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The Advertiser
12 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Stepping out on a 250km trek to Crescent Head in honour of fallen heroes
IT started with a knock at the door. It was supposed to be routine. Two police officers in uniform, responding to a domestic violence dispute. It was about 1am on July 9, 1995, when Senior Constables Robert Spears and Peter Addison, both aged 36, left Kempsey police station. They were heading out to see 35-year-old John McGowan, in a quiet street in Crescent Head. The officers, who had moved to Kempsey about six months before with their young families, had no idea what they were in for. McGowan, who neighbours later described as "just a normal bloke", had kitted himself out in sniper's attire and was armed with a semi-automatic rifle. The police had been to speak to McGowan's girlfriend before pulling up into the driveway in their 4WD. The two cops were carrying standard-issue Smith and Wesson .38 calibre revolvers. They were no match for McGowan's modified, high-powered weapon, about which there'd been no warning. What happened next changed policing. It shattered the lives of two families, and sent shockwaves through a sleepy, surfside community. And it struck deep into the hearts and souls of serving policemen across the state, including Newcastle-based, former homicide detective Pat Gleeson. Mr Gleeson, who was on scene later that day, said there was some kind of verbal exchange between McGowan and the two police when he opened the front door. Moments later, he opened fire. His rifle, a modified Ruger 14 with two magazines, could fire 30 rounds without reloading. Constable Spears was shot in the first salvo while attempting to get back to the car to radio for help. Constable Addison made it into a house across the road, hoping to find a phone there to call for help. "There was an old fellow in there, Noel, who was hiding in the fridge," Mr Gleeson said. He was hiding because shots had been coming through the World War II veteran's house. But he didn't have a phone, he told Constable Addison, because it was his holiday house. So, knowing his partner had been shot, Constable Addison went back out into the street to either stop the gunman or to find a phone to call for help. He, too, was shot in the line of duty. "They would have thought they were going out to a run-of-the-mill type of job ... there's no way you would have been expecting to be confronted by that," Mr Gleeson said. McGowan later shot himself. That was nearly 30 years ago, and tomorrow (June 29) Mr Gleeson will set off on a 250km ten-day walk from Port Stephens to Crescent Head in honour of their sacrifice, and to raise money for police legacy. He has already surpassed his initial goal to raise $15,000, but is still accepting donations. Mr Gleeson says by the time he got to the scene of that crime in Walker Street, a police command had been set up, the tactical operations unit was there, and Polair was in the air above. Being attached to the homicide unit, he'd seen a lot of bodies, but here he was confronted for the first time with the murder of two men in uniform - two of his own. Family. It was a moment of realisation for Mr Gleeson, bringing into sharp focus for the first time the peril police place themselves in every day to protect the community. "It gave me a new level of respect for first responders who turn up to every job," Mr Gleeson said. It changed his view of the potential dangers of the job. There is another side to the story, which has its beginnings in Mr Gleeson's own childhood, very close to home. In fact, he says he can't remember when Legacy wasn't a part of his life. Mr Gleeson's father served in the 1st Australian Mountain Battery, fighting at Kokoda and Milne Bay before joining the occupation forces in Japan. He died when Pat was eight years old, and Legacy was there. They helped with school fees, ensured the family had what they needed, and always checked in on his mum, himself, and his brother Jim, Mr Gleeson said. "'They never missed a birthday or Christmas, ensuring we felt supported and remembered," he said. "Being a single mum raising two boys in the 1970s was a tough gig, but Legacy ensured we never felt alone," Mr Gleeson said. "That support shaped who I am today." This is his way of giving back. The deaths of Senior Constables Spears and Addison were subject to a coronal inquiry headed by Former State Coroner Derrick Hand. He found the two officers had been "massively outgunned", lacked bulletproof vests, and were hampered by poor radio communications. He was told that a speedloader, a round device used to load all six bullets into the then-standard police weapon, would have let Constable Addison reload more efficiently under pressure. The incident sparked a transition from revolvers to automatic pistols, bulletproof vests for first response officers, and improved radio coverage and