Ragan Speechwriters Conference: Day 3 – Tom Mucciolo

Tom Mucciolo: Get physical: How to move beyond words and help your speaker master the more important keys to speechmaking

Tom Mucciolo

Speechwriters naturally care more about words than about style. And rightly so: Words are our jobs. Finely honed speeches can deliver verbal eloquence, but this is only half the battle. The MTV Generation audience focus more on the body language of the speaker than on the words he or she says. Across diverse cultures audiences get 55% of information from visual clues given by the presenter; 38% from how it is presented; a mere 7% from the content.

Tom Mucciolo, CEO of MediaNet, a New York-based firm that teaches top corporate and political leaders how to combine words, visuals and delivery to create powerful presentations, is a recognized industry expert in visual communications, business presentations and leadership skills. He is the co-author of various books including Purpose, Movement, Color: A Strategy for Effective Presentations and a series on Using Microsoft Powerpoint.

He delivered a fascinating session on the power of body language, eye contact, and theatrical gestures for enhancing the effectiveness of speakers.

The session promised to teach the ways to:

  • Eliminate your speaker’s fear and anxiety by matching physical movement to content
  • Use gestures to control attention and increase the audience’s sense of interaction
  • Avoid common vocal problems and reduce distractions
  • Develop a seamless integration of technology and delivery
  • Mucciolo explained there are three aspects of every presentation: The Message – the things we have to say; The Visuals – evidence supporting this; the presenters Delivery Skills – supporting the lot.

    People are nervous before presenting because the words “I� and “me� go through their head (something we later heard bothers Homeland Security Czar Tom Ridge) – they focus on themselves, not the audience.

    Presenters need to know positioning and body language skills. These tips sound picky but it’s equivalent to a typo of body language not to be consistent. Executives freak over typos on slide — that’s only 7% of the information!

    Mucciolo’s checklist for effective presentations included:

    Positioning skills

    LEFT is Right

    Position the presenter to the left of the screen so reading patterns are honored.

    Stand at an angle

    The position of the body closer to or further from the audience raises or lowers intimacy. Become aware of the triangle formed with the presenter, audience and content. Move the body within this space to keep peoples attention. If the presenter is locked in one space the speech becomes ‘talk radio’, people tune out and Blackberry use increases. Move closer to the audience to grab their attention (and their hearts and minds will follow).

    A speaker behind a lectern is worst. If lecterns did anything, we’d wear them to work! They are security blankets for speakers.

    The exposure of the body is the highest form of skill for communicators. Emails and phone conversations can be misinterpreted since they are one-dimensional. People see bodies that move, understanding increases.

    Actors know how to use the tilt of the head alone to alter the tone a conversation. Tilt head back: big picture; straight on: basic information; lean forward: more personal. This works on the TV screen and in close ups for speakers in big auditoriums. Practicing this skill will feel awkward, but become more natural over time.

    Speakers need to take chances and move beyond their comfort zone.

    All in the shoulders

    45-degrees to audience is the rest position. Don’t stand squared on all the time, it’s just like yelling constantly, you lose impact. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Stand squared on is your power position. Use it sparingly.

    Upstaging errors

    Don’t turn your back on the audience to read PowerPoint

    Being able to read is not a compelling skill.

    (And the less content visible to the audience on PowerPoint the more eloquence and power there is.)

    Don’t cross your body with your right hand

    This closes you off to your audience. Staying physically open increases your credibility and says to the audience Give me your best shot, go ahead!.

    Don’t tease, let them see your expertise.

    Crowd pleasing tips

    Welcome Hand

    Establish eye contact

    Reach out with open palms

    As welcoming as a handshake. Use it to invite audience feedback. Don’t just flip your palms. Hold the gesture.

    Phrase and pause

    Avoid fillers and excessive pacing which sows you are searching for the next thing to say.

    Talk to individuals

    Get agreement

    SMILE

    If you’re not having a good time presenting the audience won’t enjoy it. When you laugh your heart is open – it can’t be rehearsed, it’s an internal emotion, like tears. After a joke gets the audience laughing the presenter has a 30-second pass to say anything they want and it’ll go into long-term memory. It stretches the rubber band of the emotion.

    But don’t start a talk with a joke to break the ice. Whose cold, anyway? Use humor later on in the talk and remember that observation humor is better that canned jokes.

    Taking a stand

    Hands at the side, always shown

    This might feel awkward at first, but it looks best. The expert exposes the body. Use your hands to create speech that’s three-dimensional.

    Elbows and knees unlocked

    Feet shoulder-width apart

    Weight unevenly distributed

    Doctor and Patient This makes gestures look natural. More symmetrical actions are unnatural. Shifted weight conveys authority. Squaddies stand at attention, the top brass are all relaxed. The relaxed doctor gives the diagnosis to the upright, tense patient.

    What FEELS unnatural LOOKS natural. Presentations are not about you, they’re about the audience.

    Avoid the stance of the Gunfighter; Head waiter; 3rd Base coach; Conversationalist.

    There are only three possible relationships. We are all either:
    Clinton Wagging FingerThe Parent-Child
    The Brother-sister
    The Husband-Wife

    The famous moment on TV when Clinton scolded the interviewer who’d asked him if he’d had sexual relationships with Monica Lewinsky showed him acting as a parent. He realized a President is legitimate to the extent he’s perceived as a Parent. So, Clinton’s very specific gesture when denying sex with Monica was the parental wagging of a finger. An open palm response at that moment would’ve been asking for forgiveness and probably scuppered his Presidency.

    Speaking up: Tips on using your voice

    Be aware of the difference when you write for men vs. women.

    Females have big voice advantage – their lower center of gravity delivers a more melodious voice and can carry longer phrases. Men sound off key and do better with shorter phrases. Men should breathe between phrases but can project with better volume. Men can project to back of room while women sound shrill. Men should create interaction wherever possible. Women should pick a guy for an interactive question to make them sound good. Make your first interactive question one of opinion not of fact. If they get one wrong you’re out of favor.

    Your voice can help you get out of awkward situations. Use one of these three ‘E’ words to keep the audience on your side if you face hostile questions:

    Can you give me an Example, or Explain that or Elaborate on that.

    An audience member will want to be on their best behavior to gain points with fellow audience members. Don’t allow audience members to lose their dignity or lose face in front of their peers. Never ask them questions they’ll be wrong on. If they give an incorrect answer, rephrase the question.

    In summery, the three things an effective presenter should always do:

    1. SHIFT your weight
    2. SHOW the palms of your hands
    3. SHOW their teeth, smile to express energy and joy.

    And remember, go easy on The Man. Good coaches don’t try and change too much at once.

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