I’ve just come across a fabulous Channel on YouTube.

THNKR posts original videos in four sub-categories: on books, prodigies, thought leaders and public speaking. The public speaking channel (called PODIUM) is described as

Embracing oration & those with something to say. From historic political speeches, to contemporary commencement addresses, to wedding toasts, the series explores various genres of speechmaking and provides inspiring insightful analysis including “how-to” content. New episodes premiere ever other week, and run about seven minutes.

Here’s an example of the well-produced content – four tips on overcoming fear of public speaking.

I also enjoyed the analysis of Obama’s 2004 Convention speech which launched his career and features commentary by American University professor Robert Lehrman and other experts.

For as long as he can remember, San Francisco Bay Area-based Austin Hill Shaw has been enraptured by creativity and the creative process. In 2004, stemming from a life-changing insight gained during a three-month meditation retreat, he began exploring the subject of creativity in earnest, wanting to understand the opportunities and challenges behind creativity’s seemingly universal appeal. Since then, he has amassed a wealth of knowledge regarding creative expression in art, science, and religion, in childhood development and adult maturation, in business and the economy, in product innovation, in both intimate and organizational relationships, and in non-ordinary states of consciousness, delving into the very core of what is means to be human. More importantly, he has striven to embody all that he’s learned, using his own life as an ongoing experiment, testing and refining his methods in his own pursuits as a writer and architectural designer.

Today, in a time of rampant job automation and outsourcing, Austin’s message regarding the importance of creativity and how to activate it is swiftly making its way out into the world. Drawing upon an innovative mix of cutting-edge science, artistic expression, and age-old spiritual wisdom, Austin presents a timely and enlivening understanding of creativity, one that ignites the full-person creative potential of individuals and organizations alike. He just released his provocative first book in his Awakening Creativity Series, a book entitled, Between The Bridge and The Water: Death, Rebirth, and Creative Awakening, and will be releasing his next book, The Shoreline of Wonder: The Path of Creativity later this summer.

Whether he is addressing a large audience or working with an individual one-on-one, Austin combines visionary insight with heartfelt empathy, profound ideas with unexpected humor, sobering seriousness with joyful irreverence, all with a remarkable sense of presence. He is a gifted story teller, one with the ability to unpack the complex subtleties of the creative process and present them in a way that can be put to use immediately. Through his keynote presentations, writing, and one-on-one coaching, and through his work with his architecture clients, Austin Hill Shaw is dedicated to helping others awaken their natural creative capacities and to share their creative gifts with others.

Find out more about Austin, his speaking and coaching offerings, and his other creative pursuits at www.austinhillshaw.com.

Pro-Track Profile

I recently talked with Austin about his background. To hear what he told me, and the plans he has to instigate creativity in the world, as well as his impressions of the National Speakers Association Pro-Track class that he is part of, click on the podcast icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:27 — 1.0MB)

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Lee Glickstein is the founder of Speaking Circles International. This article first appeared in his Relational Presence Newsletter. Lee will be talking about the Slow Speech Movement at a no-fee Masterful Public Speaking teleclass on Tuesday, July 10, noon-1 pm Pacific Time. If you are inspired to join him, click here to register.

The Slow Speech Movement: Holding Forth at the Pace of Listening, by Lee Glickstein

Time continues to speed up for so many of us and it shows up in how we communicate and I’m not here to suggest you slow down and take a pause between what should be shorter sentences because you’ve got so much to do and so do I and we don’t have control anyway of the accelerating demands of this quickening electronic pace of life that continually threatens to leave us behind if we try to catch our breath and take a moment to feel into what the next sentence wants to be, but…..

{Full breath}

If you happen to be talking to clarify, inform, or inspire, speaking at a typical pace as in the paragraph above actually wastes time and energy through miscommunication and missed communication.

When it is truly important to be heard, whether eye-to-eye or on the phone, we want to attune to the pace of actual listening. Short sentences, rather than those strung together with “and” or “so,” and without filler words such as “uh,” “um” and “you know,” are listener-friendly. A pause between sentences, within sentences, and a longer stop between spoken paragraphs are listener-heavenly.

But trying to follow these guidelines as a technique won’t do it. The Slow Speech Movement requires shifting where your voice itself is coming from. On the phone I put my hand on my belly or my heart and feel the vibration of the sound emanating from the center of my body. I feel the pleasure of my tones flowing from my being into my listener(s).

In front of a group, I often start with my hand on my heart, and go there and take a breath any time I sense I am beginning to speed.

For dramatic indication of how my own voice has transformed in the month since I started paying attention to where it is coming from, compare my voice in the video above this article with that in the current website video.