equipment, as well as state-of-the-art tactical training for uniformed police. Both men were posthumously awarded the Commissioner's Medal for Valour and the National Police Service Medal. All are welcome to join Mr Gleeson for the last 30 kilometres of the walk from Port Macquarie to Crescent Head. Among those who are keen to join in is Constable Spears' widow, Kathy Spears. To find out more or to support his fundraising efforts, visit NSW Police Legacy's website. IT started with a knock at the door. It was supposed to be routine. Two police officers in uniform, responding to a domestic violence dispute. It was about 1am on July 9, 1995, when Senior Constables Robert Spears and Peter Addison, both aged 36, left Kempsey police station. They were heading out to see 35-year-old John McGowan, in a quiet street in Crescent Head. The officers, who had moved to Kempsey about six months before with their young families, had no idea what they were in for. McGowan, who neighbours later described as "just a normal bloke", had kitted himself out in sniper's attire and was armed with a semi-automatic rifle. The police had been to speak to McGowan's girlfriend before pulling up into the driveway in their 4WD. The two cops were carrying standard-issue Smith and Wesson .38 calibre revolvers. They were no match for McGowan's modified, high-powered weapon, about which there'd been no warning. What happened next changed policing. It shattered the lives of two families, and sent shockwaves through a sleepy, surfside community. And it struck deep into the hearts and souls of serving policemen across the state, including Newcastle-based, former homicide detective Pat Gleeson. Mr Gleeson, who was on scene later that day, said there was some kind of verbal exchange between McGowan and the two police when he opened the front door. Moments later, he opened fire. His rifle, a modified Ruger 14 with two magazines, could fire 30 rounds without reloading. Constable Spears was shot in the first salvo while attempting to get back to the car to radio for help. Constable Addison made it into a house across the road, hoping to find a phone there to call for help. "There was an old fellow in there, Noel, who was hiding in the fridge," Mr Gleeson said. He was hiding because shots had been coming through the World War II veteran's house. But he didn't have a phone, he told Constable Addison, because it was his holiday house. So, knowing his partner had been shot, Constable Addison went back out into the street to either stop the gunman or to find a phone to call for help. He, too, was shot in the line of duty. "They would have thought they were going out to a run-of-the-mill type of job ... there's no way you would have been expecting to be confronted by that," Mr Gleeson said. McGowan later shot himself. That was nearly 30 years ago, and tomorrow (June 29) Mr Gleeson will set off on a 250km ten-day walk from Port Stephens to Crescent Head in honour of their sacrifice, and to raise money for police legacy. He has already surpassed his initial goal to raise $15,000, but is still accepting donations. Mr Gleeson says by the time he got to the scene of that crime in Walker Street, a police command had been set up, the tactical operations unit was there, and Polair was in the air above. Being attached to the homicide unit, he'd seen a lot of bodies, but here he was confronted for the first time with the murder of two men in uniform - two of his own. Family. It was a moment of realisation for Mr Gleeson, bringing into sharp focus for the first time the peril police place themselves in every day to protect the community. "It gave me a new level of respect for first responders who turn up to every job," Mr Gleeson said. It changed his view of the potential dangers of the job. There is another side to the story, which has its beginnings in Mr Gleeson's own childhood, very close to home. In fact, he says he can't remember when Legacy wasn't a part of his life. Mr Gleeson's father served in the 1st Australian Mountain Battery, fighting at Kokoda and Milne Bay before joining the occupation forces in Japan. He died when Pat was eight years old, and Legacy was there. They helped with school fees, ensured the family had what they needed, and always checked in on his mum, himself, and his brother Jim, Mr Gleeson said. "'They never missed a birthday or Christmas, ensuring we felt supported and remembered," he said. "Being a single mum raising two boys in the 1970s was a tough gig, but Legacy ensured we never felt alone," Mr Gleeson said. "That support shaped who I am today." This is his way of giving back. The deaths of Senior Constables Spears and Addison were subject to a coronal inquiry headed by Former State Coroner Derrick Hand. He found the two officers had been "massively outgunned", lacked bulletproof vests, and were hampered by poor radio communications. He was told that a speedloader, a round device used to load