Harvard Business Publishing

Great speeches capped off the third day of the Democratic National Convention. Bill Clinton's was superb--polished, supple, almost symphonic in the way it gained range and power as it built to its finish. It's already being called one of the greatest speeches of his career.

Joe Biden's, by contrast, was much rawer and rougher. His delivery was sometimes halting, and he stumbled over his words quite a few times. Nevertheless, it was a great speech and it stands up well against Clinton's.

Bill Clinton, like Barack Obama, is widely praised for his oratorical skills. No one's ever going to say Biden's a brilliant orator. But that doesn't mean he's not a highly effective communicator.

Take what he did last night. He needed to demonstrate that he's the ideal running mate for Obama, that as a politician and policy maker he fills in Obama's gaps and shores up his weaknesses. Less overtly, he needed to present himself in some ways as the anti-Obama: a Scranton, Pennsylvania-born son of the Irish working class who's plain-spoken where Obama is eloquent, rough-hewn where Obama is urbane. Someone whose background is instantly recognizable to a broad swath of voters. Someone with whom Hillary's white, working-class supporters and Reagan Democrats can identify.

Biden neatly dispatched these goals, with both what he said and how he said it.

He didn't attempt soaring oratory. Instead, he used a few brief but rich stories to show who he is and what he'll bring to the ticket. His mom--introduced earlier with her full name, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden--was featured in my favorite:

As a child, I stuttered, and she lovingly would look at me and tell me, "Joey, it's because you're so bright you can't get the thoughts out quickly enough."

When I was not as well-dressed as the other kids, she'd look at me and say, "Joey, oh, you're so handsome, honey, you're so handsome."

And when I got knocked down by guys bigger than me -- and this is the God's truth -- she sent me back out and said, "Bloody their nose so you can walk down the street the next day."

In 93 words, he manages to do a lot. Convey the strength of his family bonds. Gently poke fun at himself and display humility by laying out some childhood failings. Show how he was encouraged to face up to adversity. Highlight that he's not afraid to get his hands dirty fighting for a just cause.

Biden's speech shows that you don't have to be a brilliant writer or gifted speaker to be a great communicator. Any leader can harness the power of narrative to convey a range of messages and increase their impact.

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To read yesterday's post, click here: "DNC Day 2: The Urgency Needed for Change"

To read the first post in this series, click here: "DNC Day 1: Michelle Obama and Authentic Leadership"