E-mail – Curse or Convenience
by member Judy Leahy - July 2008
Are you tired of SPAM? Not the mystery meat in a can, but the unsolicited junk mail clogging our inboxes. Wasn’t e-mail supposed to make life easier? When I’m weeding out unwanted messages, I wonder. Recently, I deleted ten forwarded messages in one day from the same person! Author Jonathan Whelan (2000) writes, “[Email] certainly has its strengths, but it also has its weaknesses” (p. 26). Whether we are representing our workplace or a volunteer organization, such as in Toastmasters, we are still viewed by our customers as professionals.
In my profession, I engage in a high volume of emails to students, employers, and colleagues. This makes it even more crucial to practice e-mail etiquette, or netiquette, rules for communicating over networks, which includes any form of online communication. While I’m not specifically addressing spam, I will offer some advice from experts regarding professional and personal email usage and concentrate on areas such as proper format, content, and general guidelines.
When crafting a message, keep your reader in mind, making it clear and concise with proper grammar, punctuation, and capitalization, similar to a letter, but shorter. Save emoticons and shortcut abbreviations for your buddies. Do be considerate when sending attachments and try to limit size. If you need to send a larger file, ask the recipient first. For professional e-mail messages, a simple format with plain text and standard font styles is best. Not everyone’s program accepts html format, with graphics and colors, or supports a variety of font styles.
Read your message carefully before sending. Spell check does not catch improperly used or missing words. This is another reason why proofreading, more than once, even out loud, is so important. Tone is one of the hardest things properly convey in writing and easily misunderstood. Avoid using all CAPITAL letters - it’s considered shouting and harder to read. Bolding and underlining can have the same effect. Even something as innocuous as an exclamation point can be misinterpreted.
When is it not advisable to e-mail? Rather than send an emotionally charged message, pick up the phone or request a meeting. If you must e-mail, take a break, keep the message in your drafts folder, ask someone else to read it first, or sleep on it. No amount of emoticons showing smiley faces can make up for sarcasm. Along similar lines, avoid sending abusive or inflammatory e-mails, also known as flaming. It is far better not to respond to an angry message, which may start flame wars, a run of irate messages between two or more people.
Also, consider the urgency of a message and how often the recipient checks e-mail. If a message is sent at 4:00 pm regarding an evening cancellation, where’s the benefit if not read in time? Again, better to leave a phone message. Remember, not all e-mail is delivered instantly. We’re at the mercy of our Internet service providers and network servers. Private messages are not suitable for e-mail unless encrypted.
Forward messages with caution or not at all. Forwarding may give the illusion of being connected but may contribute to strained relationships. This happens all too often with e-mails that are preachy or controversial. Who wants to open a chain letter that must be sent to ten friends within three days to avert misfortune!
If you must forward a message, experts suggest trimming the extra text to spare everyone an endless list of e-mail recipients. Do you really want your e-mail address broadcast to people you don’t know? Use the BCC, or the electronic version of the blind carbon copy to keep the addresses hidden.
The CC or carbon copy is often used when the message is indirectly targeted at one or more persons. The recipient isn’t expected to respond, but is kept informed. However, if you copy your boss in a message to a coworker or subordinate, it may be seen as a power play.
Make subject lines relevant and descriptive of your message and change as needed, even if the other party does not. This is a courteous way of giving the reader a heads up when people inundated with so many e-mails.
Try to limit the length of your e-mail signature to about four lines and avoid clutter. In business, signatures usually consist of your name, title, and company information. Be careful that any quotes used are appropriate for your audience and cannot be misconstrued.
