8 Speechwriting Lessons You Can Learn from Songwriters

8 Speechwriting Lessons You Can Learn from Songwriters

Nov 24, 2022 | Public Speaking

You can use the advice of songwriters to make your speeches sing. You can practically get your audiences to tap their feet, nod their heads, and even hum along to your message by using these eight songwriting approaches.

Triad from Cadence Harmony Rhythm Rhyme Echo Sound Effects #1

Have you ever attempted to waltz to music? (Or at least watched famous people attempt on ABC’s popular competition Dancing with the Stars?) One, two, three… one, two, three was the count performed for you. Your clumsy steps soon became more fluid. You were in the lead. You were in rhythm. Flow was with you.

The three-beat pattern energized you. The three-beat pattern inspired you. And the three-beat pattern made you feel energized. The three-beat pattern is engrained in our daily speech, flowing rhythmically into other people’s ears:

  • Wine, songs, and women
  • Baker, candle maker, and butcher
  • Imposing, dark, and appealing
  • Completely and utterly
  • Jump and skip to my beat
  • Request, Obtain, and Steal
  • Delivered, sealed, and signed
  • Liberty, happiness, and the pursuit of life.

Pro Tip

Develop your theme.

A triad is a chord in music made up of three notes. A triad is a group of three words or three phrases that are used collectively to boost impact and memorability with a rhythmic 1-2-3 beat, to apply the same idea to speechwriting. Alliteration, where each of the three words starts with the same letter, can increase the effect.

Think about these instances:

  • Effective presenters convey concepts with force, intelligence, and vigor. With bravery, conviction, and confidence, they captivate the audience.
  • Effective presenters present their viewpoint with conviction, acuity, and persuasion. They stitch their ideas together using the threads of creativity, ingenuity, and imagination.
  • Audiences are enriched, educated, and entertained by effective speakers. They pursue credibility, competence, and compatibility.
  • How to Use the Rule of Three in Your Speeches has more information on this strategy.

#2: Conclusion

A refrain in music is a line or stanza that is repeated repeatedly. In speechwriting, too. 

A refrain is a brief sentence that is repeated throughout (at least) three other sentences. Repetition is less smart for the message and less memorable for the audience than this brief repetitive sentence.

Take this example, which was delivered at the 2004 Republican Convention by the then-First Lady Laura Bush, to consider the messaging strategy and memorability:

Although Abraham Lincoln did not want to go to war, he understood it was necessary to keep the country together. Although Franklin Roosevelt did not want to go to war, he understood that it was necessary to end tyranny. And although my husband did not want to go to war, he was aware that it was necessary for the safety and security of both America and the rest of the globe.

“What we say is important… for in most cases the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Jim Beggs

The refrain can also be developed using just two words, as Arnold Schwarzenegger did at the 2004 Republican Convention:

  • It is America again.
  • Returning from the invasion of our country.
  • Returning from the economic attack.
  • From the assault on our way of life, back.

Finally, think about former President Ronald Reagan’s 1984 D-Day speech:

The troops of Normandy believed that what they were doing was right, that they were fighting for all of humanity, and that a just God would show them mercy on this beachhead or the one after it.

Third: Cadence

A cadence is a repeated phrase that starts at least six sentences in a row. The words are hammered into the ear by the increased repetition, which increases the rhythmic impact and memorability.

Action Item

Ensure to ask yourself questions about the title/hook.

Think about the following line from Martin Luther King Jr.’s well-known “I Have a Dream” speech:

  • So let freedom resound from New Hampshire's magnificent hilltops.
  • Let freedom resound from New York's towering heights.
  • Let the Pennsylvanian Alleghenies, which are growing higher, ring with freedom.
  • Let the Colorado Rockies, which are covered in snow, ring with freedom.
  • Let freedom resound from California's sweeping mountains. that, though.
  • Let the bell of liberty ring from Georgia's Stone Mountain.
  • From Tennessee's Lookout Mountain, let freedom ring.
  • Let Mississippi's freedom bells resound from every mountain and molehill.
  • Freedom should resound from every mountaintop.

