The Business Section of the Sunday New York Times deveotes a quarter-page to sharing eight tips on public speaking. Columnist Phyllis Korkki’s Career Couch answers questions such as “You have been asked to give a speech, and even though you’re an expert on the topic, you feel terrified. Why?”

The advice shared is all spot-on: rehearse beforehand; use an outline rather than a script; slow down your delivery and use vocal variety; minimize PowerPoint; harness nervous energy and turn it into enthusiasm.

The last piece of advice is attributed to “a set of tips prepared by the National Speakers Association”. Since Ms. Korrki does not say which document she found these tips in, I can only encourage readers to check out the various educational programs the NSA has on offer.

Meanwhile, I can attribute the amusing cartoon of a speaker looking like a deer in the headlights to the Times article.

Carlos Gutierrez is an inspirational bilingual speaker.

Carlos is a survivor. He’s survived several car accidents and paralysis. Carlos’s story is captivating; not only for his achievements, but for his circumstances and his challenging positive attitude. His inspiration comes from the heart.

Carlos is an entrepreneur. In the last five years, he has built three different businesses, and has inspired thousands of people with his presentations and his sales career in Finance and Real Estate. Carlos is writing a book in Spanish to help and inspire people in his native language. Eventually, he plans to write the book in English.

Carlos speaks on his passions: Education, Real Estate Investment, Love, Compassion, Suicide Prevention, Parenting, Marriage, Wealth, Happiness and Life Purpose, Human and Civil Rights.

I asked Carlos to explain more about his speaking topics and what value he’s finding in the National Speakers Association Pro-Track program. To hear what he told me, click on the podcast icon below.

 

 Interview: Carlos Guiterrez [4:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thanks to KC in the Toastmaster’s group I belong to for a link to Changing Minds.

This website has over 2500 suggestions on how we can change the ways others think, believe, feel and do. Since the point of all pubic speaking is to change the audience’s mind (otherwise, why bother?) there’s a boat-load of useful tips and tricks for speakers and speechwriters in here. Everything from the persuasive power of Storytelling in a presentation to confidence tricks to watch out for (heaven forbid you’d actually consider using them!)

While some of the material, though fascinating, is tangential to public speaking, most is right on the money. Here’s an example of the importance of the power of three in a speech:

Use three related words or phrases to grab attention, encapsulate, summarize.

This can be three single words, three phrases or three complete sentences.

The three items can be any three items that fit together to make an impact, including:

• The same item each time, hammering home the point.
• Three key themes that together cover a wide area.
• Three items that act in sequence to get to a desired goal.
• Two problems and a solution that resolves the problem.
• Two actions or objectives and a solution that will result from achieving these.
• The three items can be connected in by a rising or reducing pitch for each one. Going up increases emotion, going down closed on finality and certainty.

Example:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. (Mark Anthony)

Our objectives are clear: Saddam Hussein’s forces will leave Kuwait. The legitimate government of Kuwait will be restored to its rightful place, and Kuwait will once again be free. (George Bush, Snr, 1990)

There is no cause for pride in what has happened in Selma. There is no cause for self-satisfaction in the long denial of equal rights of millions of Americans. But there is cause for hope and for faith in our Democracy in what is happening here tonight. (L.B.Johnson — ‘we shall overcome’ speech, 1965)

This website deserves to be bookmarked for future reference.

Rhetoric, the technique of persuasion through the use of the spoken word, has been in the news as the contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton heats up.

It’s refreshing for speechwriters and public speakers to see this. Under the current administration there’s little need to ponder issues of rhetoric, any more than bald men need concern themselves with the hairbrush and comb. But now we have two equally passionate and articulate contenders debating, the nuances of public speaking are getting an airing.

There are points being scored on both sides.

Is Hillary hoist by her own petard?

Consider the first lady and her claim that:

“Speeches don’t put food on the table,” she said. “Speeches don’t fill up your tank or fill your prescription . . . That’s the difference between me and my Democratic opponent. My opponent gives speeches, I offer solutions.”

Yes, but both candidates give speeches. That’s their day jobs. These are not pictures of Hillary filling a prescription or pumping gas. Other people engage in these activities.

In offering this observation she is attempting to lay claim to a level of technocratic competence which she thinks Obama lacks. However, the weakness in the argument is how she proposed it…in a speech.

This is a picture of Hillary delivering a speech. She is a fine public speaker. Her husband is a masterful one. It’s best for those who have mastered a craft not to denigrate it.

Does Obama Xerox his speeches?

When Hillary accuses Barack of Xerox’ing change, she is alleging plagiarism in the content of speeches. Obama recently acknowledged that sections of a speech he gave should have been credited to his friend Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts. He also claimed that Senator Clinton had borrowed some phrases he used.

This is just silly.

The English language is a rich source from which to construct original speeches. What probably happens is that the communications professionals, legions of advisor’s and, indeed, speechwriters, encourage the candidate’s to use a limited choice of “hot button” phrases. There’s a whole industry which uses focus groups to test certain phrases over others. Republican strategist Frank Luntz’s book Words that Work advises politicians as well as corporations about the persuasive use of language. Nothing wrong with using words to persuade (the definition of rhetoric) but the effect of this approach when combined with the repetition of the TV ad and the sound-bite is to limit the range of discourse.

Neither candidate should risk repeating speech content used by another. In a pre-Google era it might have escaped notice. Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying “Originality is the art of concealing your sources”. Such concealment just ain’t possible today.

The Code of Professional Ethics of the National Speakers Association states:

Article 4:
The NSA member shall avoid using – either orally or in writing – materials, titles or thematic creations originated by others unless approved in writing by the originator.