Use the “reply all” function only if it is your intention to reply to an entire recipient list. Samantha Miller (2001), of E-mail Etiquette, calls it the “reply all pitfall” (p. 80). Before you do, ask yourself if all those people really care whether you are attending that meeting. In addition, be careful when replying, forwarding or selecting a name from your address book, especially if the auto-complete function is enabled. How many times have we inadvertently replied to someone when we intended to forward the message to another person or selected the incorrect name from our address book in haste? You may end up in an embarrassing situation if the wrong person reads your message. Company disclaimers do not prevent this and are essentially worthless according to Sensei Enterprises, a computer forensics and data-recovery firm (Glenn, 2008). For this reason, refrain from e-mailing anything you wouldn’t want public and check the “To” line before sending. To view some examples messages compiled by National Public Radio (NPR), visit the “Embarrassing E-mail ‘Page of Shame’” at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91700689
In the workplace, make sure you are aware of your employer’s appropriate use guidelines and never use your company e-mail if you are looking for a job outside the organization. You might think this is common sense, but I have observed job seekers list their work e-mail address on resumes or conduct a job search during work hours. Although unauthorized snooping of e-mail is illegal, everything on your work computer belongs to your employer, including personal web-based e-mail, and more companies are monitoring it. A 2007 American Management Survey revealed 43% of employers scrutinize employee e-mails; close to 1/3 had been terminated for violating policy. Heidi Glenn of NPR reports, “According to the ePolicy Institute, e-mail creates the electronic equivalent of DNA evidence” (p.2) and can be used against you in a legal proceeding. Deleted messages, even from Yahoo or Gmail, can be recovered.
E-mail has opened many doors, but the added convenience is not without cost. Like any technology, it can be abused. If you take nothing else away, please consider how your next message will be received before you ‘send.’
References
Bixler, Susan and Dugan, Lisa Scherrer (2008). Five Steps to Professional Presence (pp. 115-123). MA: Adams Media.
Booher, Diana (2001). E-Writing-21st – Century Tools for Effective Communication, NY:
Simon and Schuster, Inc.
Embarrassing E-Mail ‘Page of Shame’. Retrieved June 20, 2008 from NPR.com website: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91700689
Glenn, Heidi (2008). The E-mail Age: Email at Work: Tips to Keep You Out of Trouble. Retrieved June 18, 2008 from NPR.com website: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91604666
Keller, J. J. & Associates (2008). Simple Guidelines for Email Etiquette. Retrieved May 2, 2008 from Prospera.com website: https://www.prospera.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ftrainingprograms%2fprintmaterial.aspx%3fTaskID%3d311f2a30-2376-4093-87f7-8c99...&TaskID=311f2a30-2376-4093-87f7-8c99...
Keller, J. J. & Associates (2008). Presentation: Email Etiquette: A guide to Effective Email. Retrieved May 2, 2008 from Prospera.com website: https://www.prospera.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ftrainingprograms%2fprintmaterial.aspx%3fTaskID%3d311f2a30-2376-4093-87f7-8c99...&TaskID=311f2a30-2376-4093-87f7-8c99...
Miller, Samantha (2001). E-Mail Etiquette, NY: Time Warner.
Netiquette. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved July 13, 2008, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Netiquette
Shapiro, Ari. E-mail, the Workplace, and the Electronic Paper Trail. Retrieved June 18, 20008 from NPR.com website: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91363363
Shea, Virginia (2006). The Core Rules of Netiquette. Rule 7: Help Keep Flame Wars Under Control. [On-Line] Available: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/rule7.html
Whelan, Jonathan (2000). E-mail @ Work, London: Pearson Education Ltd.
Past International Toastmasters President Dr. Dilip Abayasekara at Delco Toastmasters
by member Mark Smithgall
After a busy and eventful year for our club, the final meeting for the year was capped off by a guest speaker who enlightened and captivated the crowd with his gentle, cordial style. On Wednesday, December 12, 2007, Dr. Dilip R. Abayasekara visited the Delaware County Toastmasters Club and gave a moving presentation to a packed house. “Dr. Dilip” was born and grew up in Sri Lanka. He moved to the United States and earned a baccalaureate in chemistry. Subsequently, he earned a doctorate in polymer and organic chemistry, and worked in industry for twelve years. Dilip began to feel unfulfilled in his work as a scientist, and changed his focus to public speaking. He started a part-time business presenting seminars and workshops which grew over time and eventually he became a full-time speaker, trainer, and speech coach. His calling found, his passion realized, and his heart fulfilled, Dilip finds delight in positively affecting peoples’ lives through his work. He earned the designation of Accredited Speaker in 1996, Toastmasters International’s recognition of members who have achieved a professional level in public speaking skills. In 2005-2006, he served as the International president of our organization. His new book, “The Path of the Genie - Your Journey to Your Heart’s Desire,” uses the story of Aladdin to illustrate the path to personal fulfillment. Dilip used many stories and examples from his book in making his presentation to the club.
