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Barack Obama as a Great Communicator
Barack Obama was the first African-American president in the United State
of America. Not only did he win the 2008 election but he was also re-elected in 2012.
Less than 50 years after Doctor Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in
1963, President Obama actualized Doctor King’s dream by becoming the leader of
the United State of America. Although it is against the law to discriminate against
people on the basis of color, many Americans still discriminate against African-
Americans. So how did Barack Obama change the minds of white voters? The key
was his great communicating skill. There were two key factors. His outstanding
communication abilities, which enabled him to garner support from one of the most
diverse coalitions in American history; and his excellent ability to launch and lead a
formidable organization—he exhibited leadership and managerial skills of the
highest order.
Let’s examine what makes Mr. Obama a great communicator. First, he was
born to a white, American mother and a Kenyan father. In his early childhood, he
also lived in Indonesia because his step-father was Indonesian. His background was
multi-cultural. Compared to other typical, former presidents from wealthy
backgrounds, Obama’s view of people was not just from an American perspective.
In addition to his American upbringing, he already had a multicultural experience.
Second, he was a great listener. He was not self-centered, but was willing to pay
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attention to the opinion of others and ready to adopt those opinions. I am a South-
Korean and I often heard him talk about South Koreans’ work ethic and education.
He claimed that America needed a change. It is very different from former presidents
who usually say that America is the best. For example, President Obama stated that
his vision was to strengthen existing relations and to build new relations to meet
future challenges. Bush’s foreign policy was marked by diplomatic tension with
many countries, such as South Korea and China.
His background and personality are foundations that helped him to become a
great communicator, but they were not all that was necessary. As a great
communicator, you also need effective communication techniques to appeal to the
