Best Delegate

Best Delegate.
com’s HOW TO WIN BEST DELEGATE
5 Skills Every Delegate Should Learn

by RYAN on SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
I was a high school freshman when I attended my first Model United Nations conference at Santa Margarita
Catholic High School in September 2000. It was fun, but overwhelming. Placards up, placards down, making
motions, making speeches, caucus bloc, voting bloc. There was so much going on and I was running around
trying to figure it all out. In the words of one advisor, it was like learning how to swim by being thrown into the
deep end of the pool. I was flailing around in every direction, quickly going nowhere.
With coaching and experience, I slowly became a better delegate. I learned that my performance in committee
depended on certain fundamental skills. I identified what skills I needed to work on and I practiced them during
conferences and mock sessions. As my skills improved, I figured out how to win awards consistently. I also
used these skills in other areas of my high school career, particularly public speaking competitions. And I
continued to use these skills in college and the workplace.
Becoming a better delegate begins with learning 5 fundamental skills:
1. Research
Good research is the foundation of your committee performance. It makes you feel confident talking about
complex issues. You sound like you know what you’re talking about, which helps you become a leader in
committee.
Tip: Study your topic paper, review previous resolutions, and find trustworthy websites. Good research should
result in potential solutions to your topics.
Related Link: Making It Up
2. Public Speaking
Making great speeches helps you get noticed by other delegates and the chair. If you frame the topic correctly,
others will remember what you’ve said and refer back to it in their own speeches. Public speaking is also a
critical skill that you will use outside of MUN, whether it’s explaining something to your class or making a
presentation in front of your co-workers.
Tip: Frame the topic, explain your country’s policy, and propose potential solutions. Focus first on knowing
what to say, then work on how to say it.
Related Link: Framing
3. Team Building
This skill is not as obvious as research or public speaking, but it is crucial to your success in committee. When
you are in unmoderated caucus, meeting people and finding others you can work with, you are essentially
building a team. Your team, also known as a caucus bloc or an alliance, needs to work together to write
resolutions and get them passed. Being a leader on your team also helps you become a leader in committee and
in the eyes of your chair.
Tip: During unmoderated caucus, most delegates try to build a team by talking about their own policies and
solutions. However, it’s actually more important to ask others what they think and get their input. That is how
you find people who share the same policies and solutions and who can be on the same team. So talk less, and
listen more.
Related Link: How to Handle Power Delegates in Caucus
4. Writing
Writing resolutions is where real work gets done, and it’s also the most difficult part of committee. Drafting a
well-written resolution does not mean just writing down your ideas. It means listening to the ideas of everyone
in your caucus bloc and finding common ground.
Tip: The key to a well-written resolution is organizing your caucus bloc’s proposed solutions. If you have a
good framework for your topic, start with the most important issue and write down the solutions that are most
relevant to that issue.
Related Link: Framing Your Topic
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5. Debating
Once draft resolutions are circulated, you need to defend your resolution against criticism and convince others
to pass it. You need to point out the strengths in your resolution and find weaknesses in opposing resolutions.
Tip: Approach groups of delegates and ask for their thoughts about your resolution. Try to find out what would
get them to vote for your resolution. This might mean proposing amendments, so long as they don’t contradict
the original intent of your resolution or alienate anyone in your caucus bloc.
Related Link: How to Debate Resolutions
Learning these 5 skills helps you become a leader in committee and win awards. It also helps you identify what
to work on during conferences and practice sessions. And most importantly, these are the core leadership skills
that MUN teaches, which you will use throughout your academic and professional careers.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 1: An Overview

by RYAN on NOVEMBER 4, 2007
Okay, I’m going to write a series of essays on what I think it takes to win Best Delegate. This is not a definitive
guide; it’s more of a start to a conversation. I would love to know what other people think, so please post
comments, or heck, even write your own essay, e-mail it to me, and I’ll post it.
So let me start by claiming that there is no definitive guide to winning best delegate. Every conference, every
chair, every delegate differs. Some conferences value realism and sticking to your country policy no matter
what; other conferences prize diplomacy and compromise in order to reach a solution. Chairs are inherently
subjective in deciding who should win Best Delegate; some are hardcore MUNers who know what to look for,
whereas others get duped by that backstabbing delegate who stole the committee’s ideas and passed them off as
his own. And what works for you in one conference may not in the next depending on the quality of the other
delegates. For one conference, you’re the most experienced delegate in a huge General Assembly committee; at
the next conference, you’re sitting on a 15-person crisis cabinet full of head delegates.
Given these dynamics, what can be said with regard to winning best delegate, and winning it consistently?
There’s still a lot to be said, actually. In fact, it all starts with a prayer:
“God grant us
Serenity to accept the things we cannot change,
Courage to change the things we can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.”
– The Serenity Prayer, as used in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
The dynamics I described above that differ from conference to conference are things that–ironically–you cannot
change. But what you can change is your probability for winning Best Delegate, which depends on your actions
and choices before and during the conference. Your strategy for winning best delegate, then, is to maximize
your probability of success despite your circumstances.
How? That is what this series of essays is dedicated to. Broadly speaking, I think maximizing your probability
of success comes down to two objectives: 1) actually being a leader in committee and 2) ensuring that the chair
knows you are a leader in committee. Leadership is the constant in MUN conferences; no matter the conference
philosophy, the chair, or the other delegates, groups need leaders, and a committee is essentially a group
looking for a leader. Be that leader.
So of course those two broad objectives can themselves be broken up into smaller stratagems, and that’s how I
want to structure these essays. As best I can, and consistent with the assumptions that I’ve laid out above, I’ll
try to come up with a step-by-step guide of how to win Best Delegate.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 2: Choose Your Committee

In my previous post, I claimed that your strategy for winning best delegate is to maximize your probability of
success despite your circumstances. How you prepare for a conference and what you do in committee will affect
your probability of success, but before that there is something you can do to impact your circumstances. Thus
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the first step to winning is not about preparation or tactics; the first step is about specialization. The first step is
to choose “your” committee.
Choosing your committee does not mean simply looking at the list of committees that are available to you and
picking one. It means specializing in a certain kind of committee and participating in it as often as you can.
Specializing improves your circumstances because the knowledge you gain at one conference can be applied at
the next. It compounds your expertise and, consequently, your success.
For example, my specialty is Security Council. I have won nearly all of my Best Delegate awards in either
Security Council or Historical Security Council. In Orange County, the Los Alamitos MUN Conference was
(and still is?) nothing but Security Council simulations. In preparing for the conference my freshman year and
studying the situations in Israel-Palestine and Sierra Leone, I realized that I was really interested in international
peace and security. Lo and behold, that interest and enthusiasm came through during the conference, and that’s
when I won my first Best Delegate award.
Afterwards, I tried to do Security Council as often as possible. I found that what I learned at one conference was
helpful for the next because I did the same committee at both. I gained a deep and legalistic (for a high school
student) understanding of the rules of procedure and how they specifically applied to the Security Council. If I
had a good idea at one conference, then I could test it and improve upon it before using it at the next conference.
If someone else had a good idea at one conference, then I could give it my own spin and use it at the next
conference, too.
I also realized that there was a certain flow to the Security Council. The trick was to start writing the resolution
by the first committee session, ask people for more ideas by the second session, and then sign on the entire
committee as sponsors by the third session. This was possible because Security Council is a 15-country
committee (unless there are observers), so it’s small enough to approach everyone. At the end of the conference,
the resolution passed easily and unanimously–everybody’s a sponsor! It included all of their ideas, too. In the
process, I became the committee’s leader. And that’s how I won Best Delegate.
Finally, I discovered that a core group of the same people also did Security Council as often as possible. After a
while, I got to know everyone and many of us become friends–which was great–but I also came to understand
everyone’s delegate styles. If I beat this core group for Best Delegate at one conference via one strategy, then I
could beat them again using the same strategy. If I lost, then I could adjust my strategy for the next conference
accordingly.
Not everyone is a Security Council guy. Some of my friends are big committee, General Assembly delegates;
they have big personalities and their success grows exponentially with the size of their caucus bloc. Others
specialize in children’s or women’s issues, so they do UNICEF or the Commission on Women. One friend of
mine even did the International Maritime Organization because a) he was actually interested in naval issues and
b) no one else was. So he looked extremely knowledgeable in a committee full of bored kids, meaning they
would sign on to anything he proposed.
At the same time, don’t be afraid to experiment with different committees, especially early in your MUN career.
Doing different committees is the only way to find out which one is “yours.” Until you gain seniority within
your MUN club, you probably won’t have much of a choice over committees anyway. Just find out what you
like. It all depends on your interests and personality.
As a final thought, this idea of specialization has an investing analogy. Warren Buffett would probably advise
you to invest within your “circle of competence,” the industries and companies that are familiar to you, because
then you have some personal insight that will help you make good investing decisions. Buffett himself knew
that he didn’t know tech stocks, so he didn’t invest in them despite their rise throughout the 1990s; as a result,
he famously avoided the 2000 stock market crash.
In MUN, you’re investing your time and money. If you want the greatest “return,” i.e. Best Delegate awards,
then invest within your “circle of competence,” i.e. the committees that you know best. In other words: “stick
with what you know.” This applies to personal investing, MUN, and you, if you follow this step-by-step guide.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 3: Making It Up

