San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 6, 2010 -- Decker Communications, Inc. (http://www.decker.com), a leading communications training and executive coaching firm, announces its annual list of Top Ten Communicators. This year's list highlights notable individuals from business, politics, sports, and entertainment -- showing how their communication helped make or break them.
Top 10 Best
1. Sully Sullenberger
Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger is not just the hero who brilliantly landed his airplane on the Hudson River, he is a bona fide great communicator. He is humble yet has a message. He inspires yet speaks sparingly. His first speech after the landing? 17 seconds long. He deserves #1 for communicating as skillfully as he flies an airplane. And that's saying something.
2. Tim Tebow
Probably the top college football player of the decade, Tim Tebow is as articulate off the field as he is proficient on it. He won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore, and when his team lost early the following season he ‘promised’ his team the national championship. Tim Tebow is confident and clear in media interviews, a refreshing change from so many top athletes. Above all, he is the unquestioned leader of his team.
3. Matt Lauer
What’s striking is how he can be so affable yet strong in an interview. Matt is as nice, humble, and enthusiastic a communicator off stage as he has been in his last decade as a star. Always unflappable, he can be very confrontational in an interview when necessary, even with a President, yet is usually open and humorous. Behaviorally he has great eye communication, wit and energy. His longevity alone, at the top of broadcast pyramid, wins him a long deserved place in the Top Ten.
4. Carly Fiorina
What a transformation. From fallen past CEO of Hewlett Packard, a wooden sounding spokesperson for McCain, to cancer survivor, to senatorial candidate, Carly Fiorina always has communicated with great energy. Now she has a purpose and a new pursuit to use her executive skill. Her message is powerful and sympathetic with her, “If I licked cancer I can lick anything” attitude. It is refreshing to see her model the transition from glamorous blond exec to cancer survivor with no hair - she makes up for the loss with added passion.
5. Steve Jobs
He has been on the Top Ten before, but there is no denying his justifiable position here, again. His mind and mouth have led him to be named CEO of the decade by Fortune Magazine. As CEO, speaker, and celebrity, he stands above the pack. Although he did not give his famous keynote at Macworld, he did conquer a liver transplant. And even though under the weather, you can be sure he was also behind the scenes guiding Apple to another record setting year in the midst of economic turmoil.
6. Sir Ken Robinson
Perhaps you haven’t heard of him – time to take a look on our blog or his website. One of the featured speakers at TED, Sir Ken is brilliant at story telling and humor. He also has quite a message for educators. He creatively advocates at every opportunity the need to bring creativity back into academia, particularly for the children. And he is an eloquent and funny voice for the young of all ages.
7. Chip & Dan Heath
The Heath brothers are masters of communicating sticky messages. Their 2007 breakaway best seller “Made to Stick” defines the ultimate test for stickiness. Since then, they’ve been consulting for big business and non-profit alike, landed a monthly column in Fast Company magazine and they’ve been speaking…a lot. This August they were the opening act for Bono to a crowd of 60,000. They are expert teachers and master practitioners. They’ll be in the news soon as their new book “Switch” releases in February.
8. Taylor Swift
Yes, a singer, but also a talker. Taylor Swift turned the insult by Kanye West at the MTV VMA’s into an opportunity to launch herself into the mainstream. In her SNL monologue response to the incident she came across as confident, bold but modest, humorous, and likable. Taylor elevated herself out of the tween pop country realm and into the spotlight by articulating her point of view with humility and strength, instead of shrinking away in embarrassment. In interviews she shows she can do more than sing.
9. Chris Brogan
Chris is unusual for several reasons. He is at the cutting edge of blogs and social media, a great writer, and wrote the best seller “Trust Agents.” It is because of his speaking on these things that he has become not only proficient at speaking - but somewhat of an authority. Just as he has burst to prominence in the social media fields, so he bursts onto the Top Ten. (He calls it "the overnight success that took years.") Additonally, he’s a master multitasker: he talks, tweets, changes slides, chairs panels, and types all at the same time.
10. Sarah Palin
No doubt a controversial pick (as is #10 on the Worst list), Sarah Palin is where she is primarily because of her communicating ability. She’s only #10 because she is flawed in crisp focus (Q&A) and casualness. Yet like the Phoenix, she continuously comes back from the ashes - because she can talk. This year she surprisingly resigned as Gov, appeared to be a quitter, and the media relegated her to has-been status. Then she turned around in 6 months with “Going Rogue,” one of the biggest non-fiction best sellers, and gets record crowds and media exposure – because she is articulate, fresh, and personable. She is the poster child for likability.
To view the Top Ten Worst Communicators of 2009, please visit the post on Decker Blog (http://bit.ly/7OLtbw).
For additional information, please contact Kelly Decker.