GURUYOU PRESENTS

Greatalk!
Jeff Vankooten

Greatalk!

Copyright, Mazeway This book is copyrighted material. All rights reserved. It is against the law to make copies of this material without getting specic permission in advance from Mazeway. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America
i

Jeff Vankooten

I rely on Jeff to evaluate my speech organization and effectiveness. The time spent with Jeff is always invaluable. His concise feedback invariably improves my speech organization, speech effectiveness--and even my speech 'condence'.

-Rainey Wikstrom

Jeff Vankooten is a professional speaker, content creator, and consultant. Through his company Guruyou, Jeff inspires midlife professionals to make money and difference sharing what they know with the world. Jeff graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology; a Bachelors of Arts in Communications; and a Masters Degree in Theology from Denver Seminary where he was chosen as one of the top ve speakers in his class. He lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife, three kids, and very big dog.

Jeff Vankooten.com jeff@jeffvankooten.com

ii

Introduction

Things that make you go ...umm...

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but checks when you say the paint is wet? ...umm... Why doesnt glue stick to the bottle? ...umm... Statistics say that four out of ve people suffer from diarrhea. Does that mean one out of ve actually enjoys it? ...umm... Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized? ...umm... Why is the bar high on a boys bicycle and low on a girls? ...umm... Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune? ...umm... Why did you just try singing the two songs above? ...umm... If corn oil comes from corn and olive oil from olives, where does baby oil come from? ...umm... Why is bra singular and panties plural? ...umm... Why did I even include that one? ...umm...

iv

There are many imponderables in life that if you really thought about them would make you scratch your head and go umm... Unfortunately, one of the most prevalent imponderables is a presentation. How many times have you heard a speaker give a talk that left you scratching your head going umm...? Sure, the supporting slides and illustrations were impressive, the speaker was charismatic and made the audience laugh, he or she might have had a gifted tonal quality to the voice, soothing to listen to, but in pondering what the speech was about, you had NO CLUE ...umm... In fact, 75 percent of audience members when asked immediately after hearing a speaker were unable to succinctly summarize what the talk was about. More astonishing is the fact that only 50 percent of speakers could articulate precisely what their talk was about. If they could answer you, it might be just to get it over with. No wonder effective communication is so rare these days! The National Center on Education discovered that executives of 610 corporations with 500 or more employees stated that oral and written skills were the number one deciencies in their organizations. They also discovered that most managers were unable to clearly organize material and communicate it cogently themselves.

As the pressure grows for companies and organizations to do more with less, they will increasingly rely on oral communication. Why? Because a one hour talk delivers nearly 40 pages of hardcopy. Even a shorter presentation can reach more people quickly and persuade them 65 percent more effectively (Write Now surveys) There is a desperate need for clear communication. Our day and age demands that we be clearly heard through the ether of our information environment. There is so much information out there that we have become immune to it all. Weve become narcotized; not sure what to pay attention to. Getting Through Its easy to get all kinds of information these days. The megabytes are swirling around our heads all day long. Its a whole lot tougher putting that information together and communicating it in ways that get through. The United States has far and away the most public speakers on the planet. From circuit riders and evangelists, to presidential debates and improvisational comedy, we have been a nation of oral communicators. Given the amount and proliferation of speakers and their messages today, its amazing how many people arent very good at it. The following pieces of advice are distillations of what Ive learned over the years that make for great speakers and prev

senters - dynamic communicators. Good public speaking skills could be the difference between getting a client or losing them to your competitor. It can make or break a political campaign. For a teacher it can create students who will either be passionate or indifferent to a subject. It depends on you. My desire is to go beyond mere advice. It is my hope that you will become the sort of speaker that heeds them to your advantage and transcends them. My desire is that you reach and galvanize an audience with a message that will truly get through. So, for those of you about to speak, I salute you!

You too have spoken in public many times in your life. You gave a school report in front of class. You asked a person out on a date. You tried to win an argument. All those are examples of speech uttered in the presence of others. Whether you like it or not, you are a public speaker. Get used to it and strive for excellence. One of my high school teachers told me that whenever I had a microphone in my hand I came alive. I have agreed with him ever since. Im happiest when Im speaking in front of an audience. In fact, I would rather speak to two thousand people than to twenty. Part of knowing what gifts you possess is how energized you are when you express them. If something drains you when doing it, it probably isnt a gift. There are many who speak who dont have the gift. That doesnt mean they cant improve their speaking in public, but they are drained each time they do so. My hunch is that since you are reading this little tome on speaking, that you have the gift of gab. It invigorates you. Even if you think you dont have the gift, you will become

The Value of most information has collapsed to zero. The only scarce resource is attention.

For as long as I remember Ive been a public speaker. From the rst wails of a request in the open arena of my parents world, to the twenty- ve hundred electrical union workers at Ballys in Las Vegas, I have attempted to communicate effectively in public.

more energized in those moments of speaking by heeding these pieces of advice. I also have a hunch theres an idea brewing deep down in the core of your soul that desperately wants to get out. In fact, you can hardly do anything else but talk about it. Great speakers, after all, speak.
vi

Eddy Merckx, winner of four Tour de France races and one of the best bicyclists in the history of the sport was asked how he became such a good rider. His simple reply was,

The rst essential for any public speaker is integrity. An alignment of words and actions is essential. The tips, principles, and advice for the public speaker are only secondary matters. The sharp mind and warm heart are essential. Unless someone is living fully out of the overow of who they are, everything else will be like a glove with no hand-outward form but no internal substance. Many products are designed to imitate the real thing. There is plastic decking that looks like real wood. Vinyl ooring that appears to be ceramic tile. You can purchase fake fur, diamonds, breasts and other body parts. The purpose behind all of these is pretty obvious, but what about a can of Spray on Mud? The actual product of Spray on Mud is designed for use on the outside of your SUV. That way it appears you use your expensive vehicle for more than taking kids to soccer practice. Spray it on and friends might think youve just returned from a wilderness adventure. Inauthentic speakers, those who express mostly imitations of who they are, are like spray on mud. Looks real on the outside but is less than real on the inside. The Greek root for hypocrite means one who wears a mask. We need to take off our masks - wash off the mud. What gets across most is who we are rather than what we say.

Ride lots
Great speakers speak lots. They take advantage of every opportunity to speak no matter how small the venue. In fact, great speakers stretch themselves by speaking in front of audiences they are uncomfortable with. For instance, you may not feel so adept at communicating to elementary school children, but I can guarantee you that when you do, you have just increased your effectiveness with an adult audience. When you stretch yourself, you never bounce back the same shape again. Wash off the mud Public speaking is an articulated expression of the heart of a person. Thus, who you are makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of your presentation. A shallow person will give a shallow speech, while a deep person will give a deep speech the kind of speech that people yearn to listen to and be transformed by. So self development is key to any discussion of advice on public speaking. The outer self must give expression to the inner.

vii

We are all presenters of our ideas, passion and image in front of a watching and listening world. Our whole hearts need to be in it. The public speaking event is one that takes place face to face. It remains vital and relevant. It is a highly relational event. The interaction between speaker and audience is special and unique. Its personal. Its intimate. The bond that is created cannot be achieved any other way. It will become ever more critical in this day and age. Help me out, please Im tired of all the noise clamoring for my attention with halfbaked ideas communicated with half-assed preparation and delivery. So many speakers out there think that if they say enough stuff and throw it all out there, something is bound to stick. If they put up enough shiny, happy powerpoint slides with cheesy graphics and distracting, moving objects that we as an audience will somehow get it. No way my friend. Im also saddened by speakers who have a message clamoring to get out, but they cant articulate it clearly or dynamically. I want that to cease. Their ideas deserve the best communication possible. What you have to say matters to the world and I for one want to hear it. You have something to say that only you can say.

No one else can deliver what you have to deliver. No one else can say what you have to say. In a nutshell, no one can do you, and do it for real. The world needs your unique contribution and authenticity. The world needs who you are. The world needs to hear what you have to say. Please help me by communicating it with excellence.

