CNN headline: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex slams GOP in heated floor speech.
Passion can not be coached. You either got it or you don’t and often passion is tied with extreme emotion that is closely connected to love or hate.
Today on the House floor leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared one of the most passionate speeches we have heard come from a government leader in a long time. Frankly it was a breath of fresh air. This speech is now headline news all over the world and has already blown up on social media. This is the power of passion.
It is one thing to have flash pan experience with passion. It is entirely different to focus passion to your favor and create a movement.
The biggest challenge any leader faces in a heated passionate moment is not to make it about them. It takes a very special leader who can take a step back and not make it all about, “Me.”
In this case Alexandria started her speech with, “One of the disgusting legacies of 9/11, has been the targeting of racism against Muslims Americas throughout the United States of America and this is an extension of this legacy.” In reference to the House GOP stripping Rep. Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. Which was quite a worthy cause, however in this 1 minute speech she used “I, My & Me” 8 times, “We” was used 1 time. She ends with , “Don’t tell me, because I didn’t get a single apology, when my life was threatened.”
Rep. Ocasio-Cortex is clearly a rising star in the political world and the threats towards her should not be dismissed or taken lightly. Today was indeed a sad day to have political parties once again vote down party lines to remove a worthy leader of a committee assignment.
If Rep. Ocasio-Cortex wants to set herself apart from the noise, how she uses her words in the future will make a major impact on the movements she is apart of and following a simple principle called “The King Rule” will go a long ways.
The King Rule is a simple guiding principle for leaders to follow at all times when speaking in public. It’s roots comes from Dr. Martin Luther Kings speech “I Have a Dream.” In this speech he uses the word “I” 15 times and the word “We” over 30. Here’s the principle; Never say the words “I, My & Me” more than “We & Our” in public speaking. Dr. King created a movement that still stands today from his passion and command of the english language, particularly his use of pronouns.
While Rep. Ocasio-Cortex will win a few pats on the back from her peers and cheers from others that align with her, the masses will be put off by the fact her speech was all about “Me.” Seasoned, respected leaders understand this and I hope as Rep. Ocasio-Cortex grows in her leadership she will use more inclusive language in moments of passion. Her voice and ideas are greatly needed in America.