Some of our club’s officers entertained Dilip at a dinner celebration before his speech, and members brought various treats for snacks at break time. The event was well-attended - our club hosted several guests, including members from two other local Toastmasters clubs: Siemens and The Boeing Company. Vidya Swamy, President of the Delaware County Toastmasters Club, introduced Dilip’s inspirational presentation and remarked later in a message to club members, “The grand finale of the year was, of course, today's event. Our guest Dr. Dilip Abayasekara was phenomenal.”
The title of his keynote speech was, Toastmasters: The Meaning of What We Do.
In it, he elaborated about the vision of our organization, its relevance to both individuals and society, and the importance and significance of our duties as members. He outlined three key areas which comprised the body of his speech; areas which each one of us needs to cultivate and nurture in order to progress: the courage to stretch, the confidence to achieve, and the caring to build.
The Courage to Stretch
Throughout his speech, Dilip painted vivid pictures with words to enhance the audience’s understanding of his points. He used the example of a rubber band and asked everyone to visualize holding one up in front of us and stretching it. This simple analogy symbolized the willingness and the ability to grow actively by exploring areas outside of our comfort zones. Unlike the rubber band, he said, which reverts to its original size and shape, when we stretch beyond our boundaries and attempt to accomplish new things, we remain indelibly changed. The growth, thus achieved through our own volition, enables us to continue to grow as we respond to greater challenges presented to us in the future.
The Confidence to Achieve
By allowing ourselves the courage to stretch, we inevitably become more comfortable dealing with new ideas, and thereby build in ourselves the resolve and confidence to achieve and succeed. Dilip urged us to abandon the self-limiting thoughts and behaviors which inhibit our prospects for attaining our full potential and prevent us from achieving our goals. He cited that often we fail, not because we’re afraid of failing, but rather, because we’re afraid of succeeding. Our purpose is to shine. Eliciting active participation, he encouraged us to turn to our neighbors in the audience and to proclaim, “shine brother, shine,” or “shine sister, shine.” Dilip accentuated that mediocrity serves no one, including ourselves, and that our duty is to do and be the best that we can, and to strive continually to improve.
The Caring to Build
Having found the courage to widen our experiences and venture outside of our comfort zones, along with an increased confidence in our ability to succeed, he said we need to instill within ourselves a sense of caring. Our concern should be caring to build ourselves, our communities, and our world. He noted our interconnection with each other, and stressed that by caring to build ourselves, the natural outcome would be to build others as well. Dilip told us that through the practice of humility we are led to self-discovery; upon discovering ourselves we become open to self-offering; by offering ourselves we transform our outlook and our lives. Dilip inspired us to transcend ourselves and to see things with new eyes in order to realize the joy and ultimate fulfillment of our life’s journey.
The night’s speech served to provide an example of the power of public speaking by Dilip’s bearing, his gentle sense of humor, and the numerous ways in which he used his presentation skills. During the question and answer session following his speech, he recommended to write the body of a speech first, the conclusion second, and, finally, the introduction. As we progress in our experience in public speaking, Dilip suggested we use a technique called mind mapping. This technique uses visual imagery and key ideas to craft a speech rather than to write it all down on paper. When asked about stage or platform presence, Dilip urged us to be ourselves as opposed to acting out - a natural, relaxed, sincere approach works best. Overall, the night was truly inspirational and moving. We look forward to seeing Dilip again soon.
Excelling and Evaluating with Ease
from the workshop by Michele Guerin, Vice President of Education
This article is a review of the workshop I recently gave at our February 20, 2008 meeting, for those of you unable to be at the meeting and others that would like a refresher.
“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is Death; does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” Jerry Seinfeld
Getting over one’s fear of public speaking is why we are all here at Toastmasters. Toastmasters incorporate Evaluations in their program as a way to contribute to the member’s personal growth, confidence and self-esteem.
Effective evaluations are crucial to promote this growth. Let us not lose track of the definition and difference of two words: Evaluate and Criticize.
Evaluate: to determine or fix value of; to determine significance, worth or condition of; usually by careful appraisal or study.
