We included Curtis Granderson on our “Best Public Speakers” list because of his enthusiasm, charisma, and ability to pass along a lot of important information quickly and clearly.
Curtis Granderson Jr. (born March 16, 1981), nicknamed "the Grandyman", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Miami Marlins.
Granderson played college baseball at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He was selected by the Tigers in the 2002 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2004. Granderson is a three-time MLB All-Star, and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2011. He retired after the 2019 season.
Off the field, Granderson is recognized for his commitment to the community through outreach and charity work. Many of his charitable endeavors support inner-city children. He has also served as an ambassador for MLB abroad.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the league is pledging $150 million to help increase Black representation both on and off the field. Former MLB All-Star Curtis Granderson, the president of the Players Alliance, joins CBSN to discuss what this means for the game.
What are the main communication takeaways?
Enthusiasm - Clearly, Curtis is not speaking off the cuff. He is very well rehearsed for this, yet at the same time he is still able to make it feel new and fresh. Even when he’s speaking about statistics, he still infuses that with a sense of excitement.
Stillness - Granderson, although very energetic, never uses his body to the extreme. He never gestures from the shoulder or too often, and this gives him a greater sense of grounding.
Engaging facial expressions - His facial expressions are always positive and inviting. He does smile a lot, but it never seems fake. He genuinely seems to be enjoying the work that he’s doing, and it is obvious on his face.
How could he improve?
Granderson could stand to slow down a little bit at times. Sometimes when he is expressing a narrative, some words get a little lost due to the speed at which he speaks.
He could have eased us into his message with a bit more finesse. Granted he is on the clock, but a hello and very brief introduction would have helped the audience make the transition from the news to his particular story.
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