Feel the struggle in Winston Churchill’s June 1940 speech to the British Parliament:

  • On the seas and the oceans, we will battle.
  • We will fight with increasing assurance and vigor in the air.
  • We will fight to protect our country at all costs.
  • We are going to battle on the beaches.
  • We will battle in the streets and the farms.
  • We will battle in the hills. Never will we give up!

In August 1964, after accepting a nomination for president of the United States, Lyndon Johnson spoke in this cadence:

  • Most Americans support providing older people with medical care. And I concur.
  • Most Americans support steady and fair prices for our farmers. And I concur.
  • Most Americans want everyone to live in a decent house in a decent area. And I concur.
  • Most Americans favor giving every child the best education possible. And I concur.
  • Most Americans favor providing employment for all men who desire it. And I concur.
  • Most Americans favor winning the fight against poverty. And I concur.
  • Most Americans want to continue prospering, growing, and expanding. And I concur.

#4: Coherence

Harmony in music is a harmonious combination of sounds that is visually appealing. A harmonizing sentence structure can be used in speeches to balance the beginning and the finish of a run of (at least) three sentences.

Put your words on a teeter-totter and remember that any weight you place on one side must be counterbalanced by weight on the other. Parallel structure is the more official name for this method.

Shakespeare employed the following teeter-totter, harmonic approach in Shylock’s words in Act III, Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice:

  • We bleed if you pierce us, right?
  • Do we not laugh when you make us laugh?
  • Do we not perish if you poison us?
  • If you mistreat us, should we not seek retribution?

Here is another illustration of harmony taken from 2006 Super Bowl champion Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts.

  • Talent comes from God. Be useful.
  • Praise is a gift from man. Give thanks.
  • Conceit comes from inside. Be careful.

Finally, here is another illustration of harmony from one of my own presentations about setting deadlines.

  • Inmates serve it. Time.
  • Musicians note it. Time
  • Also, historians document it. Time

#5: Tempo

Depending on your intended message, you can alter the tempo of your speech much like a songwriter alters the tempo of a song from a smooth four beats per measure (waltz) to a brassy eight beats per measure or more (jazz). To create a recurrent beat that resonates with your audience, use at least five verbs in a repetitive sentence pattern.

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.”
Dianna Booher

Look at the verb-driven, rhythmic speechwriting samples below. First, let us look at another instance of Shakespeare’s Shylock from Act III, Scene I of The Merchant of Venice:

A Jew is just as likely to be fed with the same things, injured with the same things, afflicted with the same diseases, treated with the same things, and warmed and cooled by the same summers and winters as a Christian is.

On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy employed this rhythmic device in his inaugural speech:

To ensure the continuation and triumph of liberty, we are prepared to pay any price, carry any weight, endure any adversity, stand with any ally, and confront any adversary.

Finally, remember what the Rev. Billy Graham said:

Humor assists us in ignoring the inappropriate, comprehending the unusual, tolerating the uncomfortable, overcoming the unexpected, and enduring the intolerable.

#6: Rhyme

Every cheerleader, poet, and singer are aware that rhyme is a tested technique for developing rhythm.

Look at the poetry “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley’s opening lines:

  • From pole to pole, the Night that surrounds me is as dark as a hole.
  • I give thanks to whatever gods there may be for my invincible soul.

To create a rhythmic flow that pushes greater emphasis and significance to the desired message, effective speechwriters use rhyme in a specific order.

Look at this 13-sentence rhyming example:

  • Architects cannot renovate it.
  • It cannot be incorporated by businesses.
  • It cannot be taught in churches.
  • Developers cannot innovate it.
  • It is not calculable by engineers.
  • It cannot be regulated by legislation.
  • Judges are unable to decide it.
  • Attorneys cannot litigate it.
  • Manufacturers are unable to produce it.
  • Politicians are not permitted to use it.
  • Scientists are unable to define it.
  • Technicians cannot generate it.
  • It can only be planned by you.