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In my last post, I wrote about choosing “your” committee. Now that you’ve picked your committee, either the
one you want to specialize in or just for this upcoming conference, do enough research and preparation to give
yourself the best shot at winning Best Delegate.
But maybe you’re asking: why? Perhaps you’ve been told, “MUN is BS.” This implies that winning doesn’t
require research. And maybe you’ve seen a friend go into committee having read nothing but the topic paper–if
that–and win Best Delegate.
Maybe he won on his personality and charisma. Perhaps everyone in committee liked him and he seemed
knowledgeable at the same time, so he won an award. And bravo to him; he can start his own website.
But I bet that he did more research than you think. I don’t mean he secretly read UN resolutions on the bus
when you weren’t looking. I mean that good delegates tend to follow current events, watch the news, and read
newspapers, journals, and magazines. Following current events can teach you more than reading any topic paper
or UN resolution. So while it seems that your friend is making it all up, he’s actually drawing upon a wealth of
knowledge and applying it to his topic. That’s not BS; that’s great.
Regardless, this is still not a consistent way to win. Your friend might win Best after Best until he comes up
against someone who’s just as funny but actually knows what he’s talking about. Your friend’s competitive
advantage is gone; the other guy will call him out on whatever he says.
But don’t forget that the strategy we laid out is to maximize your probability of winning given your
circumstances. You can’t choose the quality of the other delegates in your committee. They might or might not
be funnier or smarter than you. But all things being equal, someone who does some research will probably do
better than someone who doesn’t at all.
Clearly, you should invest some time in research prior to the conference. The trick is to research only as much
as necessary so that a) you don’t waste time and b) you don’t look like a know-it-all. Plus, research is a skill that
MUN can help you develop and will actually help you later in life. So, do some.
Despite that, here’s the rub: we all make it up anyway. We’re students and we’re roleplaying; of course we
don’t know everything. In fact, the guy who pretends he does will most likely not win. No matter how much
research you do, you won’t know as much as the guy who’s actually paid to sit in the General Assembly Hall.
At some point, you have to make inferences, i.e. make up information based on what you do know. Knowing
how to do that is also a crucial skill. But don’t let that be your only one.
So, do your research. The only reason not to is laziness. Don’t tell me you don’t have time; make some. And in
my next post, I’ll lay out the most efficient way to research so you don’t waste any
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 4: Research the Conference
In my last post, I argued that you should do research. Now, here’s how to do it.
There are four areas of research: conference, committee, topic, and country / position. In this next series of
posts, I will define these terms and suggest how to research them.
By conference, I mean the conference’s philosophy, the characteristics it values in delegates, and the kind of
people who staff it, particularly your chair. I also mean the conference’s reputation; is it a laidback conference
that doesn’t care much for parliamentary procedure, or is it a very strict one?
It may seem weird that I list this as a part of your research, and truthfully, it requires the least amount of your
time. But if you want to win Best Delegate, shouldn’t you know what the conference and, consequently, your
chair are looking for?
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t walk into a job interview without thinking about how your skills suit you for
the position and what the company values. And just like an interviewer, your chair judges you not just on skill,
but style.
As a personal example, I was the chair of the Security Council at a major conference last year. The delegate
representing the United States in my committee was good but abrasive. His skills were solid; he was on policy,
spoke well, and had a lot of good ideas. But he was too aggressive; he included himself on every resolution and
alienated the other delegates.
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At one point, I spoke with his advisor. Surprisingly, she said that he’s actually a very quiet student. But he was
acting this way because that’s what his research showed him. The US is apparently aggressive in international
negotiations. And at the time, John Bolton was the US Ambassador to the UN.
So my dais and I faced a dilemma: should we give him an award? I would normally not award abrasive
delegates, but his actions were grounded in solid research; he was so on policy that he was roleplaying the
actual ambassador.
To decide, we read the conference’s awards policy as printed in the conference guide. It clearly stated that the
conference valued diplomacy above all. Only the most diplomatic delegates should receive awards.
So although this delegate had done his research so well he was even roleplaying the actual ambassador, he
neglected to research one thing: the conference itself. Based on that, we did not give him an award.
There are two primary ways to go about researching the conference. The first is through impressions. Check out
the conference website, topic paper, and conference guide. Is it professional or sloppy? Well-written? Arrogant?
In particular, look for an awards policy. Does the conference value idealism, i.e. diplomacy above all, or
realism, i.e. being on policy no matter what? Is it strict on parliamentary procedure?
Admittedly, these are minor things, and again, you should not spend a lot of time analyzing them. But keeping
them in mind will help you get an impression of the conference and what to expect in committee.
The second way is through reputation. Speak with the older members of your MUN team, your friends at the
hosting school, or even people you know who are organizing the conference. Is the conference known for being
tough or laidback? Is it a very prestigious conference, meaning it will be highly competitive, or is it a smaller
conference? It its MUN team known for being aggressive or diplomatic? Its members will most likely be your
chairs and they most likely value the styles that reflect their own. Every school has a reputation: know theirs
and yours.
Finally, let me clarify that I am not telling you to change what kind of delegate you are simply based on what
the conference wants. Just like in an interview, yes, you want to prove you have the skills and values the
company is looking for, but if that means being fake or lying, then people will see right through you.
Same thing at an MUN conference. If the conference values aggression, and winning Best Delegate means
backstabbing another delegate, then don’t do it. Winning is not worth changing who you are as a person.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 5: Research Your Topic
Here’s a quick and dirty 4-step guide to researching your topic:
1. Develop an overall understanding of the topic.
Start with the topic paper, but Wikipedia is probably your best source of information. It is generally
comprehensive, fact-checked, and updated.
Break up the topic into smaller issues to make it easier to understand.
Also know the players: who’s most affected by the topic and who has the most impact on the topic.
Here’s a test: if you had to sum up your topic in one sentence, what would you say?
2. Know past actions.
Go to the committee website and look for the most important resolutions, typically those mentioned in the topic
paper and on Wikipedia. Heck, just print out all resolutions that have anything to do with the topic.
Realize that your committee is not the only body working on this topic; other committees and countries have
probably taken action as well. Find out the most important actions taken with regard to your topic and who
undertook them.
Find or develop a timeline of important events and major actions taken on the topic. The BBC generally has
good ones.
3. Understand the current situation.
Do a search on Yahoo! News and Google News. Both websites search printed news, online news, and even
blogs.
As with any piece of research, however, be mindful of your sources. Great local newspapers such as the Orange
County Register won’t have the same quality of coverage as the New York Timesor Washington Post. It might
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just be better to go to the wires, or syndicated news sources, such as the Associated Press. And try to read
international news such as the BBC in addition to United States-based sources.
4. Determine future outlook.
Look for predictions and trends indicating where your topic is going. Is the situation improving or
deteriorating? Are the actions being taken effective or inhibitive?
Put another way, you’re looking for critiques of the current situation and recommendations for what to do in the
future.
Editorials offer some pretty basic critiques. Better yet are papers provided by think tanks, such as RAND.
Be aware of bias, however. As with any website or source that you use, look out for a slant on the story or a
political agenda.
If you can–or more importantly, if you have the time and mental stamina–try looking for academic papers on
the topic. Try Google Scholar or, even better, go to your library or local university. Academics probably offer
the most depth of any source, but they do get pretty dry and complicated.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 6: Research Your Country
by RYAN on DECEMBER 26, 2007
There are two things you want to research about your country: the basics and the relevant. First, develop a
holistic impression of your country by collecting general information. Then, determine what specific actions
your country has taken on the topic, particularly policies and positions.
Basic information about your country may not be crucial to what you do in committee, but it is so elementary to
your role as an ambassador that it should not be neglected. Knowing basic information will also save you from
embarrassment if someone asks you a question like “Where is your country?” and “How large is your
population?”
To find basic information on your country, start with the CIA World Factbook. It was the first resource I ever
used for MUN research and I still use it. There’s a lot of information on every country, but personally I look for
a few things in particular:
1. Geography – Examine the map. Figure out where your country actually is and determine your neighbors.
2. History – Read the introduction, which concisely gives you some idea of your country’s history.
3. Population – Under the section entitled “People,” note population size.
4. Trade Partners – Under “Economy,” look at exports and imports. This may seem random, but trade partner
generally equals ally, meaning these are the delegates you should meet during the first unmoderated caucus.
Each page contains a bunch of facts, so why did I choose these in particular? Honestly, it comes down to
personal preference. Knowing 1, 2, and 3 gives me a good feel of the country I’m representing. Someone else,
however, might want to know more about their country’s government and politics. I’ll expand on this concept
later, but you should research as much as you need to feel comfortable representing your country.
There are a bunch of websites out there on a country’s background information. I used to go
to CountryReports.org for more detailed information. I even went to Human Rights Watch for more background
information because their reports cover many subjects. Having this extra information on hand made me feel
very knowledgeable about my country, but I found that it hardly ever came up, so I stopped. Again, do what you
need to do to feel comfortable.
After researching background information on your country, look up current events. You’re not looking for
anything in particular; you just want to know what’s going on in the country you’re supposed to be
representing.
By far, the best website for this is Yahoo! News Full Coverage. Go to Google (ironically) and type “yahoo news
full coverage [country name]” to find your page. These Full Coverage pages feature links to news stories, wire
stories, articles, and editorials, not to mention government websites and other popular independent sources.
When you’re done with basic information, then it’s time to move onto the real meat of your research, the
information about your country that is most relevant to your topic.
Your goal is find primary sources that lay out your country’s policy, programs, and past actions related to the
issue. Primary sources, like speeches or government websites, are particularly important because no one can
rightfully accuse you of going off policy if you are directly quoting your government.
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If a lack of information exists on your country, though, then you may need to rely on secondary sources, such as
magazines and think tanks. The upside is that most likely no one will call you out in committee because they
won’t know anything either. In this case, you have more leeway to make inferences and be flexible in what you
say and the policies you advocate.
Start with your government’s website and look for speeches from your head of state (President or Prime
Minister) relating to the topic. If that doesn’t work, look for speeches by other government officials, or parts of
the government website devoted to your topic. Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs website might be more helpful
than the general government website. And be mindful of dates; quoting your government directly won’t do you
any good if the information is outdated.
Don’t be dismayed if you can’t find this information easily. More often than not, you will be hard pressed to
find something ideal; not all governments update their websites. In reality, your government might not even
care about the topic you’re discussing. It might just advocate a certain policy in order to avoid possible
embarrassment.
You, however, are better than that; you’re an MUNer. And, you’re trying to win Best Delegate! So if policy
information is lacking, you need to start “making it up.” Go back through your research on the topic itself and
your country’s background information. You need to put two and two together and figure out what your country
believes.
The key to doing so is determining your national interests. What is important to your country? Broadly
speaking, it is usually security and economy. How will international action on the topic impact those interests?
Answering these questions will help you figure out your policy; governments pursue their interests. Heck, that’s
just human nature (which is the foundation for the realist school of political thought).
Trade partners and regional organizations are huge hints. If your country depends heavily on trade with, say, the
US, then most likely it will not adopt policies contrary to American interests unless it really needs to. In this
case, figure out US policy on the topic, and adopt, or amend it, as your own. If your country is part of the
African Union and the topic affects the entire African continent, then look up AU policy on the topic. This is
why caucus blocs and alliances exist; mutual interests bring different countries together.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 7: Framing
by RYAN on MARCH 3, 2008
This post is about a very helpful analytical tool you can use when making speeches.
In an MUN context, the concept of “framing” refers to “framing the debate,” i.e. breaking down one large,
complicated topic into many smaller, simpler issues. Framing can help you structure your speeches and
resolutions, and more importantly, it can help you look like a leader.
My first speech for any topic is typically a framing speech. For example, at this year’s Harvard National MUN
Conference (HNMUN), I debated Security Council Reform as the representative of the United Kingdom to the
Security Council. For my very first speech, I said something similar to the following:
“Thank you, honorable Chair, and good evening, fellow delegates. Now, the United Kingdom views the larger
topic of Security Council Reform as comprising three smaller issues. First, membership expansion; second, the
veto; third, working practices.
Regarding membership, the United Kingdom supports the G4 plan, which gives permanent non-veto seats to
Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil. Moreover, we are flexible regarding the number of non-permanent seats to
be added.
Regarding the veto, the United Kingdom believes that any conversation on this issue will deadlock progress on
actual reform. The members of this committee know that the Permanent 5 will not give up or grant to others
their veto power.
And regarding working practices, the United Kingdom wants to incorporate informal practices into the formal
rules of procedure, particularly the Arria Formula. We think that non-state actors should be allowed to address
this body.
That is the United Kingdom’s position on membership expansion, the veto, and working practices. Thank you
very much, and we look forward to working with all of you this weekend.”
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See how I broke down the massively complicated topic of Security Council reform into more easily digestible
issues? That’s framing. There may be countless other things that could be considered issues, but I’m not trying
to break up the topic into every single issue. I’m simply trying to emphasize the most important ones.
Essentially, framing is about coming up with a structure. In a speech, framing helps both the speaker and the
listener.
A cohesive structure helps the speaker stay within the typical one minute time limit. It also helps him look like
he knows what he’s talking about. Someone who knows how to analyze a topic, i.e. breaking up one big thing
into many smaller things, looks like they’ve done their research. And, framing helps the speaker transition from
point to point and improvise parts of their speech.
For my speech above, I basically wrote down three words on a notepad: “Membership, Veto, Practices.” I knew
that I wanted to outline my country’s position, and I remembered a bunch of stuff from my research, but for the
most part, I improvised a minute-long speech based on these three words. See my post on “Making It Up.”
A logical structure helps the listener follow what you’re saying, which also means that they’re more likely to
listen. Have you ever fallen asleep listening to another delegate drone on and on? You probably thought of this
other delegate’s speech as boring. There are likely 3 three reasons for this: 1) you didn’t care anyway, 2) you
didn’t like listening to the other delegate, i.e. he or she had poor delivery, or 3) you couldn’t follow what they’re
saying, i.e. the speech lacked structure.
Look at it the other way. After a boring speech, have you ever woken up because a delegate gave a great
speech? You probably thought of this delegate’s speech as exciting, at least somewhat. Again, there are likely 3
reasons for this: 1) you started to care about what he or she was saying, 2) you liked what you were hearing, i.e.
the speaker had excellent delivery, or 3) you understood what they’re saying, i.e. the speech had a logical
structure.
In short, you want to be the second speaker. Assuming your audience cares, then you want excellent delivery
and interesting things to say. Having a structure helps you say interesting things.
Most importantly, framing can help you look like a leader. The committee can’t find solutions if it doesn’t know
the problems. By breaking up the larger topic into smaller issues, you are showing the committee the problems,
which implies that you can lead the committee towards the solutions.
Framing helps delegates and dais staff remember you. If your frame “sticks,” i.e. people like the way you broke
up the topic, then other delegates will say something like, “Just like the United Kingdom said, we have three
issues to deal with: membership, veto, and practices…”
Of course, different delegates can present different frames. This is an advanced MUN concept, but the
“strongest” frame will win out, meaning that the committee will collectively like one delegate’s frame better
than those of other delegates. In another post, I can write about “dismantling” other frames. But for more
information, you can read George Lakoff’s book Don’t Think of an Elephant! or the Wikipedia page on framing
(social sciences).
Framing is most useful for speeches, but it can also be used in resolutions. A resolution can comprise any
number of operative clauses. If you have 10+ of them, then you need some way in which to organize them. How
to do so? Frame it. I’ll discuss this in a separate post on resolution writing.
In closing, think of framing as coming up with a list. What are your 3 favorite places in the world? What’re
your Top 10 Favorite Movies? Who’s in your Fave 5? However you form these lists from the myriad number of
places, movies, and friend you’ve known–that’s framing.
Pushers and Leaders, Part 1: How to Handle Power Delegates in Caucus
by KFC on SEPTEMBER 20, 2008
Standing around with other people during unmoderated caucus, do you ever notice those delegates who
purposefully try to dominate the conversation? They talk as much as they can, shout down anyone else who
tries to speak, and they become even more annoying when the chair walks nearby. These delegates think that
talking a lot scores them points with the chair, earns them a leadership role amongst their fellow delegates, and
ultimately will help them win an award.
A bad chair, who doesn’t actually know what’s going on in committee, and only sees one person talking, may
think that this delegate is in control. But in reality, these power delegates just alienate everyone else and earn no
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respect from fellow delegates. They try so hard to win by dominating everyone else and write the resolution on
their own, when most of the time, they just end up in a caucus bloc with other power delegates who are
ironically thinking the same thing. They believe they’re leading the caucus and winning the committee, but they
actually prevent any real work from getting done.
Here’s a quick tip for handling a power delegate that isolates them, lets other people speak, and makes you look
good in the process. (Note that this applies moreso to the beginning of a conference when everyone is still
trying to get to know one another, it still has general applications)
Let the power delegate speak for a little bit and let him make his point, listening politely like you would for any
other person. As soon as he’s done with his point, he’ll most likely to attempt to keep rambling on and make
additional incoherent points without listening to other people. This is his attempt to assert dominance. Power
delegate: “The US believes we should send in troops. And then hold elections. And then start an education
program. Education, education, education, blah blah blah…”
But before he can launch into a one-man show that wastes everyone else’s time, cut him off–by asking him a
question. (Huh? Won’t this make talk more? Keep reading…) Direct it specifically at him; ask him to rephrase
or clarify something he said. He might not expect this; he’s most likely used to just plowing ahead. But he’ll
most likely take this as an opportunity to keep talking; you asked him a question, after all. You: “Excuse me,
US, but what kind of education program did you have in mind?”
As soon as he’s done with his response, and before he can launch into a new, unrelated point, direct a new
question at someone else in the caucus bloc. You can ask this other person if he agrees with the power delegate.
Or, you can ask a rhetorical question to another delegate, in order to let this other delegate speak. You: “Ghana,
didn’t you have a similar idea about an education program?”
Now you’re letting this other delegate speak. As long as this delegate is making his point, then the power
delegate can’t just cut him off without obviously looking rude, or more obviously rude than he was before.
Once this delegate finishes his point, and before the power delegate can jump in, direct another related question
at another delegate. You: “India, I think you have this particular education program in your country, don’t
you?”
Soon, you’ve asked everyone in the caucus bloc a question, and given everyone a chance to speak. Assuming
there’s time left in the committee–and there might not be, which is the risk to this technique–now it’s your time
to speak. And you can either use this time to give your country’s position, or, even better, use it to start writing
the resolution. You: “Well, I think we all agree that education should be part of the resolution. I think everyone
likes this part of India’s program, and this part of Ghana’s idea. Let’s write them down.” Booyah–now you’re
the author of the resolution.
This tactic may seem counter-intuitive, but think of it this way. If you are the one asking and directing
questions, chances are that the delegates speaking are talking directly to you. This makes you look like a leader.
On top of that, you are allowing other people to speak and voice their ideas; you are connecting the people in
the caucus bloc to one another. And because you are the driving force behind this connection, you really are the
leader. And this, of course, is the signature characteristic of a true best delegate: leadership.
There’s a lot more nuance to this technique, like if everyone doesn’t agree on a particular issue, or if the topic is
too broad to cover in a couple caucus sessions, or if everyone in the group is a power delegate (in which case
you probably should just find another caucus bloc). And there are also certain risks involved. As already
mentioned, this tactic takes time to execute. But more importantly, a bad chair only sees the talkers, not the
listeners. So if you have a bad chair, then this technique may not make you immediately noticeable, although in
the long run, if it helps you win friends and allies who will help and promote you because you are not a power
delegate, i.e. a jerk, then it will help you.
And in a way, this technique is somewhat ironic. The power delegate thinks that he can control the caucus by
talking. The best delegate, on other hand, actually control the caucus by listening. In most social situations,
including MUN committees, people think that the person speaking is in control. And if you let him speak, he is.
But the person speaking is entirely dependent on the people who are listening. Therefore, it is the delegate who
chooses to whom people will listen–by directing questions and connecting people to one another–that truly
controls the debate.
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Pushers and Leaders, Part 2: How to Veto the Power Delegate in your Resolution Bloc
by KFC on DECEMBER 16, 2008
One of the best ways to handle a power delegate during an unmoderated caucus is to diplomatically “moderate”
the unmoderated caucus bloc and force the power delegate to listen rather than speak. Assuming that you have
established yourself as the respectful and respected caucus bloc leader and are able to empower the rest of the
bloc to participate with you, this technique may force the power delegate to seek another caucus bloc because
he/she might not be able to dominate the discussion and take leadership in the resolution-writing process.
However, the power delegate may decide to join the caucus bloc that you are leading anyway and become a
sponsor. This can become a problem if the power delegate continually attempts to assert control of the bloc and
ownership of the resolution; the power delegate wants to be seen as the leader of the bloc. What often transpires
next is that after some back-and-forth debate over wording between you and the power delegate in order to
exercise ownership over different clauses, the bloc will generally come to an agreement on a draft resolution
and submit it. Then, in order to gain additional ownership of the draft resolution, the power delegate will insert
a bunch of operatives that he/she had been withholding or had overheard in committee, and having been
exhausted from the debate earlier or believing that these amendments will gain votes, the rest of the bloc will
just go along with it and sign onto them as friendly amendments. The bloc (and you) will increasingly lose
control as your agreement becomes more of a formality than a negotiation in the power delegate’s rise in
ownership of the draft resolution.
The best delegate though, knows how to turn a rule into a strategy. The rule is, in order for an amendment to be
considered friendly, all sponsors must agree. Conversely (and this is often left unexplained), it also means that
if any one sponsor disagrees, the amendment becomes unfriendly and is subject to voting by the committee,
which is a situation the power delegate would rather not face due to the potential for rejection. Therefore, at any
point, you can disagree and essentially veto the power delegate from asserting control over your draft
resolution. If your disagreement is considerate to your loyal bloc allies and principled (on policy), you will have
striped the power delegate of his/her source of power, the agreeing but exhausted group of sponsors.
This technique can be especially devasting to a power delegate who is trying to push you or an ally off formal
caucus representation. Power delegates from opposing blocs may decide to merge resolutions to not only make
it seem as if they were strong negotiators who could command a majority vote to pass resolutions, but to also
push off the weaker formal caucus members (assuming only a limited number of sponsors can present during
formal caucus) and prevent them from gaining ownership, visibility, and perhaps points. In fact, if your caucus
bloc is small and contains a power delegate, it will most likely be “swallowed” by the bigger bloc when the two
draft resolutions merge; the bigger bloc will insist that they deserve a higher proportion of representation
leaving your original bloc with only one representative… yes the power delegate who the other bloc believes is
your bloc’s leader.
But a merger is essentially a gigantic amendment to the draft resolution, so in order for draft resolutions to be
merged, all sponsors on both sides must agree. Again, this is where you can decide to disagree, effectively
vetoing the merger. This sends a message to the supposed power brokers that any decisions to merge will have
to go through you. Be persistent and do not fold under peer pressure, assuming again that your disagreement is
considerate to your loyal bloc allies and principled (on policy). Your loyal bloc allies will see right through the
power delegates’ attempt to use the bloc for his/her own gain and will respect you for standing up to him/her.
One word of caution though: make sure you understand the conference’s philosophy. A Model UN conference
that favors principled negotiation will most likely have chairs that look down upon this strategy because they
would rather see a delegate navigate the compromise process and merge his/her resolutions rather than respect
that delegate for leading a particular bloc or authoring many good ideas. In other words, saying “no” to a
seemingly agreeable idea is seen as undiplomatic, whereas in other conferences, saying “no” is a strategy and a
leader’s right. (You can tell if a conference philosophy is the latter when multiple blocs have essentially the
same ideas and decide to pass each others’ resolutions rather than merge).
Vetoing a power delegate’s amendment or desire to complete a backdoor merge is a very simple technique, but
I rarely see delegates using it. As a sponsor, you always have the right to say “no” to changes and additions to a
resolution that you helped author. Don’t allow the power delegate to take that authorship away from you.
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How to Survive a Double Delegation Committee — Alone
by RYAN on OCTOBER 13, 2008
A group of high school sophomores going to their first overnight conference e-mailed me this question:
“How do you survive in a double delegation committee if you do not have a co-delegate? Is it a big
disadvantage not having one, or does it not make a difference?”
This is an excerpt from my reply:
“Everything is a matter of perspective. From your perspective, that of a delegate, it is clearly a disadvantage to
not have a co-delegate; there is one of you and two of them, i.e. everyone else in committee. In a double
delegate committee, a good delegation will split up the work; one person will be giving speeches and making
comments while the other works the back of the room, building consensus and writing the resolution. A single
delegation clearly cannot be two places at once, hence it is a disadvantage when other delegations can.
A double delegation, however, needs to coordinate, and that takes more work. It is very easy for a double
delegation to contradict itself; one delegate promises another delegate to include a certain idea in the resolution
while his or her partner makes a speech denouncing the idea, not realizing the promise that was made. A single
delegation doesn’t have this issue, so in this way, that is a good thing. Of course, a good double delegation
knows its policy and its partners so thoroughly that they will not contradict itself, making this small advantage
for the single delegation an ephemeral one, temporary at best, not to be relied upon.
A lot also depends upon the perspective of the chair. Some chairs take pity on the single delegate in the double
delegation committee, perhaps giving him or her more speaking time in order to compensate for a lack of
partner. A kind chair might even take this into consideration for awards, and come to the conclusion that
between two delegations, having done the same amount of work in committee and being equally worthy of the
Best Delegate award, the single delegation is more worthy than the double delegation because he or she had to
do more work as a single delegate, whereas the double delegation could split the work, or the double delegation
had one weak partner and thus split the work unevenly.
But again, this is a small and unreliable advantage. Your chair may not care at all about single or double
delegations. Your chair might come to the opposite conclusion, that it is not fair to advantage a single delegate
when the conference asked schools to provide double delegations for particular committees; indeed, a
conference would not want to penalize the school that actually brought enough delegates to fill all of its
assigned spots.
And the perspective of the chair does not matter if the other delegates in the room ignore you because you are a
single delegation. Because you, as a single delegate, cannot be two places at once, not only can you not do as
much work as a double delegation, but you will not be as visible as a double delegation. When delegates see one
part of a double delegation and immediately associates him or her with the delegation as a whole, not just the
individual delegate, then the symbol has become more than the individual; Bob and Jane are no longer seen as
Bob and Jane but as China, a tag team working together to promote Chinese policy, acting in complete harmony
with one another in order to unite the committee around their cause. In other words, the committee tends to
respect a team that can really work together; the committee recognizes when a whole is greater than the sum of
its parts. It is much more difficult for the single delegate to obtain this kind of respect.
That being said, there are some things you can do to help your cause (and I’m sorry it takes me so long to get to
actionable points, but I think the reasoning behind them is much more important).
A large part of MUN involves winning allies. Not just random allies, and especially not equally ambitious allies
who are also intent on winning the committee, but allies that like you–friends, even–people who like partnering
with you and promoting your ideas because they like those, too. This concept requires its own article, but the
point is this: you can offset your disadvantage of not having a co-delegate if you can forge strong enough
alliances.
You are still at a disadvantage; a pair of co-delegates can work the room faster and perhaps more easily than
you, a one-person delegation. And once delegates are ‘won over’ to a certain delegation or caucus bloc, then it
becomes much more difficult to win them to ‘your side.’ But if you hustle early and can create a strong alliance,
then it will not matter whether you lack a co-delegate or not; your allies, in effect, become your co-delegates.
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But, here’s the ultimate question: should it matter? Should not having a co-delegate really matter that much to
you? My answer to that question is no.
Of course it will be more difficult to ‘win’ without a co-delegate, but it should not make committee any less fun
or the experience any less enjoyable. You should do the same things you should normally do: have fun, learn
something, make friends, and, yes, try to win. I actually believe that when you let go of winning, it comes easier
to you, ironically. It doesn’t mean you try less; it means that the ‘right things’ become second nature, and you
stop thinking about it so much, and you can just enjoy the activity for what it is. And regardless of whether or
not you win an award, that is when you truly become ‘Best Delegate.'”
Sales Strategies, Part 1: Stripping Line Technique
by KFC on JANUARY 12, 2009
When you are presenting a draft resolution during formal caucus, you need to have the mindset of a salesperson.
Your product is your draft resolution, and your potential customers are all the other delegates who have yet to
be convinced to vote for your resolution. Therefore, it may be valuable to learn the strategies that salespeople
use in order to successfully pitch their product.
I will share several sales techniques with you on this blog that you can apply to Model UN, starting off with the
“stripping line.” In the sales profession, a salesperson uses the stripping line technique when he allows an angry
repeat customer to vent while pausing from his sales pitch, and then re-directs the conversation when the
customer has ran out of steam. This prevents the salesperson from having to be on the defensive at the
customer’s will or from aggravating the customer to be even more negative.
In Model UN, you may ocassionally come across an aggressive delegate from a rival bloc who is passionately
opposed to your draft resolution. When you yield to questions during formal caucus, this delegate will often ask
an animated, negatively rhetorical, and extremely long-winded question in order to point out flaws in your draft
resolution rather than provide you with a clear, answerable question. The question is meant to put you on the
defensive if not stump you and make you look bad. This is where you can use the stripping line technique.
It’s very simple: don’t try to answer the delegate’s question… at least not yet. The animated and long-winded
question is just the delegate venting out negativity, just like how the angry customer vented some steam to the
salesperson. Instead, ask the delegate to please repeat (or clarify) the question.
Oftentimes, the delegate will be caught in surprise that he didn’t stump you with his supposedly rhetorical
question. The delegate probably won’t be able to ask the question in the same passionate and long-winded
fashion the second time around, and any delegate who tries will probably look like he’s trying too hard.
Furthermore, the question will probably be more concise the second time around since the delegate thinks he
wasn’t able to get his rhetoric across the first time. To complete the sales analogy, this is when you have re-
directed the delegate from negative rhetoric to asking a clearer question that you can provide an answer to.
Granted, such animated, negatively rhetorical, and long-winded questions do not come up at most formal
caucuses. Most longer questions are due to delegates not having mastered being concise, so you don’t need to
apply this technique and can just answer the question then. But in case you do come across a passionately
negative delegate whose intent is clearly to challenge you, you now know that all it takes to diffuse some
negativity and force the questioner to be more concise is to simply ask the delegate to “please repeat the
question.”
Sales Strategies, Part 2: Cushioning Statements
by KFC on FEBRUARY 12, 2009
Salespeople use Cushioning Statements when they want to allow the customer to feel heard, enable the
customer to gain confidence in the salesperson, and when the salesperson wants the customer to open up his/her
thoughts. In Model UN, it is a strategy that the Best Delegatemay use when he or she too wants other delegates
to feel heard and enable other delegates to gain confidence and trust in him/her.
Here are some examples:
* Good question!
* I’m glad you asked…
* Another delegate asked me that earlier.
* Interesting point.
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* I haven’t heard that argument made yet.
* I understand, but…
* I understand, and…
* That’s a legitimate concern.
* I can see why your country would agree/disagree with this policy/idea/operative clause/etc.
Think for a moment that you’re a delegate with a real question or concern. Wouldn’t you feel at least a little
more respected or heard if another delegate replied with one of those Cushioning Statements before launching
into his/her response? I sure would.
There are many situations in Model UN when you can insert a Cushioning Statement to make other delegates
feel like they can trust you or that you care about their questions and opinions: when you yield your speech time
to questions, when you are defending your policies or solutions in an unmoderated or informal caucus, and
when you are answering questions during formal caucus. You can even insert Cushioning Statements into your
speech, although Cushioning Statements are usually most effective when directed at the individual delegate that
is questioning or interacting with you.
How to “Compete” in Model United Nations

