Quora Answer: Why is a Great Communicator Not Always a Great Public Speaker?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Why is a great communicator not always a great public speaker?” 

A great communicator is someone who is focused on understanding the position of the other party.  This is the skill of listening more than speaking.  Communication is not a monologue or a speech.  It is a dialogue, often involving many different parties.  A great communicator has great empathy. 

A great speaker does not need to be a great communicator, although it would help.  The art of rhetoric is putting forward a coherent argument for a contention.  He needs to be able to move the audience emotionally, psychologically, even spiritually.  He needs to read them, and give them the illusion that he understands them, and feels and thinks as they do.  It does not mean the great speaker understands them, or that he even cares. 

Developing one set of skill does not require the development of the other.  They are complementary skills for leadership, but they are not contingent upon each other.  Great communicators are good at articulating and rephrasing the position of the other party for greater understanding.  That does not mean he is able to put forward a cogent argument for it to others.