viii

Chapter 1

Pep with Prep

The trouble with many speakers is they go before an audience ill prepared and their minds a blank. Since nature abhors a vacuum the space is lled with all kinds of thoughts unrelated to the audience: Hows my hair? I hope I can pull this off! What am I doing up here anyway? I hope they like me. Get out of the Doldrums With so much on the line in public speaking its amazing how little attention we pay to our preparation. Its not that we dont realize its critical importance to the speech, its just that there never seems to be enough time to truly prepare as we would like or not quite sure how to do it. So we rush through this important piece of advice. If we do give ourselves enough time, we arent sure what to do with it. So we wallow through our preparation. We enter what is known as the doldrums. The doldrums are pockets in oceans where winds can be completely absent, notoriously trapping ships for days or weeks without enough wind to power their sails. To be in the doldrums of preparation means being in a place that is listless, stagnant, inactive, and in a slump. There is no pep. Take a look at a common way you might prepare for a speech. You sit at your desk with great anticipation ready to prepare a talk that will really leave the audience spell bound. A blank

sheet of paper or an electronic word processor is in front of you ladened with such potentiality that it is dripping with possibilities. You can imagine the accolades now. Maybe a standing ovation is in order. Then thirty minutes goes by with nothing to show for it, the doldrums have set in, and the panic begins to quickly creep in. You know what Im talking about- the blank mind and uninspired thoughts. What in the world are you going to talk about? And if you did have something to say, how in the world are you going to communicate it? So to lessen the stress of the moment you get up and go into the kitchen and dig into a handful of chocolate chips. Anything to mimic movement. Then you need something salty to wash them down so you open the bag of potato chips and begin to chow down. You know you desperately need to get back to your preparation and it bugs you. Its time for a Coke. You know you are cheating yourself but what are you going to do? Do you lift somebody elses talk and retrot it for your own? Uh uh, cant do that. Youre a speaker of integrity. Eventually you head back to your desk and get back to preparing your talk. Still, nothing. Doldrums. You might begin to aimlessly surf the internet in hopes that something substantive will materialize there. You begin to check your email every time the chime re10

minds you a new message has arrived. Every time you do that you interrupt the task at hand. Studies say it will take twenty ve minutes before you even get back to it. Its a waste of time. You soon realize all the other tasks that are crying out for your attention. And they get it. Soon, time has slipped away with very little to show for it. The problem of resistance What you are up against, quite simply, is resistance. It wreaks havoc on your preparation. It is internal and self perpetuated. It keeps us from moving ahead. Resistance gives impetus to the doldrums. Resistance has a knack of taking the wind out of our sails and keeping us in our place. The more you wafe in engaging the task at the hand, the more pronounced the doldrums become. Resistance often arises from fear - fear of performing poorly, fear of being judged and critiqued, fear of not getting it right, fear of actually succeeding (why is that?). Resistance becomes an entity that takes on a life of its own. It can become a virus that zaps your energy. It is responsible for many of the dysfunctions of preparation: A weakened motivation Inhibited creativity Discarded projects, and Diminished focus

The power of conation The antidote to resistance is conation. Conation is an obscure word in the English language, but its denition is powerful in confronting resistance. Conation is the mental faculty of purpose, desire, or will to perform an action. In other words, it is the purposeful movement in a desired direction. Conation is action and speed of execution. You just need to get started. Conation prevents wafing. General George S. Patton said that even bad plans pursued violently can make a difference. No plan is perfect when it is rst conceived. In fact, the talk you put on paper is probably not the talk that develops. You just start with the talk you have and doggedly pursue it as you make adjustments along the way. The key is to engage. Conation is not a quick x but a signicant part of anything that is worth doing. It deals with being and doing. The deeper the being the more signicant the doing. We face two particular conative questions daily: what are my intentions and goals? (Being) and what am I going to do about them? (Doing) How we answer those questions will make all the difference in the world. Every talk you give, every message that comes from your gut, through your heart and out of your mouth de11

serves the best that conation has to offer. Conation in preparation means you take seriously the deep purpose of your task and give it intended direction. So, as you are preparing, add pep to the process by conating all over the place. Conate constantly in your prep time. Conation ought to be oozing from your pores. Here is how to conate in your preparation and give it some pep. Get away and get ahead. Lets face it, every good presentation needs ample prep time to be created and allowed to ferment. Go someplace where you are very comfortable, where you will not be disturbed, and shut off all technological contact to the outside world. Dont allow your cell phone, text messaging, facebook, twitter, or any other type of social media take precedence during this time. If music or coffee helps you to concentrate, then go for it. The key is not to be interrupted and to stay as focused as possible for at least an hour. Then begin to answer the key conative questions: What are my intentions and goals?: This gets down to the purpose of your talk. What is its reason for being? Answering this question gives your message meaningful heft and increases your motivation for telling it. The Gettysburg address was written and delivered by Abraham Lin-

coln and is one of the best-speeches in United States history. It was secondary to other speeches that day but is the one that is remembered. Given at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania it was a well crafted speech with a deep purpose behind it. In just over two minutes and 272 words (!) he invoked the principles of human equality and redened the Civil War as one that would unify the fragmented country and bring true equality for all people. Abraham Lincolns purpose was nothing less than a unied country. You can hope people get your message but unless you intend it to be so, it isnt gonna happen. So, what is the reason you are really up in front speaking to people? What are your intending to do? You should be able to sum up your intentions for your talk with one motivational word. For instance: Inspiration Encouragement Transformation Equality Disruption
12

 Unication Establishing these intentions requires careful planning. After all, they become the foundation upon which your content, organization, and visual aids are built. What am I going to say about my intentions? After reecting on the real reason you are giving the talk and determining your stated intentions for it, ask yourself what it is you are going to say about them. Answering this question gets to the overarching subject of your talk. Deciding on the subject you are going to talk about seems like standard procedure, right? But youd be surprise how many people arent sure what theyre going to talk about - subject matter is so broad and expansive. This is because they havent boiled their subject matter down to a manageable amount of information. Ask yourself what it is you want to talk about by framing it. The right frame adds beauty to any painting and brings the proper focus to the work of art. The same is true for the art of crafting a speech. For instance, lets say you want to talk about the subject of cockroaches. Many speakers stop right there. They think they got the subject (whew) and all they have to do is talk about it from there. Yet there is no frame, no way of highlighting the subject at hand. Cockroaches is very broad subject.

So you need to narrow it down more specically. How about framing the talk around how to get rid of cockroaches. Or you may want to talk about the nutritional value of eating cockroaches (tastes like chicken). Now you got something that can be worked with. Yum! Its also the beginning step in fully clarifying your message (that piece of advice to follow). Brainstorm Once youve answered the two conative questions, you now begin to brainstorm. This is fun, because its meant to be nonjudgmental and give expression to your creativity. You mustnt analyze this process. It is what it is and the end result is what was suppose to happen. Leave it at that. Brainstorming can unlock what you want to say. This is a technique where you cognitively dump everything that is on your mind regarding your talk and its subject manner. Quantity counts more than quality at this stage. Take a blank piece of paper and some colored markers and begin to go. Fire up the digital recorder and begin to spew all the ideas into it. Dont judge what comes out of your brain but rather keep going. It is what it is and the act of doing it is what matters. You can organize your thoughts later in the clarication piece of advice. Have fun. Doodle. Write down thoughts about your audience. Sing. Dream about the response to your talk. Investigate all sources on your subject. One of the best pieces of advice I
13

ever got from a mentor of mine was this: read what no one else reading. Then you sound fresh and innovative about the topic at hand. Brainstorming is a function of right brain operation. The left brain is analytical, the right brain is creative. An effective way to access the right brain is through the technique of mindmapping. What this does is take a standard, run of the mill outline and translates it into pictures and a ow that are the preferred mode for the right brain. Google it and try it. Organize your thoughts After you have brainstormed, you need to focus. You need to scoop all of your ideas into a type of mental receptacle - a place that begins to ferment the ideas and gives them direction and shape. Allow them into your heart. Silence your thoughts and focus only on what you have come up with. Is there a pattern that emerges? Is there something of substance to talk about? Are there any illustrations that could be used? This is all about mindfulness. Mindfulness is being fully present with the process by attentive engagement with the subject at hand. Avoid bunny trails. Avoid the superuous thoughts. Get off that trail quickly and onto the avenues that will bring you closer to what you are going to say. Choose what type of talk you will give

There are only two types of talks you will ever give. That should give you some solace. It will be either one or the other - informative or persuasive. Thats it. Whether you knew it or not every talk youve ever given was one or the other. Every talk youve ever heard was one or the other. You will either be informing and instructing or persuading and motivating. These are your objectives. So what will it be? Think about the speaking assignment and context of your talk. What category of speech does it fall into, Informative or Persuasive? Plan for Success and Expect it We can often and easily imagine what can go wrong with our talk. Usually then it will. If your heart palpitates while thinking about the talk, your heart will palpitate on the stage. If in your mind you foresee audience boredom, then they probably will be. Ruts in the brain are hard to get out of. If you habitually foresee what can go wrong with the talk, the more pronounced the ruts become. But there are ways out of them and into the grooves that really matter.

You need to visualize your talk going off without a hitch. When visualizing, the rst thing you need to do is relax. This helps remove from the mind all the clutter and insecurities that