by RYAN on JANUARY 19, 2009
In the spirit of Kevin’s post on the return of the MUN season, I’d like to share excerpts from an e-mail
exchange between me and someone wanting to become more “competitive” at Model UN.
My Response
I believe that becoming “competitive” at Model UN means developing proficiency in various skills that enable
you to demonstrate leadership throughout an MUN conference. By skills, I mean broad skills, such as research
and public speaking, but also strategic skills, such as deciding what country you want to represent at a
conference and what ideas you should present to the committee, as well as tactical skills, such as choosing with
which delegates to form an alliance. And by leadership, I mean a trait that other delegates and the chair apply to
you because you are able to lead the committee to find some sort of solution to the problem it faces; this is a
trait that must be earned. This focus on skills and leadership is the bedrock of the BestDelegate.com philosophy.
So if skill proficiency leads to leadership, which leads to success, then how do you develop such skills? The
only real way, of course, is experience: going to as many MUN conferences as possible, practicing with your
club, etc. You can also deliberately practice individual skills, i.e. researching papers transfers to researching for
a conference, being an active participant in a small seminar is much like speaking in a small committee, etc.
Having someone coach you is important, too; solicit feedback on how you are doing from older MUNers in
your club whom you trust. And it helps to have some theory, i.e. BestDelegate.com =P
From the sound of your e-mail, I hope you don’t feel intimidated by the “competitive” aspect of MUN. By this,
I mean awards, and how aggressive other people might be in trying to win them; such things are meant to be
incentives to take this seriously, but they are not to be the point of doing MUN. This activity is one huge “head
fake” (see Randy Pausch, “The Last Lecture”) to develop the skills mentioned above, which are transferable to
other endeavors in life, to meet intelligent and interesting people, which sounds like you have, and to learn
something about international relations and, maybe, human behavior and social interaction. It sounds like you
already have a good approach to MUN; I would just encourage you to jump in, and do as much of this stuff as
you can, and don’t worry so much about being “competitive.” Learn from others; be an active and thoughtful
participant; and most importantly, have fun!
The Counter-Argument
“I do agree that the most important aspect of participating in a MUN conference is the personal growth that
comes from doing so; however, the awards seem to allow greater involvement in the college circuit – those who
do well are frequently asked to return. For this reason, it seems harder to ‘try my hand’ at Model UN that at
other college activities, because reputation is important and I understand that the club seeks those who can
uphold its reputation.”
Developing Leadership vs. Winning Awards: An Actual Dilemma?
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I think that my response captures part of our “MUN philosophy” here at BestDelegate.com: focus less on
awards and approach MUN as a way to develop your leadership skills. But the counter-argument illustrates a
central dilemma within the Model UN community: awards may not be the point of doing MUN, but winning
them enables greater participation, which hopefully leads to the development of leadership skills.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 8: Framing Your Topic