Criticize: the act of making judgments, finding fault.
Remember: we evaluate in Toastmasters, we find value by careful appraisal, we do NOT criticize, make judgments or find fault.
The Objectives of my workshop are:
1. To appreciate the importance of being prepared as an Evaluator
2. To learn new techniques of giving an effective Evaluation
3. How to avoid the Common Mistakes of Evaluating
It is very important, it is necessary, to be prepared to give an Evaluation. The speaker has put much time and energy into preparing their speech and the Evaluation should also be thoughtfully prepared and presented.
Preparatory Steps
1. Communicate with the Speaker at least a week prior to the speech presentation
2. Identify which manual and speech project the speaker is working on
3. Familiarize yourself with the objectives of the speech project
4. Review the evaluation questions for that particular speech project
5. Assess the speaker’s general goals, what the speaker perceives as his/her strengths and what areas of improvement the speaker feels he/she needs to work on
6. Design a template to work from for writing your evaluation. Repeated use of a template will help you develop a system for evaluating, making it easier each time.
Techniques for Evaluating
Listen, Listen and Watch! Give all of your attention to the speaker; use Active Listening techniques, using your eyes and ears objectively. How well is the topic being approached and developed by the speaker? What are your observations of the effectiveness of gestures, facial expressions and visuals?
Jot notes during the speech, but save the majority of the writing until after the speaker is through. It is not an Evaluator’s privilege to listen to the next speaker. It is your role to give an effective Evaluation with everything the speaker has said and done fresh in your mind.
Make a Modified Sandwich
Praise (Bread) - praise the speaker’s strengths and areas where he/she did well
Areas for Improvement (Condiment) – Identify what could have been done better or in a more effective way
Suggestions for Improvement (Meat, Cheese, Veggies)
Concrete, specific suggestions for improvement using examples from the speech to make one’s point
Evaluation Tips
1. Focus on specifics
2. Focus on the positives
3. Give concrete suggestions
4. Focus entirely on the speaker, do not incorporate your story in the evaluation
5. Focus on the speech and delivery: not on the content in terms of agreeing or disagreeing with content, opinion or conclusions of speaker
6. Adapt your evaluation to the speaker: Keep in mind the level the speaker is at and adapt your evaluation accordingly. More advance speakers require more analysis and in-depth evaluation without whitewashing. “Icebreaker” speakers require encouragement, identification of budding strengths and gems of delivery as opposed to constructive feedback for their first speech.
Avoid the Common Mistakes of Evaluating
1. Whitewashing- No suggestions for improvement, just “I liked this/that” or “you did this so well”, “I really liked your speech”. This is empty flattery and gives the speaker absolutely nothing with which to go home and work on. Your job as Evaluator is to give constructive feedback, not to be nicey, nice.
2. Regurgitation Technique – This is when the Evaluator re-iterates/parrots back the speaker’s speech. The audience was there and heard it already; the speaker wrote and said it. They do not need a word for word playback. This technique also gives the speaker no constructive feedback to work on.
3. The Too Harsh/All Criticism Technique – All the Evaluator does is cite areas for improvement without suggestions on how to improve. “Your closing was too abrupt”; “You had too many random, distracting hand gestures”. This is the worst mistake of all to be harsh without direction on how to improve. It reinforces a speaker’s feelings of low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy and diminishes his/her confidence. Remember: one is evaluating NOT criticizing! We are building up, not tearing down.
Summary
In conclusion, effective evaluations are tools we use to allow other members to grow and improve. The Speaker is our plant, the Evaluator is the rainfall, fertilizer, soil and most of all the sunlight the plant needs to grow, flower and reproduce. Using this information and practicing as an Evaluator will allow you to be giving excellent Evaluations with ease in no time!
“Flatter me and I may not believe you. Criticize me and I may not like you. Ignore me and I may not forgive you. Encourage me and I will not forget you” –William Arthur Ward
Impromptu Speaking
(adapted from the "Better Speaker Series" from Toastmasters International and presented to members by Bernie Selling)
What's more challenging than preparing to give a speech? How about giving a speech . . . without the preparation?