all six bullets into the then-standard police weapon, would have let Constable Addison reload more efficiently under pressure. The incident sparked a transition from revolvers to automatic pistols, bulletproof vests for first response officers, and improved radio coverage and equipment, as well as state-of-the-art tactical training for uniformed police. Both men were posthumously awarded the Commissioner's Medal for Valour and the National Police Service Medal. All are welcome to join Mr Gleeson for the last 30 kilometres of the walk from Port Macquarie to Crescent Head. Among those who are keen to join in is Constable Spears' widow, Kathy Spears. To find out more or to support his fundraising efforts, visit NSW Police Legacy's website. IT started with a knock at the door. It was supposed to be routine. Two police officers in uniform, responding to a domestic violence dispute. It was about 1am on July 9, 1995, when Senior Constables Robert Spears and Peter Addison, both aged 36, left Kempsey police station. They were heading out to see 35-year-old John McGowan, in a quiet street in Crescent Head. The officers, who had moved to Kempsey about six months before with their young families, had no idea what they were in for. McGowan, who neighbours later described as "just a normal bloke", had kitted himself out in sniper's attire and was armed with a semi-automatic rifle. The police had been to speak to McGowan's girlfriend before pulling up into the driveway in their 4WD. The two cops were carrying standard-issue Smith and Wesson .38 calibre revolvers. They were no match for McGowan's modified, high-powered weapon, about which there'd been no warning. What happened next changed policing. It shattered the lives of two families, and sent shockwaves through a sleepy, surfside community. And it struck deep into the hearts and souls of serving policemen across the state, including Newcastle-based, former homicide detective Pat Gleeson. Mr Gleeson, who was on scene later that day, said there was some kind of verbal exchange between McGowan and the two police when he opened the front door. Moments later, he opened fire. His rifle, a modified Ruger 14 with two magazines, could fire 30 rounds without reloading. Constable Spears was shot in the first salvo while attempting to get back to the car to radio for help. Constable Addison made it into a house across the road, hoping to find a phone there to call for help. "There was an old fellow in there, Noel, who was hiding in the fridge," Mr Gleeson said. He was hiding because shots had been coming through the World War II veteran's house. But he didn't have a phone, he told Constable Addison, because it was his holiday house. So, knowing his partner had been shot, Constable Addison went back out into the street to either stop the gunman or to find a phone to call for help. He, too, was shot in the line of duty. "They would have thought they were going out to a run-of-the-mill type of job ... there's no way you would have been expecting to be confronted by that," Mr Gleeson said. McGowan later shot himself. That was nearly 30 years ago, and tomorrow (June 29) Mr Gleeson will set off on a 250km ten-day walk from Port Stephens to Crescent Head in honour of their sacrifice, and to raise money for police legacy. He has already surpassed his initial goal to raise $15,000, but is still accepting donations. Mr Gleeson says by the time he got to the scene of that crime in Walker Street, a police command had been set up, the tactical operations unit was there, and Polair was in the air above. Being attached to the homicide unit, he'd seen a lot of bodies, but here he was confronted for the first time with the murder of two men in uniform - two of his own. Family. It was a moment of realisation for Mr Gleeson, bringing into sharp focus for the first time the peril police place themselves in every day to protect the community. "It gave me a new level of respect for first responders who turn up to every job," Mr Gleeson said. It changed his view of the potential dangers of the job. There is another side to the story, which has its beginnings in Mr Gleeson's own childhood, very close to home. In fact, he says he can't remember when Legacy wasn't a part of his life. Mr Gleeson's father served in the 1st Australian Mountain Battery, fighting at Kokoda and Milne Bay before joining the occupation forces in Japan. He died when Pat was eight years old, and Legacy was there. They helped with school fees, ensured the family had what they needed, and always checked in on his mum, himself, and his brother Jim, Mr Gleeson said. "'They never missed a birthday or Christmas, ensuring we felt supported and remembered," he said. "Being a single mum raising two boys in the 1970s was a tough gig, but Legacy ensured we never felt alone," Mr Gleeson said. "That support shaped who I am today." This is his way of giving back. The deaths of Senior Constables Spears and Addison