Gordon Brown's Conference Speech

Possibly the most eagerly-anticipated UK speech of 2008 was delivered by Primie Minister Gordon Brown at the Labour Party Conference on 23 September. There had been talk for months that this was a 'make or break' address and that its reception would determine whether rebels within his party overthrew him. In the event, he delivered it well and it seemed to be acceptable to the delegates (even if, as the Daily Mail pointed out, numerous parts of it were less than original!)

Mr Brown's popularity in the polls jumped (although probably not as much as some were hoping) and now, three weeks later, the headlines are dominated more by financial crises than talk of leadership challenges.

What I found fascinating about all this was the media speculation about how this speech and this speech alone would determine whether he kept his position. I believe that if a politician has reached a certain pinnacle (and you can't go much higher than PM!) then the public is so used to them that - with the possible exception of in wartime - no speech will make that much difference to how they are perceived. If enough people want you out then that' s it (remember Conservative leader Ian Duncan-Smith announcing impressively at his party's conference in 2003 that 'The quiet man is here to stay and he's turning up the volume'...and then being ousted very shortly afterwards?)

But if someone's star is in the ascendant, then I think one speech can have an extraordinary impact, such as that described in this extract from Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery: An Autobiography, published in 1901.

Public Speaking Tip #249: If you are already gathering some momentum, for example, in your career or in public life, then one very  good speech can bring you much wider recognition almost instantly.

This post from last year highlighted the potential negative impact of a single speech!