by KFC on APRIL 5, 2009
Earlier this week, I was coaching for a Bay Area high school in preparation for the UC Davis Model United
Nations Conference, and the students asked a good question: how do we go about researching our topic when
the background guide or topic synopsis has not been posted yet? If you want to be the Best Delegate, you
cannot wait for the chair to post the guide (or rely on background guides that may not be written with a clear
framework of issues to address). The procrastination-busting technique that I recommend you take the initiative
to use is Framing Your Topic. Here’s how the three-part process works:
First, you frame your topic. Brainstorm six to ten different sub-issues that you might encounter regarding this
topic. If you have trouble brainstorming, think of sub-issues categorically: political, economic, social, financial,
humanitarian, environmental, security, etc.
Next, list adjacent to each sub-issue in your framework the past actions that have been taken to resolve that sub-
issue as well as possible solutions that your country has proposed or would like to propose.
Finally, you select the three most salient sub-issues to your country. These will become the three key points you
will use when you Frame Your Speech and will be central to your position paper and draft resolution. You will
want to conduct more research into them so you can become the subject matter expert on them when they are
debated at the conference. Of course, you will also want to be familiar with the other points that you have
framed because you can include them in your resolutions, and some of these will be the key points for other
delegates and you will want to be knowledgeable enough to collaborate with them on these sub-issues.
Here are two examples of UC Davis topics that the students I was working with brainstormed on the spot:
Topic: Nuclear Proliferation

