Joel Osteen's Hands Betrayed Him

What do gestures tell us about a public speaker? We learned a lot about Joel Osteen's gestures during his interview about his response to the hurricane. Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on the city of Houston which is the 4th largest city in the country. There was extensive flooding requiring people to be evacuated by rescue workers and helicopters. Thousands of people were in search of shelter and could not return to their homes.

The question people wanted to know was Why didn't Pastor Joel Osteen open Lakewood Church to the people of Houston? The Compaq Center has the capacity to hold 16,285 people. After much criticism on social media, the center accepted hurricane victims on Tuesday.

When Joel was interviewed by CBS TV he explained that he didn't open his center as a shelter because he was not asked by the city. He further explained that the best places for shelter were where there were already resources, supplies, and personnel on the ground. It didn't sound convincing on the surface. But he still could have salvaged his reputation by admitting the mistake and being remorseful. Instead, he pivoted to his message points and gave what seemed to be a presentation. His hands were the giveaway. He used the same wide-sweeping gestures that are part of his signature style when he is on the main stage in front of thousands of people. The CBS interview was directed to three journalists (although it was broadcast to millions of viewers). In media interviews and conversations, people gesture more naturally with their hands closer to their body.

While using wider gestures may be part of the pastor's style, it gave the impression of formality rather than intimacy and sincerity. That is not to say he was dishonest. I'll leave that to the top body language experts. The point is this. To appear sincere, your body language needs to be relaxed and appropriate to the situation. Wide gestures work well in a stadium but seem exaggerated when communicating on a television show or satellite interview. For crisis communication to be effective, it's imperative to plan your delivery as well as your message points.

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PRESS RELEASE: DiResta book signing at upcoming C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas on May 22nd-23rd, 2017

NEW YORK, NY -- (May 17, 2017) -- Diane DiResta has been selected to be a sponsor at the upcoming C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas, TX on May 22-23, 2017. C-Suite Advisors™, is an elite group of experts chosen to advise the executives who are part of the C-Suite Network. As a C-Suite Advisor and member of the C-Suite Best Seller Book Club, Diane DiResta will be holding a book signing and be at Table Captain for other C-Suite Advisors.

The C-Suite Network strives to provide added value to their community of C-level executives through the C-Suite Advisors™ program. Each advisor is an expert in their industry and has been carefully vetted to ensure they meet the brand standards and provide a service of value to members. Currently, the C-Suite Advisors™ program has experts in corporate recruiting, sales, coaching, marketing, social media services, and more.

The program also provides value to its Advisors through networking and sales opportunities with C-Suite Network members, distribution of select content throughout C-Suite Network properties, expert council opportunities, and more. The C-Suite Network will also provide social media and marketing guidance to advisors when applicable.

“It's an honor to be part of this impressive network of executives and advisors,” said Diane DiResta.

“The C-Suite Network is the premier platform where executives have access to thought leaders who are creating cutting edge content.” -Diane DiResta

C-Suite Advisors held its first membership meeting in December 2016 and will hold a series of meetings in 2017, kicking off in Dallas with the C-Suite Network Conference in May. If you’re interested in becoming a part of C-SuiteAdvisors™, please reach out via the C-Suite Advisors’ website.

ABOUT DIANE DIRESTA

DiResta is the Founder of DiResta Communications, Inc, a New York City communication skills consultancy serving business leaders who give high stakes presentations, whether one-on-one, to a large audience, or from an electronic platform. She's the author of the amazon best selling book, Knockout Presentations. .

ABOUT C-SUITE ADVISORS

C-Suite Advisors, the most trusted network of advisors to the C-Suite, is an elite group of select thought leaders, coaches, trainers, authors, speakers and content creators who service C-Suite executives and enterprise businesses.

C-Suite Network is the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders, with a focus on providing growth, development and networking opportunities for business executives with titles of vice president and above from companies with revenue of $5 million and above.

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