Nearly all of us have been through the trials and tribulations of Table Topics. In Table Topics, we are asked a question out of the blue, and then, within seconds, we are expected to formulate and then deliver a one to two minute reply that is organized, meaningful and entertaining. This is tough! Some would say it's torture!
Why, then, do we torture ourselves by having Table Topics at our meetings? Is it because we like to be tortured? No. The answer, of course, is that we need to practice our impromptu speaking skills because they are called upon nearly every day: be it at job interviews, or dealing with customers or co-workers, or speaking at a wedding reception or school board meeting, and so on. Wherever we go, we are regularly confronted with impromptu speaking situations. And the way we respond in these situations greatly influences how people feel about us and how they treat us. In short, we work on impromptu speaking in here because it's so important out there.
It's true that we can't always know when we will be asked to speak, or what the topic will be. But this doesn't mean we can't prepare ourselves by developing a strategy today that we can use again and again in the future to let us manage impromptu situations.
There are some simple strategies that we can learn. Here is a simple, basic outline:
1. Listen.
2. Pause...
3. Confirm.
4. Tell.
5. End!
Let's go through these steps.
1. LISTEN. Responding effectively to a question involves more than just moving our mouths. The first step involves listening, listening to the question closely, so that the answer we give is relevant.
And paying attention does more than help you develop a relevant answer; it also helps put some of the words you will need into your mouth. Very often, the first words of a good response involve simply restating the question, or at least part of it.
Consider the following scenario: You're attending a dinner party at the home of if a business associate. Someone, maybe the boss, makes a comment about the state of the national economy, and he says it resembles your company's financial situation. Suddenly, he turns to you and asks whether you agree. How can you even begin to answer this complex, unexpected question? Well, if you were paying attention, you could start with something like, "Wow, I never looked at it that way! I never thought about the connection between our company's financial situation and the country's economy."
In just these few words, you have flattered the questioner in two ways. One, you showed that you really listened to what he or she was saying. Second, you've expressed a certain level of approval or interest in the topic or question that he or she raised.
Being a good listener will help your impromptu speaking in three ways: First, it ensures your comments will be relevant. Second, it helps you gain the trust and respect of your partner in conversation, by demonstrating that you are interested in the topic they have raised. And third, it gives you some words you can use to start your reply.
2. PAUSE... When you are asked to speak in an impromptu manner, no one will expect you to simply open wide and have an A plus-quality speech instantly gush forth. It is expected that you will gather your thoughts for a moment before speaking. I know this pause feels awkward to the speaker, but it does not seem out of place to your audience.
For your audience, that moment of silence signifies that you are going to deliver an answer that you've thought about. In fact, the delay adds an air of significance to what you are about to say. If you doubt this, I suggest that the next time you watch a dramatic movie, or TV program, pay attention to the pacing of the dialog. You will see that the lines that have the most impact are almost always preceded by a pause. The longer the pause, the bigger the impact.
So what do you do during this pause? You remain silent while you think for a moment about how you will answer the question. You can look at the floor, or straight ahead, you can smile or nod, almost anything. But what you cannot do is say “uh” or “hmmm” or “well” a bunch of times. Silence means… “--“.
3. CONFIRM. After your pause, you are now ready to launch into your reply. As I mentioned before, a great way to start your reply is to confirm that you've correctly understood the question. This is usually done by repeating the question out loud, or at least part of it. If you've listened well, this should be easy. By confirming the question, you will demonstrate that you've been listening. You will also allow the questioner to clarify your focus in case there was confusion over what the question was about.
4. TELL. Now that you have paused long enough to gather everyone's attention, and you've confirmed you understood the question, it's time to present give your reply. Your reply should include a thought or two that's closely connected to the subject. Do not give an exhaustive review of everything you know that's remotely connected to the topic. Just make one or two relevant observations, then quickly move on to the fifth and final step.
5. END. Don't repeat yourself, don't belabor the point. If your statement was very long, you may briefly repeat your main point. You also may indicate you are done with a smile or handshake. But when you're done, stop. It's better to leave material available for a follow-up than to babble on too long.
Let's look now at some strategies you can use for organizing the Tell part of your answer. I've mentioned that you can use a pause to give yourself time to compose an answer. But is it realistic to think you can come up with an organized speech outline in a just a few seconds? Well, it is, if you have a strategy for organizing your answer.