Filler Words

“Uhs” and “ums” signal you are speaking from your head. When you speak from your body you do not use filler words or string sentences together with “and” or “so.” It is not these words themselves that create disconnect with your listeners. Rather, it is where they are coming from that irritates the flow of comprehension.

Maintaining Relational Presence through your eyes with one person at a time supports the natural connection from the center of your being to theirs (or from the connection at the center of the earth if that image works for you). On the phone, without the visual support, Relational Voice requires extra attention to the body and earth connection.

The Slow Speech Movement gently asks us to practice slowing waaaaaay down with a supportive listener or group, on the phone or eye-to-eye. This may be quite uncomfortable at first and you may imagine that this pace is too boring and impractical for the “real world.” But when you finally lock into the pleasure of this way of holding forth when being heard is a priority, you will be able to pick up and vary your pace without going back into your head and losing presence.

And here is the best part. When organically arrived at, Slow Speech allows you to access more of your natural brilliance and essential clarity. The sound and feel of your voice generates pleasure within yourself, allowing your listeners to relax into their own deeper intelligence.

Watch Lee’s opening to last month’s Speak with Ease Relational Presence Training introduces and demonstrates Relational Voice. It also models the “Slow Speech Movement” discussed above.

I help edit SPEAKER Magazine for the National Speakers Association (NSA). Each month I curate the Relevant Resources column – a list of time-saving tools and technologies.

The June 2012 edition listed AV supplies for professional speakers. Speakers for speakers, so to speak…

Professional speakers have a multitude of AV needs in their home offices as well as on the platform. Whether your goal is to make money in your jammies or reduce noise interruption when presenting to live audiences, you should consider investing in your own audio products. Get started with this assortment of quality microphones, recorders, speakers, software solutions, and accessories.

Pop screen

You know when you say the letter “p” into a microphone and you hear that annoying pop noise in the audio recording? It doesn’t have to be that way. Pop filters are screens that filter the popping sounds that occur when you speak into a microphone (not to be confused with the foam covers that function as windscreens). Using a pop filter can make a significant difference in your sound quality. Check out this filter for only $15 on amazon.com.

How to Record Skype Calls

CallBurner is an application that works with Skype to record your calls and convert them directly to mp3 or wav files for the best quality. Ideal for business meetings and podcasts, CallBurner creates crisp, clean, professional recordings, and is great for keeping a call archive. PC only. Free 30-day free trial, $49.95 after.

A Simple Audio File Editor

Whether you’re new to editing, or you’re a pro who just wants an easy, yet powerful, solution, Audacity® is the package deal. A free, open source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds, Audacity supports mp3, wav and aiff files; allows users to cut, copy, splice and mix sounds together; and you can also change the speed and pitch of recordings. This is the software I use to edit all my podcasts. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

A Quality Digital Recorder

A digital voice recorder, like the Olympus VN-8100PC Digital Voice Recorder 142600, allows you to record your own presentations and interview audience members for testimonials. This one features 2 GB memory, USB connection, support for mp3 or WMA formats, a large LCD screen, and a long battery life. $82. Use it with the Olympus ME-15 Microphone. $22.

The Snowball Microphone

If you’re looking for a simple plug n’ play mic that connects to your computer and is ideal for podcasting, check out the Snowball USB Microphone. Snowball is the world’s first professional USB microphone that sounds just as good on your desktop as it does in a recording studio. The retro design is attractive and its three-way switch can handle a variety of recording applications. Connects with PC, Mac, or iPad. $66.

Screencasting

Want to speak, train, and sell more? Camtasia® Studio makes it easy. With this software, you can record presentations, product demos, and sales presentations; create interactive “screencast” training videos; and add a boost to your blog without going over budget. Available for PC and Mac. $300.

An Invisible Mic

Tech-geek speakers who want the ultimate cool onstage presence will love the Countryman E6 Omni Earset Mic. Practically invisible to live audiences, this headset captures sources clearly with excellent rejection of ambient noise, and it is incredibly comfortable to wear. $325.

A Rechargeable Wireless Microphone System

Save cash without compromising quality when you opt for the VHF-3300 2 Channel VHF Rechargeable Wireless Microphone System from VocoPro. While not in use, set microphones in the charging port on top of the receiver. The set features Squelch Circuitry to eliminate background noise, individual volume controls, LED indicators to monitor signal strength, and a range of up to 150 feet. $142.

Great Self-Contained Speaker System

Say goodbye to those backbreaking floor wedges when you discover the 150-Watt Behringer EUROLIVE B205D Speaker System, an ultra-compact PA speaker with amazing sound quality. Featuring revolutionary amplifier technology, a 3-channel mixer, two mic preamps with phantom power, dedicated stereo input and more, Eurolive delivers high power and tremendous functionality at a great price. $150.