1. Technology transfer (by governments and individuals)
2. Government Policies toward nuclear weapons
3. Security (of stockpiles, facilities, etc.)
4. Internal strife (e.g. Pakistan)
5. Disarmament of stockpiles
6. Economic arguments behind proliferation
7. Security/alliance factors behind proliferation
8. Terrorism
Topic: Preservation of Indigenous Languages
1. Suppression by governments
2. Language and cultural dominance
3. Official language policy
4. Grassroots/local efforts in preservation
5. Education & research
6. Incentives for indigenous language abilities
These will need to be filled in with past actions and proposed solutions, but that requires research of your topic
and an understanding of your country policy. A filled-in sub-issue will look like this:
Sub-Issue –> Past Actions –> Proposed Solution
Note that the above frameworks are comprehensive but not complete. You could probably brainstorm a few
more sub-issues for each. More important, when the background guide or topic synopsis gets posted, make sure
you read to understand what sub-issues your Chair wants the committee to address and adjust your framework
accordingly.
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If you have trouble with framing, I would suggest getting your entire class or club do it for the topic. I found
that brainstorming as a group produced much more comprehensive lists of sub-issues than individually trying to
dissect your topic.
How to Listen in an Unmoderated Caucus
Listening during Model UN speeches or resolutions can be easy. A delegate listens to the speaker, finds a point
that he/she agrees or disagrees on, and essentially makes a comment or asks a question based off the agreement
or disagreement.
But listening during Model UN unmoderated/informal caucus can be hard. This is partly because delegates have
to deal with rapid, on-going dialogue that requires an interactive response. But it is also partly because delegates
were probably never taught how to listen during an unmoderated/informal caucus (or think it’s appropriate to
not listen at all!). The Best Delegateknows that effective listening builds trust and respect, and also knows that
delegates with different listening approaches need to be influenced differently.
So, ‘listen’ up as we explain how to handle listening approaches for several types of delegates:
Gunner: these are the delegates who are constantly rushing around the room during caucus and think they have
more important tasks to do than listen to you.
> Approach: Catch their attention and get to the point quickly. For example, “Gambia, I need your undivided
attention for just a moment. Operative 6 has some weaknesses and Ghana and I would like to edit it before we
submit the draft resolution to the dais.”
Hardballer: these are delegates who are not truly listening to you and once they have the gist of the
conversation, will interrupt to take it over with their own comments.
> Approach: Stop and let them talk. When they are done, you should say “As I was saying before…” to imply
to them their interruption. If you are a more assertive delegate, step into the middle of the bloc, turn to a few
delegates that the hardballer isn’t directly facing and then re-start the conversation. You will have essentially
cut the hardballer’s audience in half.
Over-thinker: these are delegates who like to over-analyze, place doubt on an idea, have everything perfect, or
are too detail-oriented. They may hold your bloc back from making quick decisions when the committee is
going down the wire.
> Approach: Give them a ‘yes or no’ decision with a sense of urgency or be clear that analysis or advice is
inappropriate at the moment. For example, “Laos, we only have 2 more minutes in this caucus, I need you to
say yes or no to adding this as a friendly amendment to our resolution.”
Passive Follower: these are delegates who may not be fully listening (e.g. passersby or bored delegates) or may
not fully understand what you are saying (e.g. newer delegates), resulting in your inability to fully influence
them or gain support.
> Approach: Ask them a specific question on an idea you just said to check for their understanding or
attentiveness. For example, “Paraguay, what do you think about the vaccination program I just suggested?” or
more assertively “Slovenia, I’d like your input on the funding idea I just proposed.”
Attentive Delegate: these are delegates who are listening and you can tell by the thought they put in into your
ideas.
> Approach: Be sure to acknowledge their attentiveness. This reinforces them to continue listening to you. For
example, at the end of the unmoderated/informal caucus session, you could say, “Italy, I appreciate you taking
the time to listen to my ideas.”
The Rogue Delegate: though less common, these are delegates who have policies that disagree with just about
anybody (e.g. North Korea or Iran in some cases), may just be playing devil’s advocate, or may just be a
complete disrupter to the committee.
> Approach: You can acknowledge historical disgareement and start dialogue with them on what can be
reasonably accomplished going forward. If they continue to be disruptive, then ignoring their antics usually
works.
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How to Debate Resolutions
by RYAN on DECEMBER 7, 2007
Someone from the Netherlands e-mailed me in the middle of an MUN conference asking how to speak about
committee resolutions and whether to take points of information. I tried e-mailing back but the return address
would not work, so I’m just posting my response here. I also think other people might find it useful. And don’t
hesitate to e-mail me yourself, either to ask a question or just let me know your thoughts about my website or
MUN in general.
“Thank you for e-mailing me. What is your committee? And what does the resolution say? How long is it? Who
are the sponsors? And are you speaking in favor or against it? Also, I believe that MUN in Europe is different
than MUN in America, so I am not familiar with your rules of procedure.
Regardless, here are some basic tips for talking about your resolution:
1. State whether you are in favor or against the resolution.
2. In 1 sentence or 1 word, explain why you do or do not favor the resolution.
3. Pick 3 operative clauses to support your argument.
4. Encourage the committee to vote in favor or against the resolution.
For example: “The Netherlands favors this resolution because it is comprehensive. Look at clauses x, y, and z.
[Explain what x, y, and z does] The resolution addresses all of the major points that were brought up in debate.
We encourage the committee to vote in favor of the resolution.”
Another example: “The Netherlands is against this resolution because it is vague. Look at clauses x, y, and z.
[Explain what x, y, and z fail to do] The resolution does nothing. We urge the committee to vote against the
resolution.”
I am assuming that you don’t have a lot of time to talk about the resolution, so you need to focus your speech.
Using 1 sentence and 3 operative clauses to describe the resolution makes it easier for the audience to remember
what you’re saying.
If you have time remaining, I think it is a good idea to yield to points of information unless you have a very
good reason not to; for example, you said something unpopular so delegates will use their questions to attack
you. But if you wrote the resolution or are one of its primary sponsors, then you need to answer questions from
the delegates. If you won’t defend your resolution, no one else will.
I am assuming you wrote the resolution or are one of its sponsors. In that case, I suggest answering as many
points of resolution as you can until you run out of speaking time. If the chair allows you to select delegates,
and if you are very confident in your resolution and your debating skills, then pick delegates who are sponsors
on the opposing resolution. Expect them to attack your resolution, but use it to your advantage by arguing back.
Sponsors on the opposing resolution will make criticisms in their own speeches and you will not have an
opportunity to respond. So use your speaking time as an opportunity to address any concerns people might
have.
But if you do think there are some weaknesses in your resolution, or if you are unsure of your debating skills,
then select delegates who are not on either resolution, or could go either way. You want to convince the
delegate that it is in their country’s policy to vote in favor of your resolution. You also want to convince them
that none of your operative clauses are against their country’s policy. At the end, thank them for their question.
Regardless of who is asking the question, answer completely and politely; do not get defensive because that
makes you look bad. And keep your responses short. You want to answer questions completely, but you also
want to answer as many as possible.
How to Win Best Delegate, Part 8: Framing Your Topic