14

can arise. Identify any troubling situations or conditions that you can think of. Can you see yourself freezing in front of the audience like deer in the headlights? Stop that. Begin to imagine the talk going just as planned and you speaking at your very best. Become aware of the thought patterns that you default to when thinking about the situations or conditions of the speaking event. You need to challenge inaccurate thinking with the truth. You are a good speaker. If something does go wrong, it doesnt make you a failure. If nothing else, it can be tremendous learning opportunity. Change your thoughts and beliefs of failure. That will add pep to your prep. The trouble with many speakers is they go before an audience ill prepared and their minds a blank. Since nature abhors a vacuum the space is lled with all kinds of thoughts unrelated to the audience: Hows my hair? I hope I can pull this off! What am I doing up here anyway? I hope they like me. Get out of the Doldrums With so much on the line in public speaking its amazing how little attention we pay to our preparation. Its not that we dont realize its critical importance to the speech, its just that there never seems to be enough time to truly prepare as we would

like or not quite sure how to do it. So we rush through this important piece of advice. If we do give ourselves enough time, we arent sure what to do with it. So we wallow through our preparation. We enter what is known as the doldrums. The doldrums are pockets in oceans where winds can be completely absent, notoriously trapping ships for days or weeks without enough wind to power their sails. To be in the doldrums of preparation means being in a place that is listless, stagnant, inactive, and in a slump. There is no pep. Take a look at a common way you might prepare for a speech. You sit at your desk with great anticipation ready to prepare a talk that will really leave the audience spell bound. A blank sheet of paper or an electronic word processor is in front of you ladened with such potentiality that it is dripping with possibilities. You can imagine the accolades now. Maybe a standing ovation is in order. Then thirty minutes goes by with nothing to show for it, the doldrums have set in, and the panic begins to quickly creep in. You know what Im talking about- the blank mind and uninspired thoughts. What in the world are you going to talk about? And if you did have something to say, how in the world are you going to communicate it? So to lessen the stress of the moment you get up and go into the kitchen and dig into a
15

handful of chocolate chips. Anything to mimic movement. Then you need something salty to wash them down so you open the bag of potato chips and begin to chow down. You know you desperately need to get back to your preparation and it bugs you. Its time for a Coke. You know you are cheating yourself but what are you going to do? Do you lift somebody elses talk and retrot it for your own? Uh uh, cant do that. Youre a speaker of integrity. Eventually you head back to your desk and get back to preparing your talk. Still, nothing. Doldrums. You might begin to aimlessly surf the internet in hopes that something substantive will materialize there. You begin to check your email every time the chime reminds you a new message has arrived. Every time you do that you interrupt the task at hand. Studies say it will take twenty ve minutes before you even get back to it. Its a waste of time. You soon realize all the other tasks that are crying out for your attention. And they get it. Soon, time has slipped away with very little to show for it.

The problem of resistance What you are up against, quite simply, is resistance. It wreaks havoc on your preparation. It is internal and self perpetuated. It keeps us from moving ahead. Resistance gives impetus to the doldrums. Resistance has a knack of taking the wind out of our sails and keeping us in our place. The more you wafe in engaging the task at the hand, the more pronounced the doldrums become. Resistance often arises from fear - fear of performing poorly, fear of being judged and critiqued, fear of not getting it right, fear of actually succeeding (why is that?). Resistance becomes an entity that takes on a life of its own. It can become a virus that zaps your energy. It is responsible for many of the dysfunctions of preparation: A weakened motivation Inhibited creativity Discarded projects, and Diminished focus The power of conation The antidote to resistance is conation. Conation is an obscure word in the English language, but its denition is powerful in confronting resistance. Conation is the mental faculty of purpose, desire, or will to perform an action. In other words, it is the purposeful movement in a desired direction. Conation is
16

action and speed of execution. You just need to get started. Conation prevents wafing. General George S. Patton said that even bad plans pursued violently can make a difference. No plan is perfect when it is rst conceived. In fact, the talk you put on paper is probably not the talk that develops. You just start with the talk you have and doggedly pursue it as you make adjustments along the way. The key is to engage. Conation is not a quick x but a signicant part of anything that is worth doing. It deals with being and doing. The deeper the being the more signicant the doing. We face two particular conative questions daily: what are my intentions and goals? (Being) and what am I going to do about them? (Doing) How we answer those questions will make all the difference in the world. Every talk you give, every message that comes from your gut, through your heart and out of your mouth deserves the best that conation has to offer. Conation in preparation means you take seriously the deep purpose of your task and give it intended direction. So, as you are preparing, add pep to the process by conating all over the place. Conate constantly in your prep time. Cona-

tion ought to be oozing from your pores. Here is how to conate in your preparation and give it some pep. Get away and get ahead. Lets face it, every good presentation needs ample prep time to be created and allowed to ferment. Go someplace where you are very comfortable, where you will not be disturbed, and shut off all technological contact to the outside world. Dont allow your cell phone, text messaging, facebook, twitter, or any other type of social media take precedence during this time. If music or coffee helps you to concentrate, then go for it. The key is not to be interrupted and to stay as focused as possible for at least an hour. Then begin to answer the key conative questions: What are my intentions and goals?: This gets down to the purpose of your talk. What is its reason for being? Answering this question gives your message meaningful heft and increases your motivation for telling it. The Gettysburg address was written and delivered by Abraham Lincoln and is one of the best-speeches in United States history. It was secondary to other speeches that day but is the one that is remembered. Given at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania it was a well crafted speech with a
17

deep purpose behind it. In just over two minutes and 272 words (!) he invoked the principles of human equality and redened the Civil War as one that would unify the fragmented country and bring true equality for all people. Abraham Lincolns purpose was nothing less than a unied country. You can hope people get your message but unless you intend it to be so, it isnt gonna happen. So, what is the reason you are really up in front speaking to people? What are your intending to do? You should be able to sum up your intentions for your talk with one motivational word. For instance: Inspiration Encouragement Transformation Equality Disruption Unication Establishing these intentions requires careful planning. After all, they become the foundation upon which your content, organization, and visual aids are built.

What are you going to say about my intentions? After reecting on the real reason you are giving the talk and determining your stated intentions for it, ask yourself what it is you are going to say about them. Answering this question gets to the overarching subject of your talk. Deciding on the subject you are going to talk about seems like standard procedure, right? But youd be surprise how many people arent sure what theyre going to talk about - subject matter is so broad and expansive. This is because they havent boiled their subject matter down to a manageable amount of information. Ask yourself what it is you want to talk about by framing it. The right frame adds beauty to any painting and brings the proper focus to the work of art. The same is true for the art of crafting a speech. For instance, lets say you want to talk about the subject of cockroaches. Many speakers stop right there. They think they got the subject (whew) and all they have to do is talk about it from there. Yet there is no frame, no way of highlighting the subject at hand. Cockroaches is very broad subject. So you need to narrow it down more specically. How about framing the talk around how to get rid of cockroaches. Or you may want to talk about the nutritional value of eating cockroaches (tastes like chicken). Now you got something that can

18

be worked with. Yum! Its also the beginning step in fully clarifying your message (that piece of advice to follow). Brainstorm Once youve answered the two conative questions, you now begin to brainstorm. This is fun, because its meant to be nonjudgmental and give expression to your creativity. You mustnt analyze this process. It is what it is and the end result is what was suppose to happen. Leave it at that. Brainstorming can unlock what you want to say. This is a technique where you cognitively dump everything that is on your mind regarding your talk and its subject manner. Quantity counts more than quality at this stage. Take a blank piece of paper and some colored markers and begin to go. Fire up the digital recorder and begin to spew all the ideas into it. Dont judge what comes out of your brain but rather keep going. It is what it is and the act of doing it is what matters. You can organize your thoughts later in the clarication piece of advice. Have fun. Doodle. Write down thoughts about your audience. Sing. Dream about the response to your talk. Investigate all sources on your subject. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from a mentor of mine was this: read what no one else reading. Then you sound fresh and innovative about the topic at hand.

Brainstorming is a function of right brain operation. The left brain is analytical, the right brain is creative. An effective way to access the right brain is through the technique of mindmapping. What this does is take a standard, run of the mill outline and translates it into pictures and a ow that are the preferred mode for the right brain. Google it and try it. Organize your thoughts After you have brainstormed, you need to focus. You need to scoop all of your ideas into a type of mental receptacle - a place that begins to ferment the ideas and gives them direction and shape. Allow them into your heart. Silence your thoughts and focus only on what you have come up with. Is there a pattern that emerges? Is there something of substance to talk about? Are there any illustrations that could be used? This is all about mindfulness. Mindfulness is being fully present with the process by attentive engagement with the subject at hand. Avoid bunny trails. Avoid the superuous thoughts. Get off that trail quickly and onto the avenues that will bring you closer to what you are going to say. Choose what type of talk you will give There are only two types of talks you will ever give. That should give you some solace. It will be either one or the other - informative or persuasive. Thats it. Whether you knew it or not every talk youve ever given was one or the other. Every
19

talk youve ever heard was one or the other. You will either be informing and instructing or persuading and motivating. These are your objectives. So what will it be? Think about the speaking assignment and context of your talk. What category of speech does it fall into, Informative or Persuasive? Plan for Success and Expect it We can often and easily imagine what can go wrong with our talk. Usually then it will. If your heart palpitates while thinking about the talk, your heart will palpitate on the stage. If in your mind you foresee audience boredom, then they probably will be. Ruts in the brain are hard to get out of. If you habitually foresee what can go wrong with the talk, the more pronounced the ruts become. But there are ways out of them and into the grooves that really matter.

come aware of the thought patterns that you default to when thinking about the situations or conditions of the speaking event. You need to challenge inaccurate thinking with the truth. You are a good speaker. If something does go wrong, it doesnt make you a failure. If nothing else, it can be tremendous learning opportunity. Change your thoughts and beliefs of failure. That will add pep to your prep.

You need to visualize your talk going off without a hitch. When visualizing, the rst thing you need to do is relax. This helps remove from the mind all the clutter and insecurities that can arise. Identify any troubling situations or conditions that you can think of. Can you see yourself freezing in front of the audience like deer in the headlights? Stop that. Begin to imagine the talk going just as planned and you speaking at your very best. Be20

Chapter 2

Clarity is your Gaurantee

I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." You may have conated your way to a subject and reason for your talk but unless it is crystal clear, its not going to make much difference and will dissipate in the space between you and your audience. Check out the following statistics on our information day and age. They are astonishing, and my guess is they will only increase until every minute of every twenty four hours of the day are bloated with info (even while we sleep): According to a study by the University of California, San Diego our consumption of data in one day is 3.6 Zettabytes. How large is that anyway (it boggles the mind)? It is the amount of information if you tweeted every second of every day non-stop for a hundred years. The nature of being opaque I can remember taking my grandma to the eye doctor. She called me with the complaint that her right eye was cloudy and she was having a hard time seeing clearly through it. When we arrived there, the doctor tested her sight with a variety of contraptions to diagnose her condition. One test asked her to read the letters on a chart if front of her.