Shure Wireless Mics

When onstage, a hands-free lavalier microphone provides freedom of mobility. The Shure SLX124/85/SM58 Dual System features a Shure SLX4 Diversity Receiver, a Shure SLX2/58 Handheld Transmitter with SM58 Microphone, a Shure WL185 Cardioid Lavalier Microphone, and a Shure SLX1 Bodypack Wireless Transmitter. In addition to serving as backup, the second (handheld) wireless mic is a great way to perform Q&A with your audience without the hassle of cables. $889.

Portable Presentation Speakers

Like the Behringer Eurolive, the GoSpeak! Pro Portable Presentation Speakers are extremely portable and pack an impressive list of features, but at a slightly higher price point. These 13 x 9 inch flat panel NXT® technology speakers slide into your laptop bag with ease and provide uniform volume throughout a room with up to 200 people. Plug them into a regular microphone, CD player, laptop, or other sound source. $290.

You can subscribe to SPEAKER magazine on the NSA website.

The recent Tech Policy Summit at the Silverado Country Club in the Napa Valley was a well organized and engaging event. Too many conferences are painful to attend; lengthy keynote speeches in windowless hotel rooms, rubber chicken and endless PowerPoint conspire to dull the senses. This event was an exception. Here’s a list of the best practices that made a difference:

Location, Location, Location

The Silverado is an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, just far enough away to encourage those who could afford to stay over to do so, but an easy drive for anyone who wanted to commute. This eliminated the temptation for people to leave early and swing by the office. The conference “room” was a deck overlooking the golf course and the Napa Valley hills. It might have been distracting, but the a/v system overcame ambient sound from the fairways and the temperature in the shade was just right. People stay awake out of doors; in darkened conference rooms they fall asleep.

An Active Backchannel

Over 900 tweets were generated on the first day of the event alone. The Agenda listed the #TPS2012 hashtag together with Twitter handles for all panel members. There was excellent WiFi and a majority of the audience engaged with the backchannel on their laptops and smartphones.

While some attendees provided a valuable “live tweeting” service listing the main points being discussed, others offered reaction, opinion and responses. For those of us who were following (and this was not confined to those who were there in person) the tweet-stream augmented the event.

There was even the phenomena of greeting people in person who you’d previously exchanged tweets with:

@KatieS: New phrase coined at Tech Policy Summit for meeting people in person after twitter chats – TWIRL: #Twitter In Real Life.

Panels Not PowerPoint

The agenda was exclusively comprised of panels. No keynotes, no PowerPoint, hence no need for a darkened room. The panelists often presented ‘point/counterpoint’ viewpoints that generated lively, sometimes heated, debates:

@kitode: Spirited debate on copyright between @mmasnick and @jttaplin of @USC @annenberg

@emilycastor: It’s getting heated! “You [@mmasnick] are not a neutral blogger, you are a shill for the technology industry.” – @JTTaplin

They checked most of the boxes in the Tips for panelists that I’ve listed in the past. Any exceptions were called out by the audience:

@pine_apple123: can we have a “Do Not Pitch” setting for @joshgalper?

Diversity

The event attracted a diverse audience: from Hollywood to Silicon Valley; the East and the West Coasts; Geeks and Legal Eagles. Tech Policy touches many areas: privacy; innovation; entrepreneurship; censorship; competitiveness; cybersecurity; a path for responsible online access; kids on Facebook; charges of incompetence and corruption in governments; complaints about the hubris of start-ups; and more, much more.

Diversity of viewpoints made for a vibrant event.

@redgraveK: love that there are 3 women (1 man) and a woman moderator on #tps2012 panel! @changetheratio #xxintech

Competent Moderators

As lively as the panels sometimes got, the humor and intelligence of the moderators was appreciated.

@whafro: You all know I appreciate a good panel moderator (99% of them suck), and @declanm is doing a mighty fine job with this one at #tps2012

Lesson Learned

Kudos to Natalie Fonseca, Co-founder and Executive Director for planning this event.

The lesson I took away was that, as the closing words from the first day stated: participants must learn to tell their stories to effect change in Tech Policy. People need to seize every opportunity to bring these issues to audiences in ways that everyday people can understand. And, as powerful as the panels at this event were, that might mean crafting an elevator speech or position statement that calls on the skills of a competent technology speechwriter.

I’m standing by … 🙂

I help edit SPEAKER Magazine for the National Speakers Association (NSA). Each month I curate the Relevant Resources column – a list of time-saving tools and technologies.

The May