The following is an example of how rhyme can help you create movement, meaning, and memorability: 

  • The legal division is concerned with liability.
  • Visibility is a priority for the financial division.
  • The manufacturing division emphasizes capabilities.
  • The marketing division emphasizes accessibility.
  • The advertising division prioritizes visibility.
  • Additionally, the public relations division emphasizes credibility.

#7: Echo

You can use the crowd to your advantage to add additional rhythm to your speech and get them to repeat a crucial part of your message.

Take this illustration, used by the late Senator Ted Kennedy at the 1988 Democratic Convention to criticize Vice President George Bush for separating himself from then President Ronald Reagan’s decisions on contentious matters. Take note of how the audience response is sparked by the rhythmic sentence structure. Where Was George? is echoed by the audience after the third or fourth rendition.

The vice president claims he was not present, cannot remember, or was never informed of the administration’s covert plan to sell Iran guns. Therefore, it is reasonable to ask: Where was George when that enormous error was being made?

Pro Tip

Use technology and don’t get discouraged.

The vice president claims that the intelligence report on General Noriega’s role in the cocaine cartel was never shown to him, he cannot recall seeing it, or he does not understand it. So, it is reasonable to ask: Where was George during the preparation and discussion of that report?

The vice president says he cares about seniors, but it is clear he was either unaware of or absent when the administration repeatedly pushed to cut Social Security and Medicare. So, it is reasonable to ask: Where was George at the time those judgments were being made?

The vice president, who today speaks passionately about civil rights, was either not present or did not fully understand when the administration planned to restrict voting rights, provide tax incentives to segregated schools, and reject the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988. So, it is reasonable to ask: Where was George during all those assaults?

Eighth: Sound Effects

To convey more emotion and give inanimate objects alive, such as “squealing” tires, “groaning” gates, “whining” sirens, “whistling” trains, “gurgling” creeks, or “screaming” winds, use a term for the sound effect, such as “crash,” “boom,” or “crunch.”

The formal name for this technique is onomatopoeia, and it concentrates on words like “slap,” “slash,” and “growl” where the sound of the word implies the meaning. Search for verbs in your speech and try to replace at least one of them with an onomatopoeic phrase. Say “the carpenter’s hammer thumped out a steady rat-a-tat-tat” rather than “the carpenter pounded the nail.”

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10 Presentation Habits You Must Unlearn to Succeed Part 2

10 Presentation Habits You Must Unlearn to Succeed Part 2

Nov 22, 2022 | Public Speaking

These are habits you must break if you want to be a great presenter. Here is what you should know.

6. Faking Your Delivery

One thing you should know is that people see when you are faking something. That means that you will find that our audience will not respond well to things like jokes and stupidity. What that means as well is that you must be ready to ensure that you are able to not turn yourself into a clown.

If you are generally relatively quiet, you will have the opportunity to get the attention of many of your co-workers for the first time since they are not accustomed to hearing you talk. You want to always remain yourself when you are delivering a presentation.

Pro Tip

Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

How to Break This Bad Habit?

Audiences respond to real people, those that get up and act in front of a presentation are not going to be taken with the level of respect that is being sought. You should never rely on gimmicks to get the attention of your audience. You need to avoid faking and acting like you are not you.

One thing that is very helpful here is to write down 5 to 10 words that your family and your friends would describe to define your personality. You need to make sure that you are always embodying these characteristics when you are in front of an audience.

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.”
Dianna Booher

7. Creating Bullet Ridden and Ridiculous Slides

When you are creating a PowerPoint you must make sure that you have visual slides and that means that you do not want to have tons of text. There are many things that you need to think about and that means that you want to have images and not text. Using bullet points will just drive your audience crazy and the reason for that is because you need to be ready for the content that is being presented.

Action Item

Make Sure to Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

How to Break This Bad Habit?

If you have a lot to convey, you need to do it with graphics, images and more. You need to think about the principles of design when you are working on this and that means ensuring that you are ready to always have a plan in place. There is also a huge need to ensure that you have quality images and that you can share those instead of text. 

