Experts ranked the most eloquent world leaders and three of the top five are women

Experts put together a list of the most eloquent world leaders and three of the five top names are women.

Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau and India’s prime minister Narendra Modi are among those at the top of the global rankings.

Meanwhile, let’s just say Donald Trump’s speech delivery didn’t receive unanimous praise.

The list was put together by professional development coaches from the Development Academy wing of Acuity Training, who reviewed over 100 hours of footage from public speeches made by global leaders. Experts analysed the “communication and presentation skills” of world leaders to compile the ranking.

Referring to the numerous female leaders who made the list, Development Academy director Ben Richardson said:

There are some fantastic – and not so fantastic – examples of public speakers from this research and it’s fascinating that although there are only around 10% of women in leadership roles worldwide, female leaders make up 50 per cent of the top communicators.

Here are some of the other world leaders who have been praised for their communication skills.

Jacinda Ardern

Topping the list, New Zealand’s prime minister was named the most eloquent world leader. Experts praised her “empathetic leadership style” and said that she “challenges the common perception that emotional communication shows weakness, instead choosing to approach the public with a softer touch.”

They added:

She has a measured and authoritative sincerity about her – she is kind and compassionate, without shying away from tough issues.

Nicola Sturgeon

The professional development experts offered their praise to Scotland’s first minister, describing her as “clear, calm and passionate” and “not afraid to be tough or emotional.”

They continued:

Nicola Sturgeon has received a lot of praise for her response to the coronavirus pandemic – and it’s not hard to see why. She is clear, calm and compassionate, is not afraid to be tough or emotional, and she has a great sense of humour.

Who didn’t make the list?

One global leader who was notably absent from the list was Boris Johnson.

Speaking on Johnson’s delivery technique, the experts said:

Unlike many of his colleagues, the former foreign secretary and mayor of London has had a tendency to forgo pauses in favour of muttering or waffling, and his use of odd or obscure references often left people confused about his message.

However, they did note that he has been making improvements in recent months.

“For example, he doesn’t stumble over his words as often,” they said.

Additionally and perhaps unsurprisingly, Donald Trump was criticised by experts, who said that his “overuse of metaphors and analogies is confusing for many and he occasionally slurs on words.”