were subject to a coronal inquiry headed by Former State Coroner Derrick Hand. He found the two officers had been "massively outgunned", lacked bulletproof vests, and were hampered by poor radio communications. He was told that a speedloader, a round device used to load all six bullets into the then-standard police weapon, would have let Constable Addison reload more efficiently under pressure. The incident sparked a transition from revolvers to automatic pistols, bulletproof vests for first response officers, and improved radio coverage and equipment, as well as state-of-the-art tactical training for uniformed police. Both men were posthumously awarded the Commissioner's Medal for Valour and the National Police Service Medal. All are welcome to join Mr Gleeson for the last 30 kilometres of the walk from Port Macquarie to Crescent Head. Among those who are keen to join in is Constable Spears' widow, Kathy Spears. To find out more or to support his fundraising efforts, visit NSW Police Legacy's website. IT started with a knock at the door. It was supposed to be routine. Two police officers in uniform, responding to a domestic violence dispute. It was about 1am on July 9, 1995, when Senior Constables Robert Spears and Peter Addison, both aged 36, left Kempsey police station. They were heading out to see 35-year-old John McGowan, in a quiet street in Crescent Head. The officers, who had moved to Kempsey about six months before with their young families, had no idea what they were in for. McGowan, who neighbours later described as "just a normal bloke", had kitted himself out in sniper's attire and was armed with a semi-automatic rifle. The police had been to speak to McGowan's girlfriend before pulling up into the driveway in their 4WD. The two cops were carrying standard-issue Smith and Wesson .38 calibre revolvers. They were no match for McGowan's modified, high-powered weapon, about which there'd been no warning. What happened next changed policing. It shattered the lives of two families, and sent shockwaves through a sleepy, surfside community. And it struck deep into the hearts and souls of serving policemen across the state, including Newcastle-based, former homicide detective Pat Gleeson. Mr Gleeson, who was on scene later that day, said there was some kind of verbal exchange between McGowan and the two police when he opened the front door. Moments later, he opened fire. His rifle, a modified Ruger 14 with two magazines, could fire 30 rounds without reloading. Constable Spears was shot in the first salvo while attempting to get back to the car to radio for help. Constable Addison made it into a house across the road, hoping to find a phone there to call for help. "There was an old fellow in there, Noel, who was hiding in the fridge," Mr Gleeson said. He was hiding because shots had been coming through the World War II veteran's house. But he didn't have a phone, he told Constable Addison, because it was his holiday house. So, knowing his partner had been shot, Constable Addison went back out into the street to either stop the gunman or to find a phone to call for help. He, too, was shot in the line of duty. "They would have thought they were going out to a run-of-the-mill type of job ... there's no way you would have been expecting to be confronted by that," Mr Gleeson said. McGowan later shot himself. That was nearly 30 years ago, and tomorrow (June 29) Mr Gleeson will set off on a 250km ten-day walk from Port Stephens to Crescent Head in honour of their sacrifice, and to raise money for police legacy. He has already surpassed his initial goal to raise $15,000, but is still accepting donations. Mr Gleeson says by the time he got to the scene of that crime in Walker Street, a police command had been set up, the tactical operations unit was there, and Polair was in the air above. Being attached to the homicide unit, he'd seen a lot of bodies, but here he was confronted for the first time with the murder of two men in uniform - two of his own. Family. It was a moment of realisation for Mr Gleeson, bringing into sharp focus for the first time the peril police place themselves in every day to protect the community. "It gave me a new level of respect for first responders who turn up to every job," Mr Gleeson said. It changed his view of the potential dangers of the job. There is another side to the story, which has its beginnings in Mr Gleeson's own childhood, very close to home. In fact, he says he can't remember when Legacy wasn't a part of his life. Mr Gleeson's father served in the 1st Australian Mountain Battery, fighting at Kokoda and Milne Bay before joining the occupation forces in Japan. He died when Pat was eight years old, and Legacy was there. They helped with school fees, ensured the family had what they needed, and always checked in on his mum, himself, and his brother Jim, Mr Gleeson said. "'They never missed a birthday or Christmas, ensuring we felt