Act Better, Donald

By Lisa Loving Dalton

The Poli-anna of Politics

Donald Trump needs to be a better actor if he wants to be a winner, and I, the Poli-anna of Politics, am just the coach for him.

I am not implying that the Don should be an actor. Most of us suspect that he is, and in many ways, pray that at least some of what he does is all an act.

In June’s Atlantic Magazine, psychology professor Dan P. McAdams gives us an excellent perspective on this:

“If all human beings are, by their very nature, social actors, then Donald Trump seems to be more so—superhuman, in this one primal sense.”

From Poli’s point: He has two dominant acting techniques:

1. Spouting a script that sees all as black or white, with no gray matter in between.
2. Delivering these platitudes in thirty-second commercials we call sound bites.

With this approach, Trump gets the press and the public to have two responses:

1. A strong opinion, a black and white response matching his “there are only two sides to any issue” attitude.
2. An opinion based on only thirty seconds of research.

As a result, he will have a black and white result, psychologically being a big loser or big winner even if only one vote decides our fate. And it may.

Being a better actor than this super human thinks he is could decide his fate. In this anti-election, where most people will vote against a candidate rather than for, the more subtle acting techniques that he doesn’t know can break him.

Remember in part one of this blog, I mentioned, “Candidates need to be better actors because voters elect images, not people.”

Here are five keys to being a Positive Image:

1. The key to Positive images is Charisma.
2. The key to Charisma is Radiation or sizzle.
3. The key to Radiation is an inward Receiving or outward Radiating of energy.
4. The key to outward Radiating is emanating radiant light.
5. The key to inward Receiving is loving magnetism.

To be a real winner, Trump would get the most votes because people positively wanted him to be president, not because they don’t want Hilary. Learning these keys could solve his problem and Hillary’s, turning the race into one of true talent for leadership versus ugly campaign skills.

In future parts of this series, we shall investigate these keys that could unlock likability in our candidates. I may also share how it was to sit on Donald’s lap dressed as a bag lady.

Author Lisa Loving Dalton is a Certified John Maxwell Leadership Speaker, Trainer, Coach; SAG-AFTRA DFW Board member; President of the National Michael Chekhov Association, and a retired Stunt Gal and comedienne.

Failing to understand all the true issues of managing the great power of politics, Lisa has amazingly little opinion about how the country is best run. In true Libran fashion, she sees the weight of all sides on the scale. “Inspirational leadership is a talent I want to help cultivate in politicians.”

www.lisadalton.com       [email protected]

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/the-mind-of-donald-trump/480771/