Earlier this week, I was coaching for a Bay Area high school in preparation for the UC Davis Model United
Nations Conference, and the students asked a good question: how do we go about researching our topic when
the background guide or topic synopsis has not been posted yet? If you want to be the Best Delegate, you
cannot wait for the chair to post the guide (or rely on background guides that may not be written with a clear
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framework of issues to address). The procrastination-busting technique that I recommend you take the initiative
to use is Framing Your Topic. Here’s how the three-part process works:
First, you frame your topic. Brainstorm six to ten different sub-issues that you might encounter regarding this
topic. If you have trouble brainstorming, think of sub-issues categorically: political, economic, social, financial,
humanitarian, environmental, security, etc.
Next, list adjacent to each sub-issue in your framework the past actions that have been taken to resolve that sub-
issue as well as possible solutions that your country has proposed or would like to propose.
Finally, you select the three most salient sub-issues to your country. These will become the three key points you
will use when you Frame Your Speech and will be central to your position paper and draft resolution. You will
want to conduct more research into them so you can become the subject matter expert on them when they are
debated at the conference. Of course, you will also want to be familiar with the other points that you have
framed because you can include them in your resolutions, and some of these will be the key points for other
delegates and you will want to be knowledgeable enough to collaborate with them on these sub-issues.
Here are two examples of UC Davis topics that the students I was working with brainstormed on the spot:
Topic: Nuclear Proliferation
1. Technology transfer (by governments and individuals)
2. Government Policies toward nuclear weapons
3. Security (of stockpiles, facilities, etc.)
4. Internal strife (e.g. Pakistan)
5. Disarmament of stockpiles
6. Economic arguments behind proliferation
7. Security/alliance factors behind proliferation
8. Terrorism
Topic: Preservation of Indigenous Languages
1. Suppression by governments
2. Language and cultural dominance
3. Official language policy
4. Grassroots/local efforts in preservation
5. Education & research
6. Incentives for indigenous language abilities
These will need to be filled in with past actions and proposed solutions, but that requires research of your topic
and an understanding of your country policy. A filled-in sub-issue will look like this:
Sub-Issue –> Past Actions –> Proposed Solution
Note that the above frameworks are comprehensive but not complete. You could probably brainstorm a few
more sub-issues for each. More important, when the background guide or topic synopsis gets posted, make sure
you read to understand what sub-issues your Chair wants the committee to address and adjust your framework
accordingly.
If you have trouble with framing, I would suggest getting your entire class or club do it for the topic. I found
that brainstorming as a group produced much more comprehensive lists of sub-issues than individually trying to
dissect your topic
Strategy Tip: Always Push Debate Forward

by KFC on OCTOBER 19, 2011
I was doing some private coaching the other day and the student remarked “it seems like everyone just keeps
repeating the same facts and policies during the opening speeches but then all of a sudden the advanced
delegates come out with draft resolutions from nowhere. How do delegates get from speeches to starting on
their resolutions?”
There are two lessons here (assuming that delegates did not pre-write those resolutions). The first lesson is that
there are 5 Stages of Committee and delegates may be operating in different stages. The second lesson is that
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delegates should always aim to push debate forward in all stages, and there are different ways to do this during
Opening Speeches, Caucusing, Writing Resolutions, and Debating Resolutions.
The first lesson is the 5 Stages of Committee which refers to a hidden process in the flow of debate and you
have to learn how to feel which stage the committee is in and when it should move onto another stage. For
example, speeches are made throughout the entire committee, but that does not necessarily mean speeches are
as important during some stages as they are in others. The advanced delegates figured this out — their time is
better spent writing draft resolutions with others outside the committee or writing a portion of it at their desks
(if they’ve divided up the clauses) than to listen to some of the speeches if they’ve already figured out which
countries to work with.
But the second lesson is that delegates should always push debate forward because the ultimate goal of the
committee is to come up with a resolution that contains ideas on how to solve the problem. Repeating
information that everyone already knows does not accomplish this. Even a better speech formula of “agree or
disagree and explain why” does not cut it because it does not tell what others should do about your opinion or
what you want to do with an idea that you agree or disagree on.
Here is how to properly push debate forward during different stages:
1. Opening Speeches Stage: Your opening speech should always be framed. That means your speech is
structurally organized so that delegates can easily remember the three main points of your speech. And those
three main points should be used to tell the rest of the committee which issues you think everyone should focus
on. This is pushing debate forward — you’re telling others to work on sub-issue A, B, and C instead of all the
other ones that were mentioned in the background guide. This will help brand you as the country that wants to
work on those issues and make it easier to find allies with similar policies or a focus on similar issues.
2. Caucusing Stage: Caucusing should not only be used to find allies that have similar policies and want to
work with you. In addition to doing that, caucusing should be spent discussing howeveryone in the same bloc
will work together. Which issues will our bloc be addressing? What are the big-picture solutions that we plan to
propose? Which countries to focus on which operative clauses? (Remember to always assign yourself the
hedgehog clauses — buy the How to Win Awardsbook if you don’t know what that is yet). This is pushing
debate forward — you’re telling others what to work on in order to make caucus productive.
3. Writing Resolutions Stage: Writing resolutions should not only be about your primary ideas. Once the main
operative clauses have been written, it is time to back them up with details that will improve and strengthen
each clause. You push debate forward by getting the authors — including yourself — to invite and respond to
the criticism on your draft resolution by opposing blocs by adding in details and sub-operative clauses that will
improve your draft resolution. You already know what all the sponsors agree on in the draft resolution so you
push debate forward by finding out what other people think about it and turning their ideas or criticisms into
improvements or amendments on your own draft resolution.
4. Debating Resolutions Stage: Debating resolutions is about accomplishing your ultimate goal — to get your
draft resolution passed. Once your draft resolution has been written and already improved through editing and
perhaps even amendments, it’s time to sell your draft resolution to others (or defending it against criticism) so
that they are in favor of voting for it. In this stage, you push debate forward by explaining ultimately why
delegates should vote or should not vote for certain draft resolutions. Speeches, comments, and moderated
caucuses still exist during this stage, but instead of just explaining what’s on your draft resolution, you should
explain what makes it better than everyone else’s resolutions.
Top 3 Reasons to do Model United Nations