No matter how large the letters were she could not make them out through her cloudy eye. They were hazy and ill dened. Her vision was opaque and she couldnt see clearly at all. With out clarity, information is hard or impossible to understand and make sense of clearly. It becomes opaque. Being opaque creates a veil that is very difcult to see through. Being opaque clouds the picture of your communication intent. Being opaque prevents the light of your talk from shining through. Quite simply being opaque is being unclear. It also diminishes your authenticity because it is seen as being less than transparent and honest with your audience. Are you hiding something? What makes a talk opaque? First and foremost its being uncertain as to what you are talking about. In other words its a function of clarity. Unless you are intentional about being clear, certain as to what you are going to communicate, then you will be opaque. The most effective people erase opacity from their communication by intentionally being crystal clear. There was no mistaking the clarity of Martin Luther Kings I have a dream speech delivered at the Lincoln Memorial on the 28th of August 1963. Similar to Lincolns Gettysburg Address, Dr. King used a modicum of words and time (a little over seventeen minutes) to

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make a very clear point: Equality for all. Even the venue helped to clarify his message. No opacity at all. Clarity around your subject matter reduces its opaqueness and increases its value and its importance for you and your recipients. The benets of clarity Being crystal clear has benets that put you way ahead of the competition. Clarity captures attention: With all the information ying around these days, the only real resource for communicators today is attention. Clarity garners it. Clarity focuses attention on a single objective, the purpose of your talk. If you remember the James Bond movie, Goldnger James Bond is bound to a at table and a laser is pointed to burn between his legs reaching its nal destination of, well, you know...that part. Its one of the few times in the Bond series that I really saw him sweat. Why? Because a focused laser beam made it very clear to Bond what the intent was. It got his attention. Clarity brings much needed attention to your message. Clarity attracts afnity:

Clarity aligns people to your vision and mission. It creates and garners synergy. Every time you speak you want to create some sort of alignment with an idea or action and instill it in your audience. Clarity does that. Think of the movie Braveheart starring Mel Gibson. The movie focuses on William Wallace, the Scot warrior who, through guerilla warfare resists the tyranny of England. His ability to rouse the common people of Scotland to confront the professional military of the King of England was his ability to communicate a clear message that gathered followers. He inspired warriors to follow him because his mission was incredibly clear: Free Scotland, No Compromise- period. A clear precise mission does wonders in attracting allies to change the world (or at least your little corner of it). The Scots aligned to the clear mission went on to earned their freedom. Clarity inspires action: Without clarity, communication fails. Clarity inspires action in your audience because they know precisely what you are motivating them for or asking them to do. Youve heard the cliched movie directive of Lights, Camera, Action. That is the directors way of announcing that the actors are clear on their parts and their scenes. If they are not, he/she will go back to rehearsal and give directions until he/
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she feels they know exactly what they need to do and say. All of that leads up to the precise action of the scene.

highlights our fear of insects and bugs, and second place is our fear of heights. The number one fear of people today, surpassing death, is

Clarity reduces anxiety: Its visceral. You feel it in your bones. The quivering of the minute hairs on the back of your neck hearken its arrival. The supercial muscles embedded beneath your skin begin to quiver. The skin itself is affected, with sweat easily oozing from its pores. The rush of adrenaline courses through even the smallest capillaries, causing the heart to beat violently, palpitating its reaction against the ribs. Your breathing becomes frantic. Your mouth becomes dry and your senses crackle with every stimuli. You can't sleep. Or if you do, you're dreams are uneasy, disconcerting. You are on high alert and on watch. It shows in your performance. Fear has arrived... The Book of Lists accumulated and ranked an assortment of fascinating topics. One is a list of mankinds worst fear. Is death our greatest fear? No. Thats tied for sixth place alongside sickness. In fth place, above death is our fear of deep water. In fourth place is our fear of nancial problems. Third

speaking before people. Public speaking is so disconcerting that the comedian Jerry Seinfeld quipped that

most people would rather be in the casket than give the eulogy
Many of us are unsure of ourselves, our message, and our ability to speak in public. We are too self conscious. We are afraid that we are going to be found out on stage; that we really dont know what we are talking about and appear to be a fool. This is insecurity. Insecurity arises from a disconnect between our outer and inner selves. Fear arises from a lack of clarity in our message. Sweaty palms, dry mouth, and intestinal gas are the result. Fear often can and does render us ineffective, stealing our condence and emotional resources. We need to change that. We need to be communicators that know exactly what we are going to say and have the condence to say it with clarity and integrity. Clarity and Integrity are both antidotes to anxiety. The ability to be clear and compelling as well as honest and authentic will set you apart from the rest of the riff-raff clogging
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the airwaves, and believe me there are MANY out there. They are speaker wanna bes - theyre not real but they sure are earnest. The torpedo effect Submarine commanders use periscopes to hone in on a target on the surface of the water. The cross hairs calibrate the precise location the torpedo is going to hit. The same is true in creating an objective. You hone in on your targeted purpose with the torpedo of clarity. Calibrations take place that focus your attention precisely on the target you have in mind. The torpedo of public speaking is a one sentence objective. Author, Ron Hoff ("I Can See You Naked") reminds us that your presentation should be able to pass the David Belasco test while you're in the planning stages. David Belasco was a producer who insisted that the core idea for every successful play he produced could be written as a simple sentence on the back of a business card. Try it. Can you crystallize the essence of your content and write it on the back of a business card? Its essential. Its your torpedo. Clarity is your guarantee that your message will be heard and that your intent for the talk is precisely what is delivered. Being clear about what you want to say in one sentence is the bedrock of all other speech advice.

I have a conviction that no talk is ready for presenting, not ready for writing out, until we can express its theme in a short, pregnant sentence as clear as a crystal. I nd the getting of that sentence is the hardest, the most exacting, and the most fruitful labor in my study.
-J.H. Jowett

An objective sentence is critical. It tells you where you are going, keeps you from meandering, and captivates the attention of the audience. You can determine the objective of your talk by following the SCORRE process of preparation. Developed by Ken Davis and Dynamic Communicators International, SCORRE leads you through stages that force you to be clear as a speaker. The most important stage is to determine an objective. If you dont determine your objective an unconscious one, like I hope they like me will take over and your talk will be less than effective.

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The objective is a sentence that contains a proposition (what you are putting before your audience to consider or accept). One well known example of a proposition is the young man proposing to his girlfriend. Will you marry me? It is put before the young lady for her to consider, accept, or, heaven forbid, decline. There are only two kinds of propositions to choose from: Enabling or Persuasive. You are either going to inform and instruct your audience or you are going to persuade and motivate them. From the example above, the proposition is persuasive, you should marry me. The subsequent proposition from wedding planners to a bride to be is enabling, you can have a beautiful wedding Heres how we sketch out the two propositions from our examples. Persuasive: My girlfriend should marry me. Enabling: Every bride can have a beautiful wedding. Notice the word should (for persuasive) and can (for enabling). Each word makes the proposition what it is. Makes sense.

Each proposition conjures a question in the mind of the audience. If you dont answer it in your speech you are dead in the water and youre clarity is shot. If you go with a persuasive proposition that uses the word should, the obvious question in the mind of your hearers is why? Likewise if you go with an enabling proposition using the word can the logical question that is asked by your audience is how? It is essential you answer the question posed by each proposition. You audience is going to be asking it. From our examples it looks something like this: My girlfriend should marry me - Why? because of all the ways we are compatible Every bride can have a beautiful wedding - How? by hiring our services. From there you need to list the ways you are compatible or the services you provide brides to be. For much more detail on putting this all together as well as improving your skill set as a speaker plan to attend the SCORREconference.com . Its the best out there.
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Chapter 3

