings about public speaking. The column's chock-full of good advice and trivia--I didn't know that the longest speech ever recorded, according to the Guiness Book of World Records, clocked in at 102 hours. Montagu offers these thoughts on eloquent women:

SOME OF the best talks I've heard have been by women. I think, firstly, that's because despite huge strides in equality, women still need to prove they are as good as, or better than men in "traditional" roles - which means they put in the necessary preparation.

Secondly, women are excellent communicators, empathetic and looking for a response. They tend to be practical and are more likely to stick to the point. So provided they can exercise discipline and have something to say, they are natural speakers.

Montagu also questions a source about why she's not heard any good women speakers in the Knesset. Check out the column for another favorite of mine, her reference to what may be the shortest speech ever, by the late Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek: "I am known for my long speeches," he once said. "Welcome!" he concluded. Do pay attention to her good advice about how you can hold an audience's attention!