What have been White House Press Secretary Psaki's major strengths and weaknesses as a professional communicator?
- She knows the "Core
Message" of the White House and speaks with respect for Biden and
Harris.
- She is always prepared
for questions that will be top of mind and are very prepared for the
"Whopper" antagonistic questions.
- She responds very
quickly and succinctly without a lot of pauses and backtracking. She gives
just enough detail.
- She is excellent at
"Bridging" to the core messages.
- She listens well and,
for the most part, doesn't interrupt or talk over the journalist.
- She may talk fast, but
when it's an important message to get out, she is very good at slowing
down and talking in an even modulated voice to make sure the point she is
trying to make is critical and true.
- Her hair gets in her
eyes, and there are some interviews where I begin to count the time she
pushes it back. She does have Gorgios hair, and It does make her look
younger and sexier as it's a flirtation cue, but it affects her
credibility, and I long to tell her to push it behind her ears!!!
- Her best and worst
attribute is that she does not suffer fools gladly. You can tell that she
dislikes certain questions and certain reporters. If she gets a question,
she doesn't like. She may give micro facial cues of aggression or
disgust. She gives "sour face" cues to many questions and shows
"Lip suppression" and "Tongue Thrusts" cues to
indicate there a few things she would like to say to them or where she
would like them to go!
- She has a great sense of
humor, and I would coach her to have a little more fun and pause and play
in response to light questions. I think it would increase her likeability.
I coach on the Four First Impression Factors, "Credulity,
Likeability, Attractiveness and Power and the one she needs to work on the
most is Likeability.
- She controls the meeting
very well.