Move to Prove

Words and actions must align. This is more than just moving around on the stage. It is in service to a clear message. Gestures Gestures are the primary mode of body language that speakers utilize. They refer to all bodily movement except walking. Detailed studies taking advantage of audio-visual recording technology have shown that gesture and speech are so intimately connected that they appear to be governed by a single process. In fact, it is widely believed that gestures were the rst forms of language with which humans communicated, and that vocalization came about not as a replacement for manual gestures, but rather to augment them. Gestures will come as a natural part of your speaking manner; they should arise spontaneously from enthusiasm and conviction. There doesnt have to be complicated rehearsals for gestures. They naturally occur from the fullness of your message. They happen when your descriptive gestures portray an object or illustrate an action. Describe the size, shape, or movement of an object by imitation. Show a vigorous punch by striking with your st; show height by holding your hand at the desired level; show speed by a quick sweep of your arm. Pantomime a complicated or humorous movement as you describe it. Remember that when it comes to gestures, less is more. Do not smother ideas with a oor exercise. The message needs to be

bigger than the gesture. The basic rule in movement is moderation. One extreme are those speakers who are hyper-kinetic and bounce around the stage like a pinball in an arcade game. They often spray the audience with spittle, their veins will pop out of their neck and temples, and they begin to sweat profusely. They seem to be exuding pure animal instincts. A great example of this is the late Chris Farleys comedy routine on Saturday Night Live. He played the part of Matt Foley a frenetic motivational speaker. His movements were so large and over the top he would crash onto tables and bust through walls. The other class of speakers cower behind the podium afraid of the limelight, and unable to move during their talk. They seem to want nothing more than to slink away unnoticed. A great example of this is the late Don Knotts, best known as Barney Fife from the Andy Grifth Show. As part of his schtick early in his career he played the part of a nervous presenter who never moved from behind the security of the podium. He would rattle his papers and physically and verbally tremble. He sheepishly tried to make his points and it garnered many laughs as a result. Between these two extremes lies appropriate movement. As your skill and experience increase, your movement will become less obvious and more meaningful. Learn to modify the
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degree of movement to make it natural and meaningful. Plan your movement so that you are at the proper place at the proper time. Remember whenever a shirt or a pair of shoes calls attention to itself, its bad. The same goes for gestures. Home base It is important to discover your home base, that natural resting position we default to with our hands. For some its in their pockets. Others lace the ngers of their two hands in front of them. You may nd your home base is with hands crossed behind your back. The best way to discover this is to have someone you know spectate one of your talks with the intention of analyzing your gestures. Have him or her pay close attention to the gesture that seems to be the common default for you. Another way is to watch a video of your talk and discover home base for yourself. From there all other hand gestures should originate. And don't forget the most important gesture: to SMILE. It makes you look more comfortable and less like a victim with bad case of diarrhea. Space Space on stage is an important component of any presentation. Actors on a stage have certain marks taped on the oor to help them know where they need to be at any particular time in the play. A director during rehearsal will ask the thespians to take their places.

Using space effectively is much more than simply walking back and forth across the stage. It is utilizing it as a strategic ally. You should pick one or two people on both sides of the auditorium moving to them periodically and looking them in the eye. The rest of the audience will perceive that you are including them in your talk. If you can, get up on the stage before you speak and get a feel for its environment. Determine the spots you are going to utilize in the space on stage. That way you arent surprised the moment you get up there by its dynamic or your orientation to the audience.

It's a rather rude gesture, but at least it's clear what you mean.
-Katherine Hepburn, american actress

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Chapter 4

Transition is you Mission

Think of the best books youve ever read. The kind that you couldnt put down, keeping you awake until the wee hours of the morning to nish it. What do all those stories have in common? The ability of the author to make it a page turner. Every sentence led to the next in such a compelling way that you were inspired to keep going and follow the narrative to its conclusion. Or think of the old fashion bucket brigade. That is where people lined up to pass a bucket of water from one to the other so the person at the end of the line can throw it on the re. Each movement of the bucket is critical to the next movement toward its nal outcome. Often the longest lines at amusement parks are for the sharp twist and turns of a roller coaster. Why? The transitions are crisp and exhilarating, leaving the rider wanting more. Coasters are so popular in our imaginations, that even the design of the curves and over all movement of the car from section to section has become a creative and innovative engineering feat. Transitions in presentations are very much like all that. They are crisp and intriguing, leaving the listener wanting more. It is your compelling ability both physically and verbally to move an audience along in your talk to its desired outcome. The most basic transitions in any talk involve moving your audience through three main components: the beginning, middle, and end, also known as the opening, the body, and the close of the talk.

How to use transitions You can craft transitions by changing stage position, pausing, using visual aids, giving out a handout, picking up a prop, using transitional words; also, in addition, to sum up, on the other hand etc. You can also sharply vary the sound you make coming out microphone. Do anything that breaks the pattern of what you were doing in the previous segment and introduces what you plan to do. Likewise, few things can distract an audience faster than a speaker who jumps physically from one point to another with out any apparent reason. Transitions must be designed and deliberately rehearsed. For instance, you can practice the use of physical transitions such as a different location on the stage to highlight each point, or a sweep of the hand at the appropriate time can work as a useful transition. For verbal transitions, one-liners, anecdotes, and questions work well. Also, people seem to like and need recaps. Recaps are one of the most effective ways to move from point to point. The average attention span of most people when listening to a presentation is about twenty minutes. You can test that out by looking over the audience at around 25 minutes and see how many people are doing other things, such as doodling, looking at laptops, reading papers, or dozing.

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Given the hyper accelerated immediacy of our culture, experts are saying our attention span will become even less than that. That means you need to vary your pace and movement, transitioning strategically to bring the audiences attention back to you and to the ow of your speech. Filmmakers use the "Whammo chart" which species that every ten pages or so of a script there must be a real whammo, a real shot of action. This transitions the narrative of the movie back to the main plotline. So if your speech is longer than twenty minutes you need to plan some sort of whammo every twenty minutes to bring your audience back to your presentation. A critical element is pacing. If you are old enough to have watched Michael Jacksons breakthrough performance on the Motown television special of his song Billy Jean on March 25, 1983, youll recall how Jackson sealed his status as a pop phenomenon when he performed the song Billie Jean. It was a dance move that mesmerized the audience. In a visual illusion, Jackson walked forward while moving back. He dubbed it the moonwalk and purportedly paid a performer he had seen accomplish it a thousand dollars to learn. In that move, it was the smoothness of Jacksons transitions and his determination to perfect it that cemented his legend as King of Pop.

All that is to say, transitions are crucial enough to the performance of your talk that you should always be on the lookout for ways to move your audience through the elements of your presentation as well as relentlessly perfecting them at each and every stage. It will help to cement your quality status as a brilliant presenter.

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Chapter 5

Grabm, Holdm, Leavm

Your speech consists of three dynamics. Each must be amplied to make the most of your talk GRABM: The opening One of the primary purposes of an opening is to establish rapport with your audience. This can be done before you even step on stage. I consider what I do before the speech as an important component of establishing rapport. I will shake hands and learn names. I will hand out supporting material and say hi to those who receive it. Be creative in the opening. Most every one on the planet is familiar with the Star Wars series of movies. I was a part of the generation that saw the original Star Wars for the rst time when it arrived in theaters. I was hooked the moment the opening scene hearkened the promise of lm making never seen before. The small rebel ship ew across the screen chased by a ship that was so large it seemed to go on forever. And who could forget the music that dened it. It opened up the context of the movie and began a cultural phenomenon that lasts to this day. I ended up seeing the movie twice in one day. You can squelch rapport with a weak introduction. I cant stand speakers who patronize the audience in their introduction. How many of you have heard a speaker begin by intoning Good Morning! in order to raise the energy level, only to chide the audience for their lack of enthusiasm by having them respond again with forced gusto.

Other things to avoid that establish a weak rapport and introduction are saying things like, Whew, Im really nervous so bear with me... I really dont have that much to say... Rather, you should tell the reasons why you are the best person to present on a particular topic and why the topic is so close to your heart. In the opening you are telling them simply what to expect from the core of the speech. Openings garner the attention of the audience. You can do that through surprise, statistics, humor, a personal anecdote, or current news item. Anything that will endear you to the audience is critical in the opening HOLDM: The body The body is the heart of your talk. It unpacks the clear objective you created in your preparation. It is here you must engage the audience. If they miss the reason you are speaking to them youre wasting your time and theirs. You Holdm by clearly leading them through the rationale (points) of your talk. Remember, Clarity is you Guarantee. Fortify each point of your talk with illustrations and other information relevant to it.

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LEAVM: The closing Some experts on communication state that the closing is the most critical component of the speech. It is usually what the audience remembers and will walk away with. You can often make up for a weak opening but you dont have such luxury for the closing.You can give a wonderful presentation, but if your conclusion is weak and ineffectual it might let the air out the whole thing. Closings have much in common with openings in that they can use statistics, stories, rhetorical questions, and the like. In my presentation on age diversity I end by telling the story of the death of my grandfather, my mentor and friend. As the machines monitoring his strength of existence on this planet showed he was faltering, I went over to his bedside and whispered in his ear... big guy, its time to go home. As soon as the resonance of the letter m was out of my mouth and into the atmosphere, he was gone. I share the profundity of that moment by stating that my grandfather cradled me in his arms when I came into the world, and how I was privileged to cradle him in mine as he went out. Let me tell you, there is rarely a dry eye in the audience and the powerful impact it makes is evident by the feedback I get from employers and employees alike. I have left them with something to remember.
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Chapter 6