You also want to think about glance media, this is media that you would see on a billboard. You should be able to convey your idea in about 3 seconds. This happens because if you have an audience looking at it, you need to make sure that they are engaged. 

Without this it will be just another boring presentation that people forget. Make sure that you are seeking to create content that will meet everyone’s needs and think like a designer.

8. Don't Start with an Apology

Part of what you never want to do is to start off with an apology, the reason for this is that you will lose the attention and the respect of your audience right out of the gate. What that means as well is that you should never draw attention to your nervousness, and you want to make sure that you are confident in your words and your presentation.

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.”
Dale Carnegie

How to Break This Bad Habit?

You want to always start with a positive. This is a negative and you need to think about that for your audience. 

You never want to lose credibility here and that mean that you need to think about how you are going to be able to make a positive impression on the audience. Never spend your time apologizing to the audience.

9. Realize Good Speakers Do Say the Word “Um.”

There are some people who believe that a good speaker will never say um or in and this is not the case. There are many people who think that there must be perfectionism in every part of speech on a regular basis and this is just not the case. There are also many others who do not realize that it is irrational to expect such things and that it is important to make sure that you are focusing on the overall delivery and not nitpicking the sounds coming out of your mouth.

How to Break This Bad Habit?

The key to being able to really become a good speaker is all about focusing on the outcome and making sure that you are being your authentic self. That also means that you need to know that your delivery is yours and not flawless.

Pro Tip

Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

10. Never Wing It

Sometimes people think the solution to being nervous is just not to prepare. That will always result in your audience not being ready and not being happy with the outcomes that they are hearing. You need to be ready and always be thinking about the three elements that create a great presentation.

How to Break This Bad Habit?

It takes about 36 to 90 hours of time practicing pulling off a great presentation. You need to know that you cannot wing anything and do it well. You audience will expect you to have a great presentation. 

If you are unprepared, you will have no credibility with your audience or your colleagues. If you take this advice into consideration, you will become a great speaker. 

It is important to know what will work and what will not work for you. Great speakers do so naturally by combining their talent with their know-how and their voice to ensure that there is a great outcome for the audience.

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10 Presentation Habits You Must Unlearn to Succeed Part 1

10 Presentation Habits You Must Unlearn to Succeed Part 1

Nov 16, 2022 | Public Speaking

Many students come into the college classroom with bad skills that they have learned over the years of presenting. Businesspeople suffer from the same bad skills as when they were college students.

While you may know when a presentation is terrible, you may not know how to make your own great. Here is what you need to do to transform yourself into a great presenter.

1. Do Not Turn Off the Lights During Presentations

A large presentation is always scary in the beginning. People try to find a way to weave together all the material that you have learned in a way that is dynamic and engaging. However, at the last minute there is always a little nagging fear which leads others to want to turn off the lights. 

The answer is always to leave the lights on. The bad habit of turning the lights comes from when we are students and have watched our teachers lecturing with the lights off. Students generally feel more comfortable when the lights are off because people are looking at the presentation and not at them.

Pro Tip

Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience.

How to Get Rid of This Habit?

Turning the lights off is a habit you must get rid of. You should always be the focus when you are presenting. That means that if the audience is not able to see you, you are not going to be able to connect with them. 

You also are not going to be engaging with them. It is important to ensure that you are always able to engage with the audience. The slides are important for you as talking points; however, you should always be the one who has the attention as the speaker.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act. But a habit.”
Aristotle

2. Using a Leg of the Stool

Jim Endicott shared that there was a presentation stool, and this was composed of: the message, the delivery, and the visual presentation. Speakers have the habit to focus too much on the content often and they do not pay attention to the deliver. In addition to this, other speakers will take the time to create a great presentation, but they do not take the time to work on their delivery. 

There are also some folks who just think about the delivery, they then are not developing the best presentation that they can, they are relying on their speaking ability to carry them through the presentation. To be successful, you must have the whole stool in place so that you are really going to resonate with the audience. When there is one part that is too heavily focused on, the whole thing will fall apart.

