Speaker's Digest June 2004
In this issue:
We appreciated the thoughts we received about the May issue of Speaker’s Digest, particularly last month’s article on memorable presentations by women. We identified a number of women known as outstanding public speakers throughout the years, including former Texas Governor Ann Richards, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Eleanor Roosevelt, California First Lady and news anchor Maria Shriver, and Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Our readers shared a few other suggestions for our list:
Madeline Albright. We gave the former Secretary of State an "honorable mention" on our list, but one of our readers suggested that she should be placed more prominently.
Barbara Jordan. The late congresswoman from Texas, and the keynote speaker at the 1976 Democratic convention, was one of the first black southerners elected to Congress since the Civil War. Barbara started as a "stamp-licker and addresser" for the Kennedy campaign in 1960, but stepped in as speaker at a voter registration event when the scheduled speaker failed to show up. "Right after that they took me off licking and addressing," she recalled.
Maya Angelou. A poet, historian and civil rights advocate, Maya became the second poet in U.S. history to write and recite an original work at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. Fluent in six languages, this prolific writer, producer and activist continues to speak at events around the world.
Hey EMS!: Questions from readers, along with our answers
At EMS Communications, we’ve been getting a lot of feedback in recent months from readers asking for our thoughts on different topics related to public speaking. We thought we’d share some of them with you, along with our responses. This new Speaker’s Digest feature is called Hey EMS! Please let us know what you think.
Hey EMS!
When President Reagan died, everyone talked about what a great public speaker he was. I understand he was also an actor. Is there a connection between public speaking and acting? Arnold S., Sacramento, CA
Acting, the process of becoming a character and interpreting someone else’s thoughts, is fundamentally different from speaking in public, in which you are presumably presenting your own ideas. But you could say that acting and speaking require similar skills, meaning that many actors can be effective presenters, and vice versa. In fact, Nancy Reagan once said that acting was good training for her and her husband’s life in politics.
Both public speakers and actors (particularly stage actors) provide an important link to connect their audiences with the material, from Shakespeare’s soliloquies to a vision statement about the banking industry. If effective, both are able to interpret the material with their personality, their energy, their body language and their passion. In addition, both continually get feedback from their audiences, and need to respond to them in order to be successful.
We’ve heard actors talk about working to separate themselves from the characters they play. Beware of this dynamic when making your own presentation, however, because your audience wants to hear your own words and your ideas, not those belonging to someone else. Next time you’re giving an important presentation, let your audience see the real Arnold S., not Conan the Barbarian!
Hey EMS!
I’ve lived in this country for many years, but I still speak English with an accent. I recently took a new job where I spend a lot of time in front of an audience. Do you have any presenting tips for non-native English speakers? Ozzie G., Chicago IL
Ozzie, many people can have trouble speaking clearly, but it’s a particular challenge for those who grew up speaking another language. Think of all the English dialects that people speak in different sections of this country alone!
First, let’s talk about the general principle of making yourself understood, which can be a problem for any speaker. Any time you present in front of an audience, it’s important to make sure that your words are coming through to them. Sometimes, speakers simply aren’t LOUD enough—perhaps their microphone isn’t working properly, or they just aren’t projecting their voice (we suggest to speakers that they start by asking the audience if they can hear them.) Other times, speakers aren’t CLEAR enough—they mumble, they trail off, or they forget to pause.
We believe that all speakers can benefit from this advice, whether you’re from Venezuela, New Orleans or Brooklyn: speak slowly, loudly and clearly. Take long pauses, slow your word delivery, and try repeating your main points for special emphasis. This technique is effective when you’re talking to the media, a group of kids, an audience at a corporate fundraiser, or a baseball team getting ready for a big weekend series.
Hey EMS!
Sometimes I see speakers rely too heavily on their notes when speaking, while at other times I see speakers working without notes that seem to lose their place. Are there any guidelines that an average guy like me should follow? Donald T, New York, NY
There’s no single style that will work for every speaker. Some people feel more confident having a nicely-typed set of notes in front of them, which makes them more successful as speakers. Others appear to be reading their notes, and leave much of their passion and effectiveness on paper, which can make their presentations dry and uninteresting.
The most important objective for a presenter is to come across as believable, confident and passionate. Achieving that goal should guide your decision about using notes. In an earlier issue, we noted that National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice’s speech in Chicago last fall was stiff and somewhat distracting because of her over-reliance on her written notes. She became much more convincing when responding off-the-cuff to audience questions, even challenging ones, because her natural style and conviction came through.
Most speakers need some kind of notes in front of them, Donald, because it’s easy to forget something, or lose a train of thought, when staring into lights at a podium. But don’t let them keep you from doing what you do best. Here’s an example: we watched a bit of this spring’s The Apprentice on TV. (Donald T.? New York? Probably just a coincidence.) We notice that Mr. Trump is great at dealing with people, and has been known to encourage the show’s participants to trust their own words when talking to him. But the show seems to hit a snag when Trump looks straight into the camera and reads from cue cards, presenting text that has been written for him. Just as he advises his apprentices, we think he’d do better using his own words.
Hey EMS:
I always hear you talking about making eye contacts when you give speeches. But there are a lot of us who are just as happy wearing glasses. (I see from your website that one of YOU even wears glasses!) And other people have had that laser surgery so they can see fine without contacts. Besides, I don’t think it’s a good idea for people to be making their own eye contacts—they should leave that to the companies that have the right equipment.
Emily L., location unknown
Emily, please read carefully: we want speakers to make EYE CONTACT with their audiences—to look directly at people while they’re speaking, to help them connect directly with the group they’re addressing. Bigger groups require more eye contact. We suggest to our clients that they hold eye contact with individual audience members for a complete thought—typically 3-5 seconds. Contact lenses, glasses, laser surgery—do whatever you need to make sure you can see.
Never mind.
Emily L.
Hey EMS:
A few years ago you said that I made a bad public impression, and that my inability to connect with baseball fans was “a sore spot for the game.” How am I doing these days? Bud S., Milwaukee, WI
There’s still plenty of room for improvement, Bud. You can visit the “Speaking Tips” section of our website to review our advice. We notice you haven’t signed up for one of our training workshops yet, where you’d learn all about projecting positive energy, smiling, and relating to your audience. EMS is ready to help, and waiting for your call!
Marcy Weingartz
Sr. Business Analyst
CH Robinson Worldwide