History
has provided us with a very clear premise on which all great speakers have made
their name. Discovering their strategies for success and modeling the elements
of excellence that we have consistently witnessed over so many years is the
surest way to develop your own speaking skills.
After all
what better way can there be to become a great orator than by becoming a
student of history’s greatest orators.
I like to
think of these elements as pillars that form the foundation and platform for
communicating with style, substance and impact. Whether it’s Demosthenes,
Socrates, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Winston
Churchill, Barrack Obama or the late Steve Jobs I believe there are 12 things
you will find all of the great speakers have in common.
1. They don’t say good morning
Can you imagine Martin Luther King
in Washington in 1963 starting his speech with, ‘Good morning, I have a
dream…’?
Or Winston Churchill saying, ‘Good
afternoon, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat…’?
How about Abraham Lincoln starting
with, ‘Good morning, four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth
on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal...’?
It doesn’t work and that’s not the
way to start any important presentation and it’s certainly not the way to open
with impact and grab the attention of your audience.
The great speakers start with a
powerful, relevant and memorable:
Story
Fact
Statement
Question
Statistic
They make it their business to
interrupt their audience’s thought patterns by stimulating interest and
arousing curiosity. That rarely starts with ‘good morning, I’m delighted to be
here’. If it’s not something they say then it’s something they do or show
that sets them apart from other speakers that sparks their audiences scrutiny.
2. They are just like you
The best way for any speaker to
create a genuine connection with their audience is to show them that you’re
just like them by building some common ground. A prerequisite to establishing
rapport is instilling a sense of trust and if you can help your audience to see
that you are really no different to them in that you have shared experiences
and aspirations then that connection begins.
Whatever differences exist between
speakers and their audience the great orators know how to unite their listeners
by focusing on the similarities between where they are now and where they want
to be. People trust people who understand and are similar to them.
3. They
believe in themselves and their message
Persuasive speakers believe in
themselves and that isn’t something that just magically happens, it comes with
extensive preparation and practice. Knowing that you’ve done all you can
to understand as much as you can about your audience in advance, that your
material is relevant and content rich, that it will make a difference to your
audience is the backbone of belief.
It’s knowing that you know your
topic inside out, are prepared for the difficult questions and have practised
your delivery to ensure it’s as engaging and impactful as possible.
The great speakers possess a single
minded conviction in their message and have absolute faith in the difference it
will make to the personal or professional lives of their audience.
4. They like things in 3’s
The 3 Wise Men
The 3 Musketeers
The 3 Stooges
The 3 Little Pigs
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Up, Up and Away
On your Marks, Get Set, Go
Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No
Evil
Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll
Concepts or ideas presented in
threes are inherently more interesting, more enjoyable, and more
memorable. All the great speakers throughout history have known this
principle and used it to extraordinary effect.
Julius Caesar ‘Veni, vidi, vici’ (I
came, I saw, I conquered)
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
‘Friends, Romans, Countrymen. Lend me your ears.’
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
‘We cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground.’
Barack Obama, Inaugural Speech
‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people.’ and ‘We must pick
ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking
America.’
People like things in 3’s so
divide your next presentation into three parts. Share 3 important
features or give your audience 3 reasons to act on your message. If it
worked for Caesar and Obama it will work for you.
5. They have an orchestra
Great speakers carry within them a
one piece orchestra, it’s their voice. They know how to make music with their
voice by changing pitch, volume, rhythm and pace so that they are animated and
interesting to listen to. They know how to manipulate their vocal chords to
control and convey whatever emotional state they want.
Studies suggest that speakers with
lower voices are often perceived as more dominant which is probably why it’s a
favourite technique of political leaders, whereas those who speak with higher
frequencies are often seen as meek.
There is plenty you can do to
conduct your orchestra:
To accentuate a word, important
statement or fact practice pausing just before.
To generate a sense of excitement
increase the speed and pace of your delivery - when we get excited or we are
conveying important information both volume and pitch tend to rise.
To ensure your message is heard and
you sound authoritative try slowing your pace a little.