Action Item

You must think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

How to Get Rid of This Habit?

Even if you are excellent at delivery you want to make sure that you are not relying on your personality to get you through a presentation, because people will feel it and think you are a mess. Even if you are the most informed person, you can think about on a particular subject, you need to ensure that you are able to write out your speech in bullet point format and know that you have all three legs of your speech to stand on.

3. Thinking That a Topic That is Informative Will Bore Your Audience

Informative Speeches can be difficult because many times people forget to really create engaging content. You never have to give a boring speech because something is informative. One method that I have used in the past is sharing excerpts from a Ted Talk and asking people to analyze the content by answering questions. 

It is important to make sure that you can layer any information that you are sharing with story. If you use storytelling you are going to create content that your audience can relate to and that will mean that the audience will remember it. The reason why people love Ted Talks and why they are so popular is that they weave in information and, they have a very large story telling component to them that will keep the audience plugged in.

“Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”
Mark Twain

How to Get Rid of This Habit?

The most important thing you can do when you are working with a topic that is informative is to ensure that you are keeping your audience plugged in. You need to always use storytelling, that means that you should keep people interested and those sticky points will help them to be able to process the information. You can also find ways to bring in participation and that will keep others plugged in to what you have to say.

4. Choosing Boring or Bad Topics

There are some topics that are just over done, and they are boring. When you are giving a presentation, you want to always focus on covering something that is new and not something that has been overdone. That means that you need to always bring something new to the conversation. 

You also need to look at creating content where you have an audience that is invested in the content that you are doing. Passion in the delivery can only happen when you like the topic. If there is a certain topic that has a very clear message it is important to ensure that you can deliver that message in a way that will inspire your audience.

How to Get Rid of This Habit?

Sometimes there is nothing that you can do about the topic you have to cover, you must find a way to make it work. The reason for that is if you have a topic that you cannot do anything with you are also going to set your audience up to be bored. You need to do what you can to make the topic work and that means adding in humor as well as finding a way to always use your storytelling. 

You need to also add in humor. One of the main reasons television shows like the Colbert Report and Last Week Tonight are so successful is they are using boring topics, but they are also finding ways to communicate with their audiences in a way that is meaningful.

Pro Tip

Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message.

5. Write and Read a Script to Deliver

When you are working on delivery, you want it to be natural. That means that you may need to write out a script. That script means that you are going to always engage with the audience, and you are not going to read your slides. 

The thing that you need to think about is that you will lose the audience right away if you are reading a script. Your audience will always feel cheated in that moment. It is critical that you instead take the time that you need and really make things from the heart. 

Plan on going through and putting your points on paper. Then after you do that go back and really engage to ensure that you are always coming across as sincere.

How to Get Rid of This Habit?

If you are reading from a script or creating a presentation that is forced or too advanced you are going to see a situation where the audience will feel cheated. You want to make sure you have an outline. However, you do not need to have a script. Take your time and work on the speech from the heart and always practice.

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6 Communication Barriers and How You Can Avoid Them

6 Communication Barriers and How You Can Avoid Them

Nov 9, 2022 | Public Speaking

Most people need to realize how much static they produce when they speak. Why do I use the term “static”? When what you say and how you say it conflict, static is produced. 

Consider the following scenario: You are conversing with someone who says, “I’m really happy to have this opportunity to collaborate with you,” in a dull, monotone voice. Their expressions are expressionless. While fumbling with a pen, they never give you the benefit of the doubt. You would doubt their knowledge and credibility and choose not to act on what they have to say.

The recommendations in this post will help you immediately improve your impact and influence by making you more conscious of the static you are producing for your listeners.

Lack of enthusiasm is the first communication barrier.

Do you genuinely think your product is superior to those of your rivals? Do you are as certain as you claim to be? If you do not convey your passion, enthusiasm, and commitment through your facial expressions, the benefits of your product will not be convincing.
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”
Peter Drucker

How to Get Past This Obstacle: Be Enthusiastic

Start observing the kind of expressions you make and when you make them. When you scowl, roll your eyes, or frown, you might not even be aware of it. 

