The Ten Best Media Training Quotes Ever (Part Two)
Last year, I wrote an article with ten of my favorite media training quotes of all time. I expected that it would appeal to a very limited audience – but I wanted to post it anyway since I’m a word nerd who appreciates a well-delivered line.
To my great surprise, that article has become of this blog’s most popular posts ever. So today, I’m updating the list with another ten of my favorite media training quotes of all time. Enjoy!
MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT QUOTES
1. “Everything should be as simple as possible but no simpler.” – Albert Einstein (paraphrased from a longer quote)
2. “The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out.” – Voltaire, French Enlightenment writer
3. “Brevity is the best recommendation of speech, whether in a senator or an orator.” – Marcus Tulius Cicero, Roman orator
Roman orator Cicero advised speakers to make it brief.
MEDIA INTERVIEWING QUOTES
4. “It’s not what you say, it’s what they hear.” – Red Auerbach, Legendary Boston Celtics coach
5. “No man ever listened himself out of a job.” – Calvin Coolidge
6. “It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.” – Friedrich Nietzsche German philosopher
Celtics Coach and President Red Auerbach, Photo Credit: Basketballphoto.com
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS QUOTES
7. “In time of crisis people want to know that you care, more than they care what you know” – Attributed to Will Rogers, American comedian, among others
8. “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” – Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “There can’t be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” – Henry Kissinger
10. “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters — one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.” – John F. Kennedy
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Related: The Ten Best Media Training Quotes Ever
Related: The Best Media Training Quotes Ever (Part Three)
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My favorite is the third one … 😉
Love these! I’m going to immediately start using No. 2 (Voltaire)when I give advice on power points.
The JFK quote (10) is one of my all time favorites.
Here’s one that applies not just to media training, but lots of situations: “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” — John Wooden, UCLA basketball coach
Great roundup, Brad.
I’d only add the classic from Rahm: “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.”
Another quote worth noting on the importance of brevity in public speaking comes from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh: “the mind cannot absorb what the backside cannot endure” This was recently cited by the UK PM in a House of Commons debate – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-philip/8563927/MPs-pay-tribute-to-Duke-of-Edinburghs-unique-sense-of-humour-as-they-wish-him-a-happy-90th-birthday.html