A not so impressive quote

[BJCooperIT]

From an article entitled "What Is Bill Gates Thinking?"
Bill Gates said:

"Those are in part probably the funnest part of my job, seeing some of the research work coming out of universities, getting very up to date on the research inside Microsoft, and then I'll pick some areas of things I need to understand, like where are microprocessors going."

Besides the fact that "funnest" is not a word (according to yourdictionary.com), and several other errors, I find this quote to be something I would expect from an eighteen year-old. How strange that he is where he is...

[sup]Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.[/sup][sup] ~George Bernard Shaw[/sup]
Consultant/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle 8i & 9i - Windows 2000

 

[Dimandja]

I don't see any reason to assume that "he thinks he's a great public speaker and no one else can do as good a job".

 

[sleipnir214]

Neither do I -- that's why I didn't assume anything. I merely supplied multiple possible scenarios and my opinions of how they could affect one's opinion of Mr. Gates.

The reason I did this is to point out that no one knows enough about Mr. Gates motivations to be able to accurately access how his speaking in public should highlight his character.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions!

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[craigsboyd]

I was curious whether this is indeed indicative of Bill Gates' diction so I decided to do a little reading of other interviews and speeches that he has given - transcripts of which I found on the net. I must say that I was hard pressed to find many other glaring examples like those posted here.

I was a little disappointed to see this thread hijacked at certain points in order to push an agenda that has nothing to do with "communication". Bias, it would appear, can significantly hamper one's ability to comprehend the subject matter at hand. Sometimes it is not entirely the messenger's fault if the message is not heard.

If someone's, ummm, speaking style is, uhhhh, poor it, ummm, can certainly, uhhh, impact communication. In reading this thread, I was reminded of certain politicians I have watched on TV, who uttered so many "Ummms" and "Uhhhs" that I became completely distracted. Try as I might, I was unable to focus on WHAT was being said. I found myself completely distracted by HOW it was being said. Making up words, changing tenses in a sentence, etc. can all be a distraction for the listener, and I believe the speaker should try their best to avoid such in general.

I believe that there are certain obligations that both the speaker and the audience have, and only when both are at their best is something resembling perfect communication possible.

[sub]craig1442@mchsi.com[/sub][sup]

"Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad." - Anon​

[/sup]

 

[xmsre]

Having had one actual spoken conversation with the man, I can say that this indeed did not seem a typical example. In my experience he was very quick to the point, almost coming across as short.

In response to craigsboyd, you speak of the infamous vocalized pause. When I went though instructor training many years ago in the military, one of the exercises was to count vocalized pauses in your own taped presentation. If you intend to improve your speaking skills, you might want to try it; It's an eye opener.


XMSRE

 

[rosieb]

Being video-taped while speaking is also highly sobering. I did a course once, where they taped us at the start and then after the two days.

We didn't see the initial tapes until the end, just as well, I doubt anyone would have stood up again.

Speaking in public is an art, a few have it instinctively, for the rest of us have to learn it. That's often painful. Few ever do it really well.

Rosie
"Never express yourself more clearly than you think" (Niels Bohr)