I will now present to you a few simple generic strategies that you can learn. For almost any topic you may be asked to speak on, one or two of these strategies will provide an excellent framework for building your reply.
- Express an opinion. For many topics, you will immediately realize you an opinion. You can begin by stating your opinion, then justifying that opinion with a supporting statement. You don't need to state every possible item of support for your opinion, just one or two will usually be enough.
- Address cause and effect. Some topics lend themselves better to a cause and effect reply. In that case, begin by stating the situation, and then suggesting a cause. For example, if the boss says that office expenses have been rising astronomically, you could inform him or her that computer software prices have doubled, or that all the office furniture is antiquated and it keeps breaking and needing to be repaired. You also can talk about future consequences, like how the company may need to outsource more of the office work.
- Break the topic into components. Another possibility is to break the topic into components and discuss the components individually. For example, if someone asks you to comment on how to reduce the crime rate, you could break the question into several parts. Maybe one part has to do with how children are raised, another has to do with effective policing, and another has to do with the prison system. If you have time, you could make a suggestion or two regarding your thoughts each of these components.
- Discuss the past, present and future. What if your topic involves something that has evolved over time, such as the growth of the internet? You could say a few words about how things were twenty years ago, how they are now, and how you think they might be 20 years from now.
These four approaches are all very simple, and in a way they are obvious. But they are worth remembering. The next time you are asked to speak in an impromptu setting, and you don't know how to begin organizing your reply, try to remember these four approaches. One of them will probably work well.
Now that you know what TO DO in impromptu speaking, here are a few "don’ts":
Don't Apologize. Have you ever heard someone finish a presentation by informing the audience, "Well, that's all I know . . . sorry I couldn't find anything more to say . . . I hope I didn't bore you." This is not helpful. When you are asked to give an impromptu comment, reasonable people will not expect a scholarly reply, filled with poetry and inspiration. They just expect a reasonable reply. By criticizing yourself after you speak, all you are doing is informing your audience that you have an ego problem and that you deserve scorn and ridicule. Unless you like this kind of reaction, don't ask for it.
Don't Ramble. Don't say everything you can think of, and keep going and going. Just say one or two things that are highly relevant to the question, and then stop. If people want to hear more, they will ask a follow-up question.
Don't Invent. Do not pretend to know things you don't. If you are asked to comment on a subject and you truly don't know anything about it, simply say so. You can then indicate your interest to learn more by asking someone else to make a few comments on the subject.
In Closing, I want to remind you that the ability to think on your feet is an excellent skill to cultivate, not only for Table Topics but also for myriad situations that arise all the time in your personal and professional life. Like most skills, this skill takes time and effort to develop. Participating in Table Topics right here is a great way to work on this skill. I encourage you to put the principles I covered tonight into practice. Practice these skills here, during Table Topics, and also out there. In no time at all, you'll find yourself more than ready to overcome the challenges of impromptu speaking.
To Speak or Not to Speak in the Workplace and Beyond
By Deidra L. McGee
When I first started my job as a public relations practitioner almost 15 years ago, I thought my work skills would be well-balanced between writing and speaking. Well, that didn’t happen. Over the course of my career, I found I did more press release and feature story writing, technical and science writing, and editing of website content than I actually made presentations or used my speaking skills. I was out of balance. I earned my undergraduate degree was in Rhetoric and Communications for God’s sake ! I had to master my speech communication and in order to do that I needed to speak more. In March of 2004, Toastmasters came into my life and it has been the best thing that has happened to the speaking part of my career. If you want to speak more in your workplace or in your community, here are some tips:
- Speak up more in all employee meetings
- Ask to get on the agenda for a management team meeting for a project that your supervisor has delegated to you and make a presentation about it
- Take the initiative to speak at every opportunity –special events at work, community events, and/or family meetings
- Take on a role or hold an office in a leadership position where you will have to speak or give a monthly report for a civic or social organization
- Be an exhibitor representing your company or organization at a trade show, annual conference, or job fair where you get to interact and mingle with the public
- Practice using visual aids and PowerPoint in getting your point across in making a presentation
- Get involved with nonprofit organizations and become their publicist or chief spokesperson
