Should leaders speak from behind a lectern?
You switch on your television and the Prime Minister is stood outside no.10 Downing Street, well dressed, and positioned neatly behind a lectern. It's a tried and tested format. But why?
For the speaker or audience?
Just like classrooms follow the teacher stood at the front speaking, and pupils sat listening model, the politician/lectern set up has become ingrained. Both are for the speaker's benefit not the audience's. Unfortunately this communication security blanket has crept into the corporate world.
Where did lecterns come from?
The word 'lectern' comes from the Latin 'lectrum' (reading stand) and 'legere' 'to read', and was originally used in religious sermons. And lets be honest, reading is what most politicians do when they stand behind one, despite trying to hide it with transparent teleprompters.
Why copy politicians?
Countless surveys, including the Ipsos Global Trustworthiness Index rank politicians alongside social media influencers as the least trusted professions. So why would a leader wanting to be trusted borrow communication ideas from those at the bottom of the trust pile?
Why is the lectern a problem for corporate leaders?
I look at leadership communication through the eyes of persuasion, ie: your ability to align your audience with your objective and bring them on your journey. The things you do tend to make you either more or less persuasive. A lectern falls squarely in the latter category, here's why...
Lecterns create a physical and mental divide
One of the most persuasive things a leader can do is convince those they lead that they're one of them. Part of the 'in group' if you like. Never underestimate how persuasive this is. Being seen as out of touch is highly unpersuasive, something politicians appear to excel in.
Being perceived as part of the in-group comes from the language you use, but also your body language. When you step towards your audience you place yourself among your audience, creating a sense of intimacy. A lectern creates the opposite effect, 'distant, aloof and literally 'out of touch'.
A lesson from Toastmasters
I can still remember from my days at Toastmasters International, the running joke around the lectern. We made sure we had one at the club, so every speaker could make a point of moving it out of the way, or standing in front of it before they spoke. It was sacrilege to speak from behind it.
Some can get away with it
If you're already highly trusted and credible with your audience you can get away with it occasionally. But for everybody else, especially politicians, the sooner you lose the lectern at town halls, all hands meetings and conferences the sooner you'll see your powers of persuasion grow.