Depending on your topic, audience, and purpose, make sure your facial expressions are acceptable. You create a disconnect between your facial expression and your message when you smile while conveying a serious or negative message. The same inconsistency occurs if you convey a positive message without using facial expressions.

As your awareness of facial expressions grows, work on the ability to incorporate them into your message by selecting the proper expression for each circumstance. When discussing your love for the goods your firm produces, you would not want to appear icy-cold.

Distracting gestures are a second communication barrier.

Most of the people I collaborate with fidget with their rings, pens, fingers, and so on. If they do not move about, they unintentionally speak with their hands. Every gesture they make is identical, and their elbows lock at their sides. Or they hold their hands still and do nothing since they have been instructed, they talk with their hands. 

Take note of your own and other people’s gestures throughout the day.

Pro Tip

Gather feedback from your people around messaging.

Do you gesture or use your hands excessively when you speak? Using gestures all the time prevents you from thinking quickly on your feet and results in static.

Do you make purposeful movements? Obtain helpful criticism from close friends, relatives, and coworkers: Do my gestures make it appear as though I am speaking with my hands? “Are my gestures excessive or insufficient?”

How to Get Around This Obstacle: Use Hand Motions to Emphasize

Confident speakers emphasize their points with gestures. Avoid locking your elbows at your sides or making the same gestures repeatedly when gesturing. Instead, extend your hand motions forth from your sides and use them to highlight and further describe your points.

The likelihood that your listeners will misunderstand your message increases the more material you include that is not necessary.

“When people talk listen completely. Most people never listen.”
Ernest Hemingway

How to Get Around It: Maintain Concentration

  • Put the brakes on and get back on course if you start to talk too much and feel like a locomotive about to crash. PAUSE!
  • Always keep your goal in mind. Consider what your audience needs to know rather than what you want to tell them for them to follow your instructions.
  • Think before you speak.
  • Your message should center on three key topics.
  • Pay attention to the person speaking. Are they attentive to your every word or do they seem confused? Are they focused or restless?

Action Item

Use technology and data to improve communication.

Benefits comprise:

  • They will retain more information and your message longer when your gestures help your audience visualize what you are saying.
  • Your listener will pay attention if you make gestures.
  • You can channel your adrenaline and tense energy through gestures, which give your voice more life and accent.

Lack of Focus: Communication Barrier #3

When you finish a gesture, let your arms fall back to your sides to add diversity.

Fourth Communication Barrier: Reliance on PowerPoint

  • "The likelihood that your audience will misunderstand your point increases the more detail you give that isn't necessary."
  • PowerPoint is not intended to be used as a note-taking tool. By using images and illustrations, visual aids aim to strengthen and support your message.

How to Get Around This Obstacle: Instead of wordy slides, create visual aids.

  • Your ability to maintain a connection with your listener will depend on how you create your visual aids.
  • PowerPoint slides with more images and fewer words should be created.
  • Why are you using this PowerPoint slide, you might ask.

Using the following criteria, decide which aspect of your PowerPoint slide best supports your message:

  • Needs and expectations of the listener.
  • Expertise and experience of the listener.
  • Objectives.
  • Time period.
  • Participants in the group.
  • Keep the specifics for handouts. Your audience will value a conversational approach that includes engagement and takeaways they can use as resources.
  • Abstain from using excessive software. Your visual aids are the message if you are clicking the mouse every few seconds, and you are the backup.
  • It is time for a change if you have been using the same PowerPoint layout for longer than six months!
  • Stop talking to your visual aids and losing the listener. Never speak until you can see eyes! Keep eye contact with your listener by pausing whenever you employ your visual aids.

Pro Tip

Develop consistency in communication effort.

5th Communication Roadblock: Speech Static

When you hear a speaker use, um, words that, you know, clog their language, what impression are you left with? Labels like knowledgeable, credible, and confident are not what spring to mind.