Projection is your Connection

One of my favorite movies is the faux documentary, This is Spinal Tap. In it, one member of the band, showing his guitar collection to the lm maker, had an amplier with a volume knob that went to eleven; when the lm maker asks, "Why not just make ten louder and make that the top?" The rock star can only reply, with some pride, "Ours goes to eleven." How many of us use some arbitrary standard for volume when we speak. That is, we dont know the various settings of our voice or how to use them appropriately. We use speech every day and, for the most part, we take it for granted. But when we think of words as sounds with a range of amplitudes and frequencies, then we might wonder what speech sounds actually are. Speech consists of complex acoustical waveforms that rapidly vary in frequency and amplitude. Effective speakers use these dynamics to their advantage. When it comes to voice projection and articulation, participants who have been speaking for years and, presumably being heard, may wonder why it is more than just volume that is important. However, presentations are not like ordinary face-to-face conversations and require a different set of skills. Projection is a technique which can be employed to demand respect and attention, such as when a teacher is talking to the class, or simply to be heard clearly, as an actor in a theatre. Breath technique is essential for proper voice projection. Whereas in normal talking one may use air from the top of the

lungs, a properly projected voice uses air properly owing from the expansion of the diaphragm. There is often a strong psychological component to voice difculties as well. Soft speakers may unconsciously be trying to hold themselves back, inhibit their self-expression, or stie themselves. I was spectating at one of my sons basketball games. One of the referees must have been new, because his whistle to call a foul could barely be heard. It became a running joke among us in the stands as to whether he really made a call or not. We could barely hear it, if at all. He was unsure of himself and it reected poorly in his projection. Subsequently loud speakers are driven by nerves, lack of voice control, or an inability to rely on the amplication technology that is available to them. Mental fortitude and condence in what you say is a major hurdle in overcoming projection issues that distract. A condent speaker who knows that what he/she has to say and is worth listening to will use projection techniques naturally in ways that audiences hear. The key is to get a handle on your natural range of volume and intonation so you can use it condently when needed and project appropriately to audience members in the back of the room. More often than not you are going to have some kind of electronic amplication for your voice. This is where cozying up to the sound person is so critical. Make sure he/she and you are
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on the same page as far as amplication and clarity are concerned and make sure you do a test. Rock musicians often use the word check, check, or one, two one, two to measure proper sound amplication. My test is always the phrase Attention Kmart shoppers, there is a blue light special in the back of the store. Boys underwear is now buy one get one free. The point is you need to have a long enough phrase for an audio technician to get a handle on your range as well as maybe providing a few laughs for those in the room. Professional technicians can make you look like heroes on stage by being unnoticed. That is, sound people are at their best when no one knows they are around doing their job so thank them often. Be grateful there wasnt anything (feedback or screeches) that stole attention away from you the speaker. An hilarious illustration of the importance of speaking with proper vocal projection is from the 90s comedy sitcom Seinfeld. Kramers current girlfriend, a designer, was known as a low talker - You couldnt understand a word she was saying because her projection was so weak. After a particular conversation with her, Jerry, unable to hear what she said, nodded in agreement out of courtesy. Unbeknownst to him, he agreed to wear a silly looking puffy shirt that she designed for him to wear during his interview on the Today Show.

The following is the dialogue that takes place after Jerry found out what he really agreed to: KRAMER: You're not going to believe whats happening with Leslie. You know, ever since you agreed to wear the puffy shirt on the Today show, she's been getting all these orders from boutiques and department stores.. JERRY: Uh-huh.. (Finally realizes what Kramer said, he looks up) Since I said what? KRAMER: Agreed to wear the puffy shirt. (Starts unzipping the suit cover) JERRY: What are you talking about? KRAMER: When you said that you'd agree to wear the puffy shirt on the Today show. (Takes the ridiculous puffy shirt out of the cover) JERRY: (Goes up to it) This? KRAMER: Yes! JERRY: I agreed to wear this?! KRAMER: Yeah, yeah. JERRY: But, when did I do that? KRAMER: When we went to dinner the other night. JERRY: What are you, crazy?!

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KRAMER: What were you talking about when I went to the bathroom? JERRY: I don't know! I couldn't understand a word she was saying! I was just nodding! KRAMER: There you go. JERRY: Where I go? You mean she was asking me to wear this ridiculous shirt on national TV, and I said 'Yes'?! KRAMER: Yes, yes! You said it! JERRY: But, I - I didn't know what she was talking about. I couldn't hear her! -Seinfeld, Season 5, Episode 2 The Puffy Shirt Articulation There is a difference between not being heard (being inaudible) and not being understood (being inarticulate). Sometimes people confuse the two. Being inarticulate may be caused by problems with volume and pronunciation. It can be caused by a piercing through the tongue. People with poor articulation can sound throaty because their tongue is pulled too far back, or they may sound mufed because they don't move their tongue enough when they speak. Many of us are inicted with sloppy mouth disease. We stumble over words, we slur them and fail to articulate them properly and our volume is inadequate for the listener. This can be perfectly

acceptable in close social circles in conversations, but it just wont do when speaking in public. Diction is the clear annunciation and articulation of the words we are saying. Good diction is NOT about changing your accent or making you 'talk posh'. Often when I preach I fail to rehearse the proper articulation of words. Ill read the name of some obscure Jewish tribe and then get caught up front with an uneasy pronunciation and slaughtering of the name. I come off looking less than knowledgeable on the passage I am preaching from. You can practice articulation and pronunciation by overtly forming your words with large, slow motion movement of your mouth and lips. Also tongue twisters are great to practice your diction and articulation of words. Here is an exercise. Try saying this with deliberation. Can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie? Or try this one. This comes from Gilbert and Sullivan's light opera 'The Pirates of Penzance'. It's guaranteed to make you work. It includes many difcult combinations impossible to get right unless you articulate clearly. Have fun with it. 'I am the very pattern of a modern Major-General; I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral;
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I know the Kings of England, and I quote the ghts historical, From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical; I'm very well acquainted too with matters mathematical, I understand equations, both simple and quadratical, About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news, With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. I'm very good at integral and differential calculus, I know the scientic names of beings animalculous, In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General.' Pace The most common critique of my public speaking is the speed at which I talk. I can really race through a presentation. This can come from nerves and insecurity. If we speak fast enough maybe the audience wont notice. However, they will notice and have a heck of time keeping up with you. Even if they do, there is no time to process or catch ones breath as a listener. You have given them no time to truly process what you are saying. You need to allow your audience time to have aural breathers. Give them some time to absorb all your useful content through strategic pauses in you speech. Though pause can seem like an eternity when you are on stage, the reality is much different. Its never as long as you think. A pause usually never inhibits the effectiveness of a talk but enhances it.

I was conducting a wedding when there came a time in the ceremony to recite the Lords Prayer. It is a very common prayer and one that I have prayed many times before. But when it came time for me to the lead the guests in the recitation of the prayer, I froze. I could not remember how it started. After a few moments the groom looked at me and mouthed, You dont remember it do you?. I communicated through my non-verbal facial expression that I didnt. Then the bride caught my eye and kindly mouthed the rst line of the prayer, Our Father... That was all I needed to complete that portion of the service. Afterwards, word got out (from the wedding party) that I forgotten the prayer. However, every attender stated that they had no idea. They assumed I was using a brief pause to lend to the profundity of the moment. I could have had them all fooled. But noooo.... Pauses are those moments when meaning happens and common ground is realized. They arent as horrible as you might think. Take care of your voice My sister is a speech pathologist and audiologist. That means she specializes in the aural aspects of the human body. She knows I am a public speaker by trade and she has one piece of advice for me:

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Pee Pale
It is evidence that I am well hydrated. Thats critical to speaking as your vocal cords must remain moist to be effective. They must also remain spry. That is, dont drink milk or eat chocolate before you speak. They goop up your cords. You need to keep your vocal cords in as pristine a shape as you possibly can before speaking. Even caffeine can cause problems as it is a diuretic, taking water out of your system. In addition, it can jitter your nerves and often makes it hard to speak without the strain of tension coming through.

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Chapter 7

Illustrate to Illuminate

We are bombarded by visual missiles all the time. Ours is par excellence the Age of Illustrations, an age when people are habituated to picture thinking. If you hear eiffel tower, the visual picture of it pops into your head before you thought of the word. Recent research supports the idea that visual communication can be more powerful than verbal communication. In many instances people learn and retain information that is presented to them visually much better than that which is only provided verbally. Training materials used by the federal government cite studies indicating that the retention of information three days after a meeting or other event is six times greater when information is presented by visual and oral means together than when the information is presented by the spoken word alone. The same materials also cite studies by educational researchers suggesting that 83% of human learning occurs visually. These are welcome ndings to anyone whose work involves using visual presentations to persuade or instruct others. All speakers need to do the same. Visuals that surprise people, touch them, delight them, and support your story are best because they affect people in an emotional way. People are more likely to remember your content in the form of stories and examples, and they are also more

likely to remember your content if your visuals are unique, powerful and of the highest quality. Illustrations give light, color, and clarity to your presentation. They warm the heart and embed themselves in memory like nothing else can. Mental images help us retain information. Imagination is the formation of images that create a new perception, a new way of seeing. We navigate the world visually taking in cues about it through the sense of imagination. When it comes to illustrations, keep the imagination at the forefront as it will capture the hearts of your listeners like nothing else can. You can do that by ltering your illustrations through the three conduits of imagination. Moral, Mystical, and Missional The Moral Imagination The Moral Imagination is anything that enriches the mind. Whether they admit it or not, people want to think on a higher plane than just the surface of our cultural veneer. Pop culture is very much the air we collectively breath as far as entertainment is concerned. But there is much more behind popular culture that lends itself to a moral imagination. You can ask why something is so popular. What makes that particular product, movie, or song so endearing to our collective imagination? Begin by ltering your illustration through the moral conduit. Make people think about it. For instance, I use an illustration in my generational presentations in describing the unique personality of the Xers.
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Around the late sixties and early seventies there was a very popular comedy on television called Get Smart. I dont know if you remember the show but it entailed a bumbling secret agent named Maxwell Smart. We laughed at his ineptitude. The name of the organization that Maxwell was committed to bringing down, the organization that was the nemesis for him was named Chaos. The heroic organization on the other hand, the one that Maxwell worked for was named Control. It is interesting that at a time in our history we were mired in chaos. We were bogged down in Vietnam War. The Watergate scandal was exposing the unethical dimensions of Washington. Chaos. Yet, we were used to being in control. Particularly the Boomer generation who had such large numbers in their demographic that they were in control. They needed control back even if they had to bumble their way to get it. Xers learned from the get go that Chaos was the only real certainty in life and that control was merely an illusion. We arent really in control. Chaos shaped the particular personality of the Xers as they were coming of age. Control, which molded the Boomers collective personality was under attack. I tell them that the biggest clashes among generations today is between the Control of the Boomers and the Chaos of the Xers. It brought the thinking of the audience (hopefully) to a new way of thinking, leading to new insights into the personalities of each generation.

