A521.8.3.RB - Cornerstones of Speaking

This post is going to be a good one, so pay attention.  Oftentimes it is the first impression that is the longest lasting.  This point is especially true of presentations. Presenters have just 60 to 90 seconds at the beginning of their speech to grab the attention of the audience before the audience decides if it is worth their energy to pay attention (Tull, 2017). Realistically, I think that presenters generally face an attention deficit before they ever say a word. I think that most people go into a presentation expecting it to be boring.  That has been my experience anyway.  Presenters must work quickly and effectively to turn the tide before they lose the audience completely.  Oftentimes presenters use a story to captivate their audience. It is a good technique and it works. However, there is something presenters can do to ensure they have the attention of their audience even before the story begins.

Kevin Hart is an actor, comedian, and television host.  He is well known for being a captivating storyteller. Even before he begins to tell a story he frequently does something very subtle to ensure the audience is giving him their undivided attention; he uses a hook with a barb.  Before telling the story Kevin says something like: “this is huge!” or “true story, true story!” (Charisma on Command, 2016). The audience knows something important is coming and they focus on what he is saying. There is a sense of anxious expectation.  The audience is on the edge of their seats, waiting for the big moment. Kevin’s technique sucks the audience in, and he is ready to tell his story.

Does it work?  Is it effective?  Did it work on you?  Go back to the first sentence of this post.  Did you feel drawn in? Did you feel anxious to continue reading to discover what the big deal was?  I think it will take some trial and error to find out what works, and when it works, but I am going to try to apply this technique as often as I can.  I think there are ways to give a story a preamble in nearly any situation. Even presenters in formal settings can find ways to get the attention of the audience before beginning a story.  I am currently working on a speech that I will be giving at church on December 23rd. It is probably not appropriate to begin my speech with “Pay attention, this is gonna be huge!” but there are other ways to draw in the congregation.  I am going to begin by saying something like: “When I was young I learned the true meaning of Christmas.” This primes the audience to know that a story is coming. They are subtly told to pay attention, something important is coming. They are ready to listen.

In addition to a powerful opening that draws the audience in and grabs their attention, there are techniques that speakers can use to keep people’s attention.  When I speak in public I try to make my presentation feel like I am having a one-on-one conversation with each member of the audience. To accomplish this the presentation cannot feel overly scripted.  I try to use notes as little as possible so that each member of the audience feels like I am speaking exclusively with them, and that my message is just for them. I want it to feel like my advice or comments are custom tailored, just for their situation.  Relying heavily on notes or even worse, reading the presentation, does not allow that personalized feel to come through; it feels pre packaged and canned.

Treasure (2016) suggested that speakers can connect better with the audience if they are honest, authentic, demonstrate integrity, and care.  Additionally, a speaker can vary the pace, pitch, and volume of their speaking to embed more interest and emotion into their words. I believe that is something that I could improve on.  I would not say that I speak in monotone, but I think that my pace and pitch are restricted to a fairly limited range. Treasure (2016) also offered 7 Deadly Sins of public speaking. Presenters should completely avoid gossip, judging, negativity, complaining, excuses, exaggeration, and dogmatism in their presentations; they tend to shut down an audience and produce a disconnect between speaker and hearer.

References

Charisma on Command. (2016, February 22). Kevin Hart’s 3 secrets to hilarious storytelling [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/vn_L4OPU_rg

Treasure, J. (2016, May 18). How to speak so that people want to listen [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/dEkEAFaV818

Tull, M. (2017). Engage and captivate your audience with these 7 simple speaking strategies. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-tull/engage-and-captivate-your_b_10128094.h

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