It may be time for these candidates to join our Association?

This Thursday kicks-off a 4-day SpeakerPalooza in San Francisco - the National Speakers Association’s “Rock n’ Roll” themed Winter Workshop.

There promises to be a wealth of information in this smaller-sized conference - a refreshing alternative to the summer madhouse conferences. I’m especially looking forward to the panel on The Art and Craft of Telling Stories; the workshop on How to be a Rock Star Using Audience Interaction and The Art and Craft of the Written Word with New York Times bestselling author Bob Mayer.

If it’s anything like other NSA Conferences there will also be plenty of intriguing hallway conversations. Plus some happening Backstage Parties.

I’ll bring my digital recorder along and see if I can’t find a few rock stars from the world of professional speaking to cut a podcast with, man.

Here’s a gem from YouTube. A candid video of a very youthful Eric Schmidt in his early days as a manager at Sun Microsystems practicing his public speaking skills in a company-sponsored training class:

He’s being trained on how to better present and also how to handle hostile questions from an audience. His content is a nice insight into the Sun culture of the day.

You can hear him address the issue of criticisms he’s overpaid at 12:26 (before his Google billions) which gets a round of applause. This is followed at 13:00 by his self-assessment of his abilities as a public speaker and it’s apparent how open he is to honest critiques from the audience.

Wonderfully instructive session that shows how senior managers can benefit from presentation skills training.

This according to sales pro Frank Rumbaskus in Chapter 7 of his new book Selling SUCKS — mastery of public speaking skills will benefit any salesperson.

He lists some of the benefits as they specifically relate to sales:

• Your prospects will hear you clearly and never ask you to repeat yourself.
• Your louder voice will enable you to practice better body language, such as leaning back when talking with prospects.
• You will learn how to get your point across with fewer words, thereby appearing more profound.
• Your speech will slow down to a level that creates the appearance of supreme confidence.
• You will begin to naturally add pauses to your speech, again creating the appearance of confidence, because pausing conveys that you know you have their interest and are not afraid of losing it.
• You’ll practice better and more trustworthy eye contact with prospects.
• You will learn the proper posture and stance to make the best impression if you happen to make any presentations while on your feet.
• You’ll learn how to move about in the most effective way when addressing multiple people.
• You’ll learn how to divide your eye contact when addressing multiple people.

He also claims that having the ability to present in public increases your status and your value in the eyes of your prospects and customers.

When you speak at an event, whether it’s big or small, you automatically establish yourself as the leader and the person with the highest status in that room. Decision makers who have the ability to buy from you will recognize this and will tend to seek you out. They will value your advice and opinions far more than they do those of average salespeople who do not put themselves in leadership positions by speaking publicly.

No matter if you sell Fuller Brushes, waterless cookware or are just peddling ideas, this advice is right on.

Why do more people with law degrees than MBA’s run for President? Is there something about the cut-and-thrust of the courtroom which prepares a person for politics, versus an ability to deliver an annual report or run a PowerPoint presentation?

I’ve always been impressed by senior managers whose skills at the podium light up an audience. Being a success as a presenter, however, does not guarantee advancement in business. Many top managers were clearly promoted in spite of, not because of, their public speaking abilities. So it is worth an executives time to invest in improving their rhetorical skills?

Michael Skapinker argues in his column in Tuesday’s FT that chief executives should learn the art of oratory. He hits the nail on the head when he highlights the fact that lawyers are better prepared for politics because they are used to being interrupted (by the judge or opposing counsel) when they speak in public. CEO’s, on the other hand, might give plenty of presentations, but no-one answers back when they speak. Poor preparation for Prime Minister’s Question Time, what?

Skapinker notes the contrast, on a panel at Davos last week, between Tony Blair and his new employer, James Dimon, head of JP Morgan Chase as being “like watching the new Australian Open Champion…warming up with a ballboy.”

View the first 5 minutes of the opening panel at Davos and judge for yourself if Skapinker is being too harsh:

But, again, why should CEO’s bother to improve in this area?

Chief executives are there to do, not speak - to make decisions, conclude deals, damp down crises. (But) if you are going to speak on so many platforms, you might as well do it properly.

So, as always, the advice is deceptively simple:

• When you present on a podium, keep it simple and keep it concrete
• Avoid abstract proclamations

Simplex sigillum veri.

Canadian Toastmaster and award-winning speaker and speech evaluator Andrew Dlugan has compiled a fantastic list of Public Speaking Blogs. He currently lists 75 blogs which cover a wide range of topics: speech delivery, visual presentation design, speechwriting, humor, personal development, and interpersonal communication.

I’m honored that Professionally Speaking is included in the list.

He includes a link to a sample posting for each blog. There’s also a useful OPML button at the end to allow you to import all 75 blogs into an RSS reader in one step (this is a little tricky. If, like me, you use Bloglines, first save the OPML file, then use [Edit] [Import Subscriptions] to load all the RSS feeds into a single folder.)

Andrew is actively soliciting more Public Speaking bloggers to contact him and have their blog added to his list.

Useful Video Critiques

Andrew’s blog has other great content. I especially like his video critiques of various speeches. These use YouTube videos to allow you to see the speech being delivered, then, in true Toastmaster style, a thoughtful evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each speaker. I especially liked his critique of Steve Jobs’s well-known Stanford Commencement Address and Al Gore’s talk at the 2006 TED Conference.

Thanks, Andrew, for a great resource for all speakers!

Great series on public speaking by Aliza Sherman!

Part 1: Public Speaking to Market Your Business
Part 2: Finding Gigs.