supported and remembered," he said. "Being a single mum raising two boys in the 1970s was a tough gig, but Legacy ensured we never felt alone," Mr Gleeson said. "That support shaped who I am today." This is his way of giving back. The deaths of Senior Constables Spears and Addison were subject to a coronal inquiry headed by Former State Coroner Derrick Hand. He found the two officers had been "massively outgunned", lacked bulletproof vests, and were hampered by poor radio communications. He was told that a speedloader, a round device used to load all six bullets into the then-standard police weapon, would have let Constable Addison reload more efficiently under pressure. The incident sparked a transition from revolvers to automatic pistols, bulletproof vests for first response officers, and improved radio coverage and equipment, as well as state-of-the-art tactical training for uniformed police. Both men were posthumously awarded the Commissioner's Medal for Valour and the National Police Service Medal. All are welcome to join Mr Gleeson for the last 30 kilometres of the walk from Port Macquarie to Crescent Head. Among those who are keen to join in is Constable Spears' widow, Kathy Spears. To find out more or to support his fundraising efforts, visit NSW Police Legacy's website.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Celsius Holdings (CELH) Gets a Buy from Roth MKM
Roth MKM analyst Sean McGowan maintained a Buy rating on Celsius Holdings (CELH – Research Report) today and set a price target of $52.00. The company's shares closed yesterday at $45.47. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter According to TipRanks, McGowan is ranked #821 out of 9622 analysts. Currently, the analyst consensus on Celsius Holdings is a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $45.86, representing a 0.86% upside. In a report released on June 18, TD Cowen also upgraded the stock to a Buy with a $55.00 price target. The company has a one-year high of $61.25 and a one-year low of $21.10. Currently, Celsius Holdings has an average volume of 7.62M.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Climate
- New York Post
Surreal pics show trucks sinking into NYC streets as monster heat wave seems to ‘melt' pavement
New York streets seem to be buckling under the intense heat smothering the city with dramatic photos showing a bus broken through a Long Island parking garage — and a firetruck sinking into a Manhattan street as record-setting tempts broil the Big Apple. The first incident happened in North New Hyde Park Tuesday afternoon — where temps topped around 99 degrees Fahrenheit — as a bus turned onto the exposed top level of a parking garage, but then plunged through the roadway as the ground opened beneath it. 'With everything going on I thought Iran was here,' said garage attendant Ricky Cody, who heard a loud bang as the bus' rear end sank into the broken blacktop. 4 A large bus broke through the pavement at a parking garage in North New Hyde Park during the heat wave Tuesday Peter Gerber 'We got calls going 'Oh my god, oh my god! What's going on?'' he said. 'You don't really know. You hear a loud bang, and you don't expect something like that to happen when the whole day cars are coming in no problem.' The bus was left lodged in the parking lot with its front end jutting up into the air, dramatic photos show, but no passengers were on board during the accident and the driver was able to exit safely. Then in downtown Manhattan Wednesday — where temps peaked around 96 degrees Fahrenheit — a firetruck became stuck in the ground after the asphalt appeared to turn to quicksand around one of its wheels. The mired engine was cordoned off as bemused — and sweating — passersby looked on, before eventually being towed out. 4 The bus was left with its rear end lodged in the ground and its nose standing on end. Nobody was hurt in the incident Peter Gerber But it's a sight that's not unheard of in summer months, according to Jim McGowan, whose nearly 100-year old company John McGowan & Sons paved the parking lots at the Mets' Citi Field. 'On a hot day things can become so soft and malleable where a vehicle can sink into the asphalt. It can happen,' McGowan told The Post, explaining that blacktop can reach up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit under the sun on a particularly hot day. 'It's just because of the direct sunlight and the heat of the day,' he said, adding that it's likely there were already faults or cavities beneath the roadways where the vehicles broke through — and that the weight of a vehicle on top of the softened pavement became too much. 