The capacity to substitute pauses for non-words is the most difficult obstacle people must get through to grow their influence, according to me as I traverse the nation. We use silence to give us time to consider our next words. Because of these terms, your listener will misunderstand your point.

Eliminate Filler Words to Overcome This Barrier Benefits for You:

  • Be quick to think.
  • Avoid meandering and get to the point.
  • Relax by taking a breath.
  • Keep the listener's interest.
  • Take command of your message.
  • Advantages for the listener
  • Listen, comprehend, and act.
  • Implement what you say.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
George Bernard Shaw

Sixth Communication Barrier: Inability to Make Eye Contact

Relationships can only be established via trust. You may glance up at the ceiling, down at the floor, at your PowerPoint slides, or anyplace else away from your listener when you are speechless. You will say “uh,” “um,” “so,” “and” etc. when you disconnect.

How to Get Around This Obstacle: Pay Attention to Your Audience

Connect with one person for a full sentence or thought when talking to more than two people. As you move your eyes from one person to the next, pause for a moment.

When practicing, request immediate feedback from your audience whenever you glance away while speaking.

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What to Do When Disaster Strikes and You Are Speaking

What to Do When Disaster Strikes and You Are Speaking

Nov 8, 2022 | Public Speaking

Imagine… Just now, I introduced you. 

You are about to give the speech of your life in a matter of seconds. It is a good hook to start with. Your conclusion is strong. Your writing is excellent. Your appearance is flawless. You are assured.

Then the electricity is lost.

Or juice gets spilled on you.

When the outside of the room starts to play loud music.

Or the CEO adjourns the area.

Or your important prop is gone.

Or the space is shaken by a slight earthquake.

Or a rip in your clothing.

Or your machine crashes.

Or (fill in the blank with your worst nightmare).

You can only do one thing, and you must only do one thing.

The One Thing You Must Do Continue.

What to Do When Disaster Strikes and You Are Speaking

Even if you might not want to, you absolutely must do it.

Whatever the distraction, you must maintain focus and move forward. The greatest thing you can do is give the speech as effectively as you can unless someone requires medical assistance. If necessary, improvise, but keep moving forward. 

Why?

Your audience initially empathizes with you. They have been in your position previously. They are aware that unfortunate events can occur at any time. However, being sympathetic does not give you permission to give up.

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
Henry Ford

Second, your listeners are still interested in your speech. For a reason, they came to hear you speak, and that reason has not changed because of a loud noise, a light outage, or a mismatched outfit. You are required to continue. 

Pro Tip

The greatest thing you can do is give the speech as effectively as you can unless someone requires medical assistance.

Third, if you continue, you will feel better. Disasters that happen to you are beyond your control, but you do have influence over how you react to them. Even if your speech is not perfect, you will still win on a moral level if you keep going. For public speakers, moral triumphs are crucial. They boost your self-assurance and your capacity to deal with the next emergency that arises. 

You might have to say sorry. If you do, that is OK, but it is not actually required. The apology keeps attention off you and on the catastrophe.

Action Item

Share some tips that you can do when disaster strikes and you are about to give the speech of your life.

This Actually Occurred.

I attended an occasion this week when calamity happened, which gave me the idea for this brief essay. 

The noise started as the event got going, but it came from the roof, not from next door! Sadly, they were unluckily fixing the portion of the roof that was just above the meeting space while they were working on the roof. The noises of intermittent drilling, as if a dentist were drilling into my teeth, could be heard for most of the conference.

Since two of the speakers were employed by the building, I suppose they were aware of the roof repairs. However, the third speaker was a visitor. I can only speculate as to what she was thinking just before she was presented.

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”
Lilly Walters

All three speakers persisted despite the appalling surroundings. The first two spoke humorously and positioned their punchlines either before or after the sporadic drilling. The hardest task fell to the third speaker (the guest). She was addressing a group of people she did not know with a somber, motivational message. She also gave a fantastic speech. After a tense first minute, she did not appear to be phased at all by the drilling’s irritation. We were distracted from the background noise as her speech went on by her stories. She connected, and as a result, we benefited. 

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