Derek Jeter and Why He is a Great Public Speaker (Research Paper Sample)

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Derek Jeter and why he is a great public speaker
Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees has been idolized the world over for his good public relations and speaking skills. Derek possesses some qualities that has made him stand out in the field of public speaking. One of the qualities that have made him stand out is his confidence and relaxed poise before an audience. Derek is extremely confidence. He I confident both on and off the pitch and has never been known to show the timidity experienced by most people if they have to face an audience. One of the reasons for his confidence could be the fact that he always stands up for what he believes in and hence is not afraid to defend it.
Derek is also a picture of authenticity, the guy is authentic in every situation and tries as much as he can to be himself even in situations that feel vulnerable or inappropriate. His authenticity allows him to connect well with his audience in that it also enables the audience to be authentic. For example, whenever he is facing questions he doesn’t want to answer, he always has a way of keeping his cool. This also happened at the time when he faced questions about his dating habits, during which he still managed to project a clean image of himself. He doesn’t deny what is obvious but weaves his way around such issues to portray the positive side. He is on record for saying that: "I’m not perfect; no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. I think you try to learn from those mistakes" (Quotezine).
Derek also exhibits a lot of self-awareness and introspection and has hence mastered the art of addressing the public on his own terms, such that at no point in time is it possible to drag him into a situation that will make him feel uncomfortable or out of place. This enables him to handle situations from his point of view and not of others point of view. Being self-aware helps him know how best to connect with others and when to draw the boundaries when passing across his thoughts and feelings (Sokolove 29). Coupled with being more self-aware is the art of empathy. Derek tends to speak from the perspective of his audience, this is evidenced by the fact that most of his speeches are primarily aimed at serving the interest of his audience as opposed to serving his own purposes. People with a lot of empathies tend to be loved and listened to more.
Alex Rodriguez and what he can learn from Derek Jeter
Alex Rodriguez has faced a lot of criticism especially after his 2014 admission to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials that he had used performance-enhancing drugs. This was after he had categorically denied using these banned substances just a few days earlier (Weber 267). One thing that comes out of the whole affair and which Alex can learn from Derek is the ideal of being authentic. Alex had the option of admitting to the use of the banned substances when the allegations first surfaced, but he choose not to.
Good public relations require that you accept what is obvious and take the necessary steps to redeem your image. Denying only makes a bad situation worse and makes the task of redeeming your image more difficult. Alex should have been confident enough to admit to his wrongdoing. Alex should also learn to be empathic to the needs of his audience as opposed to satisfying his own needs. A lot of people had banked their hopes on him and hence before denying the allegations levelled against him, he should have asked himself what the audience want to hear from him as opposed to what he wanted to say as an individual. This helps in creating more connection between him and his listeners.
What I have learnt that will help me become a better public speaker
I have learnt that the foremost virtue one needs to have is to be confidence not only in their abilities, but also in themselves as individuals. It take...