'It could have been a void under the asphalt that was there, and with the heat the asphalt became soft and malleable, and it just sank right through that section, and it took the hot temperature and the sun,' McGowan said. 4 A firetruck was left stuck in the ground in Manhattan on Wednesday. The city said it was caused by a sink hole Peter Gerber 4 Experts say intense heat can weaken the pavement overtop faults like sink holes, sometimes leaving cars stuck Peter Gerber Incidents of pavement failing under heat are fairly rare, McGowan said, but that this week alone he's read about several incidents across the country where similar things have happened. From the Dakotas to Nebraska, Colorado and Missouri, roadways have been splitting, buckling and breaking as an intense heat dome bakes the country, images from KYFR TV show. The East Coast has been hit particularly hard by the heat, with temps persisting in the high 90s but cracking the 100 degree mark in places like New Jersey and JFK International Airport. New York City's Department of Transportation confirmed the firetruck incident was the result of a sinkhole.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Siouxland Chamber President Chris McGowan announces 4th District congressional campaign
Siouxland Chamber of Commerce President Chris McGowan is running for Congress in Iowa's conservative 4th Congressional District, as incumbent U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra eyes a gubernatorial bid. He said he's running for Congress because he believes agriculture and small businesses "are the backbone of our national economy." "It's an area that I've been focused on for the last 20 years as an economic development professional," McGowan, a Republican, told the Des Moines Register. "And I recognize that Iowans raise the food, manufacture the products, generate the energy and instill the work ethic that makes America great. And I'm running for Congress to make sure that Washington never forgets that." The seat is expected to be open in 2026 as Feenstra, also a Republican, pursues a possible campaign for governor. Feenstra formed a gubernatorial exploratory committee in May, and he appears to be moving aggressively toward a formal run. One other Republican, state Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, has already announced a 4th District congressional bid. Evans is the chair of the Senate Education Committee, and he is serving his first term in the Legislature. Democrat Ryan Melton, who unsuccessfully challenged Feenstra for the seat in 2022 and 2024, had been set to run again in 2026. But he announced in June that he would be suspending his campaign following changes in his health and employment status. No other Democrats have entered the race. The district is Iowa's most conservative, and the winner of the Republican primary often goes on to win the general election. McGowan said he plans to stay focused on his priority issues as he makes his case to Republican voters. In addition to agriculture and the economy, he said he will highlight the need for a strong national defense, for secure borders and to protect Iowa's "traditional values." "We're going to balance those issues with the background, education and experience that I bring to this race," he said. "I think that my time as an economic development professional, the education that I've received as an attorney, coupled with my work in politics over three decades has very well prepared me to be a very strong voice for Iowa's fourth Congressional District in our nation's capital." McGowan said he was recruited to run his first political campaign at the age of 23 and has been involved with races for the Legislature, city council and Congress over the years. He joined the 185th Iowa Air National Guard in Sioux City in 1990, and he graduated as group commander from the Academy of Military Science at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1992. He served for six years, ending his time in the National Guard as an intelligence officer. Later, McGown worked in sales for Honeywell Inc. before going to the Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He graduated with a law degree and passed the bar exam, although he never practiced as an attorney. In 2023, he said he was persuaded to advocate for his home town through its economic development efforts at The Siouxland Initiative, rather than practice law. And in 2011 he was tapped to lead the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. He currently also serves as chair of the statewide Iowa Chamber Alliance. "I think a firm understanding of how the federal government impacts business — whether that's tax, climate, regulatory environment — this is an area that I believe that I have a great deal of experience," he said. "And I am prepared to be a voice for business in our nation's Capitol." McGowan said he does not support the use of eminent domain for private use. It's an issue that has roiled Republicans across the state after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed a bill that would have limited eminent domain in Iowa for carbon capture pipelines and other projects. Summit Carbon Solutions is proposing to build a $9 billion carbon capture