JS Tip 586: Talk to Your Audience. Don't Read to Your Audience

This tip was prompted by listening to waaay too many graduation speeches this month. Waaay too many. (Congratulations to the graduates. A pox on the speakers. The deans. The principals. The school-board members. The local used-car dealer.)  

Our counsel: When you speak in public, talk to your audience. Don’t read to your audience. 

The Advantages

  1. You make eye contact with your audience. You look at them. They look at you. You engage.

  2. You can adjust your presentation based on their responses. When they nod, you can respond: “Absolutely! We agree on this.”

  3. You have the rhythm and inflection of spoken language, not the dull monotone of a read text.

The Process

  1. Prepare your presentation. Identify your main idea. Develop your supporting points. Include examples and stories. Draft an introduction and a conclusion. Write the presentation out (if you need to). Edit the text.

  2. Rehearse your presentation from your text. Do this aloud (this is important). Give (or read) the presentation several times to familiarize yourself with your content.

  3. Rewrite your text into notes. Your main idea. Your supporting points. Reminders of the examples and stories (“Chris and the Acme deal”).

  4. Rehearse again with your notes. Over and over until you’re familiar with each part. (Your confidence and comfort level will rise each time you rehearse.)

The Result

Prepare for thunderous applause. Prepare for a raise. Maybe a company car.

(Much of advancement depends on communication skills.) 

We love this stuff.

Kurt Weiland