It’s the beginning of the school year and MUN clubs all over the United States are trying to recruit new people.
Prospective members might ask, “Why should I do MUN?”
I asked that question myself before I started doing MUN. I checked it out, and at first it just seemed like a fun
way of learning history. I soon realized that I really enjoyed meeting people and making speeches. I also got a
rush out of winning awards and running conferences, and I continued with MUN throughout high school.
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By my senior year, as I wrote my college application essays and went to interviews, I found that I had
meaningful leadership experiences to draw from, and a network of MUN alumni from whom I could seek
guidance. MUN is the reason I got into Yale.
Looking back on my experience, these are my top 3 reasons for someone to do MUN:
1. It’s a fun way of learning about the world. In this era of globalization, being globally aware is more
important than ever. Also, having fun makes it easier to learn something and more likely to stick.
2. It develops leadership skills. MUN is an exercise in research, public speaking, and teamwork. These are
skills that you will need throughout your career, and MUN gives you a chance to practice them while you’re
a student.
3. You can leverage your MUN experience and network to get into college and find jobs. Admissions officers
and job interviewers look for examples of leadership, and your experiences as a delegate or conference
organizer will be good examples. You will also develop a network of alumni from your MUN club and
people you’ve met at conferences.
How Model United Nations Can Help You Get Into College
It takes more than good grades and strong test scores to get into competitive colleges like Harvard, Yale, or
Princeton. High school students today have to stand out by excelling in their extracurricular activities. Many do
this through sports, science, or the arts, but others join activities such as speech and debate, mock trial, and
Model United Nations.
While not everyone who does MUN makes it their main activity, many invest a considerable amount of their
time and energy into it. Model United Nations is a large part of their personal growth as a high school student,
and they can leverage their MUN experience to get into college.
Model United Nations is the reason I got into Yale. I started doing MUN because it was a fun way to study
history, but it also developed my communication skills and gave me the confidence to express myself. As I
devoted more time to the activity, I gained leadership experience by winning awards, chairing committees,
running conferences, and training my club. When I started applying to college, I was able to seek advice from
people I’d met through MUN who were attending or had attended competitive colleges.
In my personal essay, I specifically wrote about Model United Nations. I described my love of singing as a kid,
and how disappointed I was when I got to high school and realized I lacked the vocal talent to really excel at it.
Instead, I focused my energies on Model United Nations and public speaking competitions, where I was much
more successful. I found that if I couldn’t express myself creatively through singing, I could do it through
public speaking. The title of my essay was “Finding My Voice.”
Drawing from my experience, here are 3 tips for using Model United Nations to get into college:
1. Demonstrate leadership by winning awards, chairing committees, running conferences, and training
your club.
Admissions officers are looking for examples of leadership. Model United Nations offers many opportunities to
demonstrate leadership. As a delegate, you win awards by becoming a leader in committee. As a chair, your job
is to lead other delegates. As a conference organizer, you have to manage chairs and support staff. And as you
rise through the ranks of your MUN club, you can pass on your knowledge to others. MUN is all about
leadership; the very premise of the activity is pretending to be a world leader for a weekend.
2. Seek advice from people you’ve met through MUN who are attending or have attended competitive
colleges.
You can read books and blogs about how to get into competitive colleges, but the best source of advice comes
from speaking with people who’ve already done it. Whether it’s alumni from your school, older delegates
you’ve met at conferences, or chairs who are already in college, MUN provides a network of people you can
reach out to for advice.
3. Reflect on your MUN experience in essays and interviews.
It’s not enough to put down awards you’ve won or conferences you’ve run on your list of accomplishments.
You have to communicate your success to admissions officers through essays and interviews. Reflection takes
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time; it’s not something you can do the night before the application due date or the day of your interview. It also
requires solitude; you really have to think deeply about yourself, who you are, and what you want to do.
Model United Nations can be a vehicle for personal growth. Leverage your experience and your network. Use it
to launch yourself into the next stage of your student career. Model United Nations is your opportunity to stand
out.
5 Stages of Committee Every Delegate Should Know
Last week, I wrote about the 5 Skills Every Delegate Should Learn. I described what those fundamental skills
are and how they improved my performance in committee. But what really helped is knowing not just what to
do, but when to do it, and that’s what I’m going to focus on in this article.
The goal of a committee is to pass a resolution on a given set of topics by the end of the conference. This does
not happen randomly. There’s a certain flow to committee, when specific events have to take place before the
committee can reach its goal of passing a resolution. Experienced delegates understand this and use it to their
advantage.
Let’s walk through a typical Model UN conference. Your committee experience starts before the conference
even begins, by doing your research. When you arrive to your committee room and your chair gavels open the
first session, you line up with everyone else to make opening speeches. Soon, you’re going into unmoderated
caucus, passing notes, and meeting people in the hall to form a caucus bloc, write a resolution, and submit it to
the chair. You present and debate resolutions; combine and amend them; then go into voting bloc, where your
committee will either reach or fail its goal. And you do it all again with the next topic and at the next
conference.
We just went through a typical flow of committee, and it can be broken down into 5 stages:
1. Pre-Conference Research — The weeks, days, and hours leading up to the conference when all you can do
is research. Although in coming years, it might become more important to interact with your committee via
social media before the conference even begins.
2. Opening Speeches — The beginning of committee, when delegates give their first speeches and speak
about policy.
3. Caucusing — This stage typically begins with the first or second unmoderated caucus, when most of the
committee has made their opening speeches and it becomes more important to find allies and form caucus
blocs.
4. Writing Resolutions — When caucus blocs have solidified and delegates are starting to write their
resolutions.
5. Debating Resolutions — After resolutions have been submitted to the chair for review and the committee
is making speeches for and against resolutions.
This framework is helpful because knowing what stage the committee is in gives you an idea of what you need
to do at that moment. There are several key takeaways about the 5 stages of committee:
Be aware of what stage the committee is in. Individual delegates can be at different stages than the rest of
committee; this is more likely to happen with bigger committees than smaller ones. You know what stage the
committee is in by seeing what other delegates are doing and taking hints from the chair. As an individual
delegate, if you fall behind by taking too long to join a caucus bloc or start writing a resolution, the committee
will move on without you.
Certain skills are more valuable at certain stages. This is why the 5 stages of committee purposefully reflect
the 5 skills every delegate should learn. You want to know what stage you’re in and focus on those skills. For
example, when I’m writing resolutions outside in the hall, I don’t worry about being on the speakers list or
making comments during moderated caucus. During the Writing Resolutions stage, it’s more important to me to
finish drafting resolutions because that’s more important to the chair. The delegates who are not writing
resolutions are the ones making speeches, and the chair is listening to them because they need something to do.
But the chair would rather have the committee finish drafting resolutions and start debating them.
Know how to transition between stages. Transition points are opportunities to stand out in committee. To
continue my previous example, I return to the committee room after submitting resolutions and re-focus my
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attention on making speeches. Because I haven’t made any speeches lately, I’m more likely to be picked by the
chair for the speakers list or a moderated caucus. I use this to my advantage by trying to be the first person in
our caucus bloc to make a forceful speech about our resolution. This solidifies my position as a leader of my
caucus bloc and, by extension, a leader in committee.
How you do in one stage affects how you’ll do in the next. Pre-Conference Research is the first stage and the
foundation of your performance in committee. Your Opening Speeches influence how you will be perceived by
other delegates during Caucusing. The quality of your caucus bloc influences the quality of your resolution,
which influences how it will be debated in committee and whether it will pass.
Granted, there’s overlap between stages and skills. After finishing a topic and moving on to the next one, you’re
going back to Opening Speeches. Public speaking is definitely an important skill during the Debating
Resolutions stage. Some delegates do research throughout a conference.
But the 5 stages are intended to be a useful framework that provides a structure to your understanding of Model
UN. It gives order to the chaos of committee. And if you understand it well, you can use it to your advantage
and gain an edge in winning awards.
MUN Research Made Easy: 15 Things Every Delegate Should Have in their Research Binder
You see it everywhere at MUN conferences. You’ve made your own — or, more likely, your advisor told you
to make one. And you probably didn’t want to. It’s confusing to create and cumbersome to carry. You might
even be embarrassed to bring one to committee — maybe you poke fun at others for bringing theirs.
What am I referring to? I am describing the bane of many a Model UNer. I am talking about putting together a
research binder.
When I started doing Model UN, research was a chore. I wrote position papers at the last minute, printed out a
bunch of random websites the night before conferences, and read a fraction of it on the bus. Research was
something boring I needed to do before I could do the fun stuff.
But I soon realized this was putting me at a disadvantage. I couldn’t speak or debate as freely because I didn’t
know the facts. I was afraid to suggest an idea because I wasn’t sure if the committee had done it already. And
it’s pretty obvious to chairs who has done their research and who has not. Not doing mine made me feel
uncomfortable.
I knew that if I was confident in my research, that confidence would come through in speeches and debates. I
just needed a way to research that took as little time as possible to learn just what I needed to know, but to know
it thoroughly. I needed to do my research to the point that it made me feel comfortable in committee.
I needed to put together a research binder.
And many conferences and committees later, I’ve come to appreciate the value of a good, well-organized
binder. There are a few reasons why:
§ It actually speeds up research. Putting together a binder sounds time-consuming, but it takes less time and
brain power to learn something that is organized well. When you’re reading different websites and books,
the important facts are spread out across different sources. It ultimately takes more time to read through a
random assortment of printed pages than to just organize it in the first place.
§ It gets faster with experience. After putting together a few binders, I realized I was turning to the same
sources over and over. Eventually, I would just print everything out first, put together the binder, and then
read through it all in one shot. And since I chose to specialize in certain committees, I could easily recycle
my research binders and improve on them.
§ It’s useful for more than the information it contains. Having your research readily available in
committee is very helpful. In addition, bringing a well-organized binder to committee communicates to the
chair and other delegates that you mean business. But be careful – you may not want to communicate this
kind of intensity, depending on how you want to be perceived in committee.
I organized my binders by starting from the “big picture” — conference, committee, and country — then
zooming in on the details — topics, policies, and solutions. In other words, I framed my approach to research.
Using a framework made it easier to do research because it gave me an idea of what to look for, and I could use
it for every conference.
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Using this framework, there are 15 things every delegate should include in their binders:
Conference
1. Awards Policy. If you’re trying to win an award, then you should know what the conference values and what
your chair is looking for.
2. Rules of Procedure. Rules tell you how committee is going operate, and what you can and cannot do. They
differ for every conference — not just what the rules are, but how they are applied.
Committee
3. Your committee’s actual UN website. The goal of a committee is to pass a resolution, which depends on
what a committee can and cannot do. You want to understand your committee’s mandate (why it was created),
powers (what it can do), organization (how it fits into the UN and the larger international community), and
membership (who’s in it).
4. UN Charter. If you are in a GA, ECOSOC, or Security Council committee, then the source of your
committee’s power is the UN Charter. If you are in a regional organization like NATO or OAS, then you are
still affected by the Charter, particularly Chapter VII on international security and Chapter VIII on regional
arrangements.
Country
5. CIA Factbook. Every MUNers go-to source for essential information on their country. You want to know
your country’s location, neighbors, population size, type of government, type of economy, trade partners, and
the international organizations it’s a part of. Not knowing this information as your country’s representative can
be potentially embarrassing.
6. Wikipedia. Information on your country’s history and its recent controversies. There should be articles on
your topic, too. Wikipedia might not be edited as rigorously as a print publication, but you are not writing a
paper – you’re attending a Model UN conference. Just take note of any potential issues that are listed at the
topic of Wikipedia pages, e.g. “This article needs additional citations for verification.”
Topics
7. Background Guide. Either you, another delegate, or your chair will inevitably refer to something written in
the committee’s background guide during a conference. Also, what your chair has written about is what he’ll
focus on in committee. Use that knowledge to craft speeches and operative clauses that grab the chair’s
attention.
8. News Articles. You want to know the latest news on your topics, as well as your own country. The simplest
way to do this is to run searches on Yahoo! News and Google News, and print out the headlines. BBC Online
also features easy-to-use timelines and profiles on your issues and country. Large publications like the New
York Times and Wall Street Journal also have in-depth coverage on their websites.
9. Resolutions, Treaties, and Conventions. Before you can do anything on the topic, you need to know what’s
already been done. You can find past resolutions through the UN documentation center, although it can be
difficult to navigate. Once you’ve found the latest resolution, the perambulatory clauses should direct you to
other resolutions. Also, the most relevant piece of international law on your topic might not be a past resolution,
but instead a treaty or convention.
Policies
10. Speeches and Press Releases. These are the ways that policy-makers set policy. Be sure to use speeches
and press releases from people in the executive branch of your country’s current government (President, Prime
Minister, Foreign Minister / Secretary of State, Ambassadors). Legislators and judges may say something
different, but as a representative of your country, you work for the Head of State / Head of Government. Start
with the website for your country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Department of State.
11. Voting Record. Actions speak louder than words. If your country’s leaders have not clearly articulated a
policy on your topic, then you can infer it from how your country has voted on past resolutions, treaties, and
conventions (or whether they were even present). Note that recent speeches may indicate a change in policy
away from however your country has voted in the past, especially if your government has changed
administrations. Nonetheless, you still want to know how your country’s past actions on the topic, for your own
knowledge, and in case anyone asks.
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Solutions
12. Op-Ed and Blog Articles. These writers are coming from a personal or journalistic perspective, but they
can still give you ideas that you can propose in committee and use in resolutions. You can start with large
publications like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal, but don’t forget about blogs, too. Just be aware of
their biases, and make sure their ideas conform to your country’s policies.
13. Think Tanks. Organizations like RAND are paid to come up with solutions to the topics you discuss in
Model UN. Think tank publications have more depth and evidence than an opinion article, but they’re typically
not as dense as an academic paper. They might also be pushing a certain agenda, so be aware of that. Otherwise,
they are a great starting point for proposing potential solutions.
14. Academic Papers. These are tough reads and the information is way too dense for Model UN. But they are
probably the most insightful and rigorously edited sources you will find online. You can use Google Scholar to
find papers. Don’t spent time trying to process a paper the way you would do for a class. Read the abstract and
skim the paper for ideas that you can use in committee.
15. Your Ideas. Include in your binder your position papers, working papers, notes, thoughts, as well as blank
lined paper – Don’t rely on a conference to bring enough paper for draft resolutions and note passing. You can
do all the research you want, and you can be really fast and efficient at it, but none of that matters until you boil
down what you’ve read into ideas that you can explain in your own words.
How to Make a Speech: 3 Public Speaking Tips on What to Say

Don't Be Afraid to Speak -- Stand Out

When I started doing Model UN, my advisor would say that the number one fear in America is public speaking
– and number two is death. More people would rather die than make a speech.
And as a high school freshman, I was afraid to speak. Whenever the chair asked for speakers, I would hesitate
before raising my placard. I waited for other delegates to volunteer first. Then, lost in the throng of outstretched
hands, I would finally raise mine – and not get called on.
It felt safer to blend into the crowd. But it also made me anonymous, and anonymity does not win awards. By
definition, awards recognize delegates who distinguish themselves in committee – delegates who do not blend
into the crowd.
In the moment of hesitation before raising my placard, my biggest fear was not knowing what to say. This is
typical for many delegates, since most Model UN speeches have to be improvised quickly, particularly
comments.
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With that in mind, here are 3 tips on figuring out what to say in a speech:
1. Focus on one idea.
Most delegates try to say too much in a single speech. Speaking time is typically one minute or less, which is
barely enough time to say one thing well. Most delegates try to run through a laundry list of facts or points, but
no single thing sticks in the minds of their audience.
It’s a problem of information overload. There’s a lot going on in committee – giving speeches, making motions,
drafting resolutions. It’s an overwhelming amount of information to process, both for the committee and you as
an individual delegate trying to make a speech.
Focusing on one idea is a way to pierce through this haze of information. It can be your topic framework, a
specific issue, or just saying “I disagree” with another delegate’s speech. But when you focus on one idea, you
are inviting the committee to focus on this one idea with you. Your challenge is to pick out one idea from the
swirling mass of possible things to speak on.
For example, In speeches defending a resolution on which you are a sponsor, single out one operative clause –
either the most important or most controversial – and focus all of your speaking time on it.
2. Use a framework.
After you’ve decided what idea to focus on, build a framework around it. Break down your one idea into a
specified number of bullet points. Structure your speech so that it’s logical and organized.
Framing makes it easier for the committee to understand what you’re saying. Using a structure helps you look
like you know what you’re talking about. Other delegates are then more likely to remember what you’ve said.
Hopefully, they use your framework in their own speeches and refer back to you. It not only makes you look
good – it highlights you as a committee leader.
Using the example in the previous tip, after you choose one operative clause to focus on, speak on the top 3
reasons that this clause is important. Consider how it impacts your topic. Or perhaps it needs to be included in
the resolution because of a compromise between different caucus blocs.
Here are more Best Delegate articles on framing in general and framing your topic.
3. Persuade, don’t just describe.
Most delegates spend too much speaking time reciting facts instead of arguing a point. This is commonly found
in opening speeches that feature statistics and stories related to the committee’s topic. These might serve as
good introductions, but other delegates and the dais staff already have this information in their research. They
now want to hear your ideas on what to do about the problem and why.
The committee does not remember your speeches for the statistics or stories you tell, but rather the one idea
your speech was about and how you made everyone feel while talking about it. Whenever you make a speech,
you want other delegates to think to themselves, “That’s a good point.” And when you get really good, they’ll
think, “Wow – I wish I said that.”
Continuing the example above, it’s not enough to describe what your operative clause does. You must explain
why it is important to the committee. One way to do this is by referring to other delegates’ prior speeches and
pointing out that your operative clause addresses their concerns.
***
To win awards, you have to stand out. Public speaking is essential to standing out, and you cannot let fear stop
you from making speeches. So, to win awards, you have to overcome any fears of public speaking you might
have. You have to know what to say.
How to Face Your Fear in MUN: 5 Tips for New Delegates
by KFC on OCTOBER 21, 2010
There are many things that intimidate new delegates – knowing what to say in a speech or during caucus,
making points or motions for the first time, understanding what a new term means, etc.
Learn how to face your fear in Model UN by following these tips:
1. Prepare a research binder. You’ll feel better in committee knowing that your research is at your fingertips.
A ready-to-access research binder is a life-saver in case you get lost when different topics, acronyms, agencies,
and previous solutions are mentioned. See 15 Things Every Delegate Should Have in their Research Binder.
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2. Frame your topics and speeches. In MUN, you have 72 hours or less to solve the world’s most important
and complicated problems. This is a challenge, but don’t let it overwhelm you; instead, make it manageable.
Break down your topic into smaller issues. Choose the ones that matter most to your country or position. Match
solutions to those issues. Learn how to frame your topic.
3. Write out your first speech. Your first speech is the committee’s first impression of you. It’s scary because
you’re getting up in front of people you’ve never met who are going to judge you. But the first speech is the
easiest to prepare for because you can write it out ahead of time. Try it – you’ll find that it’s easier to speak
again after you’ve made a strong first speech. And once you’ve learned how to frame your topic, you will easily
learn how to frame your speech.
4. Focus on one idea at a time. Over the course of a conference, your committee will discuss many different
problems and solutions. Speeches that try to cover too many ideas at the same time are incoherent. Don’t be
confused by the vast number of things to talk about in a speech; instead, focus on one idea at a time. This makes
it easier for you to make speeches and for your audience to understand you. You’ll also be faster at crafting
comments and more active in moderated caucus. Focusing on one idea helps you overcome an important public
speaking fear – knowing what to say in a speech.
5. Learn the different stages of committee. When you’re starting out, committee seems like chaos. There’s so
much going on and things seem to happen randomly, which might make you feel anxious or uncertain. But you
can overcome these feelings by learning the different stages of committee. It’s more than knowing the rules or
motions – it’s about knowing what to do and when to do it. Be aware of what stage the committee is in, whether
it’s making speeches, forming alliances, or writing resolutions. Once you realize that there’s a certain flow to
committee, the chaos you felt at first will turn into order. Learn more about the five stages of committee.
Most importantly, ask questions when you don’t understand something – don’t be shy. If you’re unsure of
what’s going on in committee or a word that someone used, raise a Point of Inquiry and ask your question. It’s
a simple thing to do yet so hard – most people don’t want to admit that they don’t know something. But asking
questions is the first step to facing your fear in MUN and becoming a better delegate.
Guest Post! How to Use Hard and Soft Power to Win Awards: 5 Smart Power Skills Every Delegate
Should Learn
I’m excited to present Best Delegate’s first guest post of the MUN season! Today’s post was written by Andrew
Roush, who sits on the board of Central Texas Model United Nations, was Chief of Staff for UNA-USA MUN
2010 (now Global Classrooms International MUN), and has nearly a decade of MUN experience. Andrew also
serves as Editor-in-Chief of Reply Magazine, an online publication that gives young people “the opportunity to
express themselves on culture, society and politics, honestly and unapologetically.”
You don’t have to study international relations to do MUN, but knowing a few basic concepts can help you win
awards. In this post, I explain:
§ How countries use hard power, soft power, and smart power
§ How these concepts apply not just to countries, but also to individuals
§ How you can use smart power to stand out in committee
Hard power is the use of coercion – economic sanctions, military force, or other threats. Hard power is the
traditional “carrot and stick” of international diplomacy. While nations may use troop movements, currency
devaluations or trade restrictions to make their point, individual delegates use their research, academic
knowledge, or procedural prowess to influence or force the hands of others.
Soft power is diplomacy through co-option, rather than coercion — through attraction, rather than
intimidation. Harvard Professor Joseph Nye coined the term in 1990, as the Cold War was winding down and
many scholars and policymakers ruminated on a “new world order” to be dominated by the transforming role of
the United States. Nye described soft power as “the ability to obtain the outcomes one wants through attraction
rather than using the carrots and sticks of payment or coercion.” States may use the power of their culture or
25

their international perception to their advantage. Delegates can use their charisma, poise and courtesy to sway
their peers.
Smart power is the careful combination of hard and soft power based on a nation’s resources. The idea has
since caught on the diplomatic circles, particularly with liberal American policymakers. During her
confirmation hearings, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
“We must use what has been called ‘smart power,’ the full range of tools at our disposal — diplomatic,
economic, military, political, legal, and cultural — picking the right tool, or combination of tools, for each
situation. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy. “
The concepts of soft, hard, and smart power don’t just apply to states. “In individuals,” Nye wrote for the
Huffington Post, “soft power rests on the skills of emotional intelligence, vision, and communication that
Obama possesses in abundance. In nations, it rests upon culture (where it is attractive to others), values (when
they are applied without hypocrisy), and policies (when they are inclusive and seen as legitimate in the eyes of
others.)”
How do these concepts help you as a delegate? Best delegates use smart power in committee. They know how
to combine hard power — research, knowledge of procedure — with soft power — interpersonal skills,
demeanor and charisma. Below, I’ve listed my version of the five major smart power skills every delegate
should learn:
1. Role Playing. Smart delegates not only have the research to represent their country accurately and debate
their topics intelligently, but they also have the public speaking skills to pitch their ideas, the poise to avoid
inaccurate or outlandish statements, and the charisma to attract followers. This influences every level of your
performance, from position papers to resolution writing, to voting.
2. Problem Solving. Successful delegates understand underlying issues and trends, as well as existing structure,
agreements and protocols. To make this knowledge work, they must be able to synthesize new solutions and
evaluate the viability of new ideas. This skill is particularly important in drafting resolutions.
3. Creativity. While we’ve all seen the delegates who turn their speech into a telenovella-style monologue,
creativity really means the knowledge of existing structures and situations and the ability to think within and
outside of the paradigm. Your creativity not only comes across in your speeches, but in the actual content of
your resolutions and proposals.
4. Compromise. In MUN, as in life, you have to know your interests as well as those of others. Smart power
means the ability to perceive what others will do, and be proactive, knowing when and where to make
sacrifices. Compromise can greatly impact how you vote, and can make an impact on fellow delegates.
5. Presence. This is the element that brings the others together. To earn the gavel, you have to both learn how to
command the room and have the skills to work with others. Speaking and presentation style, personal
mannerisms, even appearance all affect your ability to apply your knowledge. This comes into play every time
you speak, from the speakers’ list, to unmoderated caucuses.
Everyone’s skill set is different, and applying your smart power requires you to understand your strengths and
well as areas of improvement. The greatest delegate you’ll see will apply their smart power effortlessly. For
most of us, however, using our personal smart power takes time and practice. In time, you’ll be peddling
influence without even trying.
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Best Delegate.

com’s HOW TO WIN BEST DELEGATE

5 Skills Every Delegate Should Learn

How to Win Best Delegate, Part 1: An Overview

How to Win Best Delegate, Part 2: Choose Your Committee

How to Win Best Delegate, Part 3: Making It Up

How to “Compete” in Model United Nations

How to Win Best Delegate, Part 8: Framing Your Topic

Topic: Nuclear Proliferation

How to Win Best Delegate, Part 8: Framing Your Topic

Strategy Tip: Always Push Debate Forward

Top 3 Reasons to do Model United Nations

How to Make a Speech: 3 Public Speaking Tips on What to Say

Don't Be Afraid to Speak -- Stand Out

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