pipeline that would span more than 2,500 miles across several states, including Iowa, and connect 57 ethanol plants and bury carbon dioxide from the plants deep underground. It would have a major footprint across northwest Iowa. "I think it's critically important that one of the foundations of our country is private property rights," McGowan said. "And while I support the expansion of private business, and I have no issue with the pipeline, I do have issues with using eminent domain for a private rather than a public use." McGown was born and raised in Sioux City. He and his wife, Cathleen, currently live on a small farm just outside of Sioux City. They have six children, five of whom are in the armed forces. As a veteran, McGowan said he supports Republican President Donald Trump's approach to foreign policy. "I think that those who have served put the highest premium on peace and understand that we achieve peace through strength, and we certainly intend to take that message to Washington," he said. He said he supports Trump's "decisiveness" in bombing Iranian nuclear facilities June 21. "We absolutely cannot allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to have nuclear weapons when their stated intent is to wipe our greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel, off the map," McGowan said. "And I think that we're seeing early in the wake of that decision for military action that it may lead to a brokered peace and a ceasefire, and I pray that that's the case." Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at bpfann@ or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Republican Chris McGowan will run for Congress in 4th District
CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
The No. 1 biggest communication mistake most people make, says public speaking expert who's coached billionaire CEOs
Most people make the same communication mistake at work, says author and public speaking consultant Bill McGowan: They lean too much into corporate jargon, using "bland, boring" words and phrases in an attempt to seem smart and memorable. Saying you want to "socialize an idea with your colleagues to strengthen cross-functional collaboration," instead of just saying you want to work together to solve a problem, confuses people and sounds really inauthentic, says McGowan, who's coached a variety of celebrities, CEOs and politicians including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Kim Kardashian. "Typically, people who are jargony and speak in a very corporate way, because that's what they have learned through osmosis, aren't going to connect with [others]," says McGowan, author of the book "Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience."The same goes for when you're giving a speech or presentation: Big words and corporate phrases don't enhance what you're saying, McGowan says. They actually make it more difficult for your audience to follow along, he adds. "One of the biggest mistakes people make is when they go to create their content for a speech or a presentation, they [sit] down at a laptop first and write it out," he says. "Unless you work in TV or radio, stylistically, you're probably writing for the eye. You're not writing for the ear. And there's a big difference between the two." Writing for the eye tends to include "longer, flowier, prosier" phrases and parenthetical clauses, says McGowan. "And it's not really how we talk. It's not how we talk across the dinner table." In your day-to-day speech at work, focus on using active voice instead of passive voice, communications experts Kathy and Ross Petras wrote for CNBC Make It on April 2: "Instead of saying: 'Sales have continued to maintain their upward trajectory in the current quarter,' say, 'Sales increased this quarter.'" If you ever feel the need to fill a conversational lull by contributing a thought, think twice: Tactful silence can sometimes make other people think you're smarter, according to 2019 research conducted by Erik Schleef, an English linguistics professor at the University of Salzburg. Just choose your moments of silence wisely, the Petrases wrote: Telling a joke during an important meeting can make you look silly or unserious, but having no questions or thoughts to add during a team brainstorm can make you appear uninterested. And for your next presentation, instead of spending hours writing specific talking points, prepare a more bare-bones outline, McGowan recommends. "It can be as minimal or as extensive as you like," he says. Then, record yourself giving a speech on the fly, using only your outline for guidance. "Don't worry if it's full of starts and stops and mistakes. What you're going for is recording the natural way you would say it." Afterward, transcribe your recording. Clean up your mistakes, but keep the style and tone. This helps you sound more casual and conversational, reflecting how you instinctively express yourself, says McGowan.