6. They can explain it an 8 year old
Great speakers keep it simple. They
don’t get carried away by grandiose vocabulary, acronyms and technical jargon
they use every day language that even your average 8 year old can understand.
This means using short sentences and keeping the message focused,
relevant and get to the point.
Your audience already knows that you
are on the platform because you are an expert in your field so resist the
natural urge most speaker have to prove this by drowning them with data and
information. Stay focused on your key message and what it is you really want
them to remember.
When faced with complexity people’s
brains tend to switch off so don’t make them work too hard to understand what
it is you are trying to tell them.
When it comes to presenting, less is
always more.
7. They keep it real
Don’t try to emulate Barack Obama,
Martin Luther King or the late Steve Jobs. Your audience want to see you
and no one else. Avoid tricks and gimmicks and just keep it real. Be
open, honest and be prepared to be vulnerable and let them see the very best of
you.
Keeping it real means not having
delusions of grandeur just because you have the attention of an audience.
It means retaining your sense of humour and also telling your audience
relevant stories about personal experiences which they will be able to relate
to. The great speakers don’t present ‘to’ an audience they have a
conversation ‘with’ them. It feels as real to them as though they were
sitting in their very own living room.
8. They know when to keep quiet
I’ve touched on the power of the
pause in point 5 but it’s so important it’s worthy of its own place.
Here is why the great speakers pause
in the way they do:
It gives the audience time to think
for a moment
It gives the speaker time to reflect
It puts the speaker in control and
adds gravitas to their style
Every audience loves a thoughtful
speaker and they can see you thinking
9. They
give life to PowerPoint
I know what you’re thinking!
Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill
and Martin Luther King didn’t need PowerPoint or any visual aids for that
matter so surely a great speaker doesn’t need them.
That’s true, a great speaker doesn’t
need slides but a wise one may still consider using them.
PowerPoint and other software, when
used effectively can have a massive visual impact on your presentation helping
your audience to not only better understand but remember your message. The
great speaker will use stunning, relevant and powerful pictures, colour,
contrast and creativity to stimulate and engage their audience.
Each visual will be very carefully
considered and crafted and will carry very few words.
They will never read their slides.
Don’t be put off by what you read
about PowerPoint. If you think it will add value to getting your message
across then your job is to breathe life into it.
10. They make a difference
That’s it.
The only reason any speaker should
have the attention of an audience is if they have something of value to say
that will make a tangible difference to the personal or professional lives of
their audience.
Throughout history all great
speakers have known this and that’s why they become known for it. Not only do
they know how to deliver a message through using some of the ideas presented in
this article but their objective is to make a difference and when they do they
are remembered for it.
11. They are emotionally intelligent
The great speakers are emotionally
self-aware and also aware of their audience’s emotions. For a speaker to
make a genuine connection with their audience they have to be able to create
the right atmosphere. This means they have to know their own personal
strengths and limitations to be able to manage and adapt them accordingly.
They also need to be able to
determine the mood of their audience and respond as appropriate. They have a
level awareness that allows them to adopt and develop the behaviours they need
to connect with their audience and eliminate those that detract from their
objective.
The great speakers are empathetic
which means they prepare and present their message from the perspective of
their audience rather than where your typical presenter starts, ‘What do I want
to say?’
12. They don’t say thank you for listening
So you’ve opened your presentation
with impact, totally connected and engaged with them for the last 30 minutes
and then you close by saying, ‘Thank you for listening’.
Really?
You may as well just jump off a
cliff without a parachute as you’ve killed the last 30 minutes.
Great presenters end their
presentations as powerfully as they started. They don’t put up a final
slide that say, ‘Questions’ or even one that say ‘Thank you’ here is how they
close:
With a strong call to action
A powerful quote, fact, story or
statement
A thought provoking question
A return to their opening
A challenge or request
You don’t have to try to be Ghandi,
Churchill, Lincoln or Jobs but you can learn from the very best and find what
works for you to help you be the finest speaker you can be.
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