The Mystical Imagination Any illustration that enlarges the heart of your audience lters through the mystical imagination. Anything that moves you emotionally will more than likely move your audience emotionally. What we are talking about here is aesthetics, the sphere of beauty that gives our lives depth, meaning, and movement. With out it the world becomes bland and one dimensional. Beauty gives depth to our lives through touching us in very visceral ways. I have been moved by the grandeur of the night time sky. The vast array of stars shining through the deep dark canvas of night is one of the more profound experiences Ive had in life. I am a sucker for the beauty in the laugh of a baby. Beauty gives meaning to our lives by focusing our attention on matters that take the mundane and infuses it with wonder. That is, beauty makes life seem grand and exciting. Even the mundane elements of life can take on an aesthetic if we just have the eyes to see it. Washing the dishes, for instance, reminds me of the work that went into the meal, the sustenance it provided, the gratitude of my actions, even the movements of my hands as I scrub can add to the wonder of it all. Beauty brings movement to our lives by prodding us to create more beauty which in turn gives impetus to life. When people believe that they are creators in the world, who through their

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unique gifts and talents can provide an act of creation, they are inspired. Beauty then is emotional depth. Even in bittersweet moments, beauty can emerge. Beauty can be agonizing. It explores the depth of our souls (ala poetry) and asks us to respond with emotional vibrancy. For me, an illustration ltered through the conduit of the Mystical Imagination is the movie, Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin. I facetiously tell my audiences that I hate that movie. Why? Because I have two daughters and it makes me realize how swift life is and how they cannot stay little girls forever. The movie moves me emotionally. There is a montage in the lm where Steve Martin is lying in bed pondering the impending marriage of his daughter. He is running through his mind the life cycle of his relationship with her, from infant to bride. He might have just as well been viewing it in fast motion. Ah, the swiftness of it all. Im usually a blubbering idiot by the end of it. I use that in my talks to highlight the bittersweet nature of change and the beauty of a life well- lived. Disney/Pixars movie UP has a progression of scenes with no dialogue whatsoever that follows the maturation of a young couple in love. It shows them in the throws of wedded bliss as they xed up their house and dreamed of an adventure in their lives that would take them overseas. But circumstances kept getting in the way. With no dialogue and only beautiful music in

the background, the scenes take us from a miscarriage, to nancial obligations, and into old age and death. It is a beautiful moment. I show that clip during communication workshops and most everyone in the room is wiping away the tears with the back of their hands. The Missional Imagination The Missional Imagination is any element of life that causes us to engage our world in substantive ways. It is a conduit that entails action, a doing of life that makes a difference. We engage our world every time we wake up. For it is in that simple task we begin a day of movement and interaction with our surroundings. We are not docile creatures but are intended to be in active relationship not only with the world, but with others, and with God. I have ltered my life as a husband through the illustrative conduit of the missional imagination. When I took my vows many years ago, my wife created a couple never before seen on the face of the planet. We were now going to chart our lives together as one, making a difference together that we couldnt do alone. Through the act of love we gave life to three wonderful children. Our children in turn engage us and the world in ways we could never imagine before. Together as a family we navigate and engage life as fully as possible.
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I am always amazed by how many supposedly insignicant people can accomplish such signicant works. More often than not, they go unrecognized. It still doesnt lessen their impact on the world. The Christian evangelist Billy Graham was being interviewed by Katie Couric on the Today Show. She pointed out that he had interacted with some of the most important people in the world, spent private time with presidents and spoken to more people than anyone else in the history of the world. She then asked him, Dr. Graham, who are your heroes in life? Without hesitation Billy answered, Katie, you wouldnt know any of them. They are the people who are working in the poverty of the inner city, who are battling disease deep in the jungles of Africa, even the mothers and fathers who work so diligently so their children can have a better life are true heros. The missional imagination inspires engagement with the world, even if it isnt very sensational. The creative potential Illustrations can be as varied as your creativity takes you. Once you know the objective of your talk and you are crystal clear as to its intention then you can plug in just the right imaginative conduit to suit your audiences needs. The whole idea of visual aids is to enhance your presentation, not to be the purpose of it. The benets of visuals in talks are signicant:

Visuals make complex ideas clear and simple Visuals make abstract ideas concrete Visuals help the audience remember the speech Visuals help clarify the presentation Visuals point the audience to action. Vary your visual aids. Talk about the information before you actually show it. You lose 90 percent of an audiences attention if you put the visual up rst. Allow them to switch between the left brain and right brain. Dont read points on the slide, that patronizes and wastes time.The less information you put on a slide, the more you say, the more believable you will be. The best visual aids are a kind of shorthand. In general, with audiovisuals less is usually best. With all the technological tools available to speakers to highlight visuals in a talk, you must remember that the most important visual in your talk is YOU. More often people will believe your body language, not your spoken language. You are your own best visual aid - or worst. The successful speaker participates in the speechmaking process as an active, artistic, imaginative agent. That being said, take initiative in using the nest and simplest of illustrations possible that align with the over all purpose of the talk.

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General Guidelines for Illustrations 1. Each piece should be clearly relevant and to the point 2. Use different forms of support (video, audio, interactive, etc.) throughout the presentation 3. Use no more, no less. 4. Plan that the audience can both understand and see its relevancy. 5. Display them where ALL can see. 6. Keep them simple and clear. Not cluttered. 7. Wait until after the speech to hand out 8. Talk to the audience, not to the visual aid. 9. Explain visual aids clearly and concisely. 10. Be appropriate. Know your audience.

When you look at this picture close up it looks like Albert Einstein. But look at if from a distance (or squint your eyes) and it becomes Marilyn Monroe.
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Chapter 8

Filler is Killer

In linguistics, llers are sounds or words that are spoken to ll up gaps in utterances and are strongly criticized by all teachers of public discourse as promoting an image of uncertainty and vagueness. The most common are umm and ahhh. Fillers can also be illustrations or stories that have absolutely nothing to do with the purpose of the presentation. During lean times, bread crumbs were added to meat loaf to make the meal go much further. People got so used to the lling that in most cases, crumbs make up around 50% of the whole. Most speeches are a substitute of the whole due to the inability of the speakers to eliminate llers. Verbally, everyone has at least one. The big problem with llers is that if you use them frequently, they tend to chip away at your credibility and can make you sound unsure and unprepared (which might be the truth!) If youre a person that uses llers, you may not even be aware of the speech problem yourself. Fillers tend to become so embedded into our speech patterns that even when youre aware that youre using them, youll have a very hard time trying not to say them. Filler can also extend to the content of the presentation itself. When you dont know what you want to say, it shows in the dumping of all kinds of superuous information in the talk and on the screen. All poor substitutes for the real thing- the objective you want to convey.

Poor movies, those that fail to reach an audience and are panned by the critics, are those that rely on ller. The script is not tight and the plot hasnt been carefully thought out. The end result is a lm with a imsy story line full of images and words that dont take us anywhere. To make up for this decit many movie makers will pack the movie with special effects. The more special the effects are, the more the belief is the movie will be a good one. But they are just ller. Poor presentations are the same way. They are lled with all kinds of uff in an attempt to bring fullness to the content. Your audience will leave feeling unfullled and still hungry. Here are some suggestions to move beyond the umms... and ahhs...and content llers 1. Consciously substitute a pause...yes, silence...for each ller word. This not only eliminates the offending llers, it helps the audience absorb your message. To you it might seem the silence is an hour in length when in reality it is only a few mere seconds. 2. Be sure you have prepared with a focused objective and align every illustration, and design every slide around it. Nothing is wasted because it is all used in the service of the objective. If you nd yourself putting a piece of content in a talk only because you like it, you are using it as ller; unless of course, it clearly makes your point.

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Chapter 9

Seize the Bs

Here they are, the ve Bs of effective presenters: BE BRIEF BABY, BE BRIEF A key to success in speaking is not just having something worthwhile to say, but also saying it briey. We need to follow the speaking axiom, "Have a powerful, captivating opening and a strong, memorable close, and put the two of them as close together as possible." Remember your audiences brains can endure only what their butts can bear. The art of brevity and choosing the right words is a ne one; it is also becoming increasingly important as our information overload continues. Those who master the art of brevity hold great power. Keep it short. Make your point. Don't take more time than you need to tell the story. Taking more time than is needed to make your point will nd your listeners making excuses to get away. The principle is to be kind to your audience. Audience appreciation is a skill we must all learn if we hope to please those who listen to our talks. If you know the time limit on your speech is 20 minutes, stop a minute short; don't go overtime. Audiences will appreciate your respect of their time and will think more highly of you as a speaker because of that. Remember, no one ever complained that a speaker went too short!

Too much information or TMI is another way of telling someone that they have gone above and beyond what is acceptable to tell about themselves. The same holds true for a talk. To be profoundly brief requires that a presenter become frugal. The dictionary tells us that frugal shares a Latin root with frug (meaning virtue), frux (meaning fruit or value) and frui (meaning or enjoying the use of). So in the realm of public speaking, frugality is enjoying the virtue of getting good value for every minute of your speech and from all the skills you have at your disposal. Theres a word in Spanish that encompasses being brief in a speech: aprovechar. It means to use something wisely - be they old tools to planning a picnic in the park. Speakers who take the time to simplify their message in order to say only what needs to be said are using the art and craft of speech wisely. Remember the pithy piece of advice that Clarity is your Guarantee? That will bring to fruition your ability to seize the Bs. Thats all I have to say about that.

"Brevity is the soul of wit." -Hamlet

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Here is a story from India on being brief When Vijay opened his store he put up a sign that said "We Sell Fresh Fish Here." His father stopped by and said that the word "We" suggests an emphasis on the seller rather than the customer, and is really not needed. So the sign was changed to "Fresh Fish Sold Here." His brother came by and suggested that the word "here" could be done away with -- it was superuous. Later, his neighbor stopped by to congratulate him. Then he mentioned that all passers-by could easily tell that the sh was really fresh. Mentioning the word fresh actually made it sound defensive as though there was room for doubt about the freshness. Now the sign just read: "FISH." As Vijay was walking back to his shop after a break he noticed that one could identify the sh from its smell He knew there was no need for the word "FISH."

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Chapter 10

Learn to Discern

t goes without saying that the audience is paramount to any public speaking event. According to a Yale University study, the single most persuasive word in English is...you. So keep a you focus in your talks by constantly focusing on the audience. Your ability to reach them must always be foremost in your mind. Remember, though your talk may be yours to prepare, it really belongs to your audience. Where really, does the success of your talk lie? In your mind or your audiences? Clearly the results that matter most occur in the thoughts and reception of your audience. As a public speaker, you are not simply a transmitter of messages; you also put your individual self in contact with an audience. If your goal is to guide your audience to where you want them to be, you rst need to understand where they are. Knowing your audience is an ongoing process. Not all sizes t all. Audiences vary from venue to venue. As a presenter or speaker, you need to consider the different characteristics of the audience, the communication channels to reach them, and the diversity of the groups Obviously, the same talk will be delivered differently to an elementary school audience than to a rotary. In fact, what went over well with one audience can land with a thud with another. The same talk is not necessarily interpreted the same from audience to audience.

So it is critical to understand the spectrum of your audience each time you speak. One way to do that is to use Demographics and Psychographics. Demographics are the statistical characteristics such as sex, age, race, educational attainment, socioeconomic status etc. Psychographics show us what the audience has in common. It describes the audiences opinion on certain matters. So, a Democrat will have much different view than a Republican. A child will have a different world view than an adult. Understanding the demographic make-up of the audience will help in formulating a presentation that allows for communication of the data in the most effective manner. Their age, gender, and education are the key demographics to consider points of view. Determine the audiences attitude toward your topic. Is it controversial, partisan, or just not well known? Is your audience friendly to your ideas or hostile to an opposite point of view? This is of vast importance for a speaker. When an audience is in opposition to your point of view, studies in social psychology have proven that it is of primary importance to address the oppositions arguments. If your audience agrees with your point of view then it is alright to focus or concentrate on the topic to the exclusion of opposing views. Anticipate your audiences expectations by gathering details about the specic speech situation. Are you during lunch? Who

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is speaking before and after you, if any, and what are their topics? Are you the keynote or a breakout? When building the content of your presentation always put yourself in the shoes of the audience and ask "so what?". Really ask yourself the tough questions of what is in it for the audience throughout the planning process. Even though you think its interesting that doesnt guarantee the audience will see it that same way. Is your objective relevant to the audience? It may be cool, but is it important, does it help your story...or is it uff? Surely you have been in an audience and wondered how what the presenter was talking about was relevant to his point. "So what?". If you can't really answer that question, then cut that bit of content out of your talk

Adults expect that what they are learning from you is immediately useful. Always refer to the relevancy of your material. They need to know why they should listen to you for direction. This rapport takes place within minutes of beginning your presentation. Adults learn in order to cope with real-life tasks and want application today. For them, they need to be convinced that what you have to offer is part of their continuing procurement of competencies to achieve full potential in life. When I was teaching high school, I was introduced to the eight types of learning styles present in every classroom. The challenge was for us to tailor each lesson plan with the eight styles in mind. The same holds true for any speaker. There are four types of listening styles present in any audience. Be aware of, and plan, to touch every listener on some level in your talk. Analytical They will have puzzled looks while listening. They will be questioning, and skeptical during the talk. Body language will include rubbing chin and or brow. They will be evaluating and critiquing the information and delivery. Driven These are the results oriented men and women of action. They are also impatient. They will be the ones usually sitting at the front of the audience. They ask, How can I use this information now. How is this practical? They dont need to know when or
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Be what the audience wants Since they have gathered to hear from you, an expert on a particular topic, reect that. Dress as someone who is a dynamic communicator of the message. Make sure the sound and lighting are right and your visuals are compelling. Anything done with excellence will convey a dynamism in your speaking. Avoid accepting public speaking engagements where the audiences needs are clearly out of sync with your abilities, likes and dislikes. You will end up playing the fool and be less than dynamic. Learn to just say no.

why if these are self evident. That will be self evident. Their need is for what, and how that is new. Their listening style is, "Get to the point." Amiable These are the audiences that care for you as the speaker. They also care for the audience. Those new to public speaking will enjoy the kudos they receive from this group. However, they may not give the critical assessment that will be helpful (theyre too doggone nice). Expressive This listener likes to be involved and be a part of what is going on. The expressive likes involvement. This listener will become easily bored with technical data. They will become dgety or even leave if they arent engaged. Things like giving a show of hands is appreciated with this group. Any presentation that does not give the people in the audience something they can take out of the door with them and use is a failure and a waste of their time.

I knew this was going to be a good audience when I noticed all the tacky ones sat at the back. [small crowd] I forgot to bring something with memy audience. And if anybody out there doesn't know what I'm talking about, then you must know how I feel! Youve been a wonderful audience. So ... were even. Youve been a great audience. I dont really mind a few coffee slurpers.

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Chapter 11

Concluding Thoughts

Time Time is a wiggy concept. I really dont get it. Aristotle speculated that time is movement and unlike the present we see past and future as measurable durations of hours, days, months, and years. The present however is an innitesimal moment that is immeasurable. It is the persistent now and always on the move. One second it is there, the next second it is gone. Time is relative. In fact Albert Einstein proved that time is not a constant. Its duration changes as our perception of it varies. For example my friend was in the hospital waiting to pass a kidney stone. Ive never had one, but Im told it is excruciatingly painful. He told me that the pain was so intense that every second ticking away on the clock seemed like an hour. Conversely, when youre involved in an activity that has your full attention and is extremely enjoyable, it can seem as if time really does y. One hour of an enjoyable activity can seem like minutes. Think of your audiences perception of time during your speech. If it is an enjoyable event they will wonder where the time went. Conversely, if your speech is less than engaging theyll keep looking at their watches wondering why youre wasting their time. You owe it to your audiences time to be as effective a communicator as possible. If you have 300 people in the audience for a one hour presentation you are monopolizing 3000 hours of time. 3000! That is one

of the reasons speaking can be such a powerful event - it holds great potential to change many lives at once. The converse is also true. It can zap the energy out of 3000 hours of peoples precious time. Speaking takes place in a precise moment of time. It occurs in the present tense and will never occur the same way ever again. What you have to say, then, is historic. Think about that. It should motivate you to make the most of every speaking moment. Take advantage of each moment of time by taking every talk, no matter how inconsequential it might seem, seriously. Prepare every talk with pep and clarity, giving heed to your movement and give it all the attention that something historic deserves. Im a romantic at heart. I approach public speaking as a romantic endeavor between the speaker and the audience. Each talk ought to be given the time and energy that any romance needs and deserves. Before you go on stage, think hard about the relationship with your audience. Who are they? Where do they come from? What makes the tick? These are questions every young suitor asks when considering the dynamics of a relationship. Each date is tailored to answer them. As you are on stage, make an emotional bond with your audience. Look them in the eye, include them, tell stories and use illustrations with a compelling conviction. Be yourself and
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refuse to be somebody you are not. Authenticity will garner the respect of the audience every single time. After the talk, ask yourself the hard questions of how well the relational encounter went. Be brutally honest with yourself. Is there anything you can do next time that might woo the audience in a more signicant way? Is the topic something that you both can talk about? Does it hold the attention of your audience and does it inspire them to respond in signicant ways to all the other relationships in their life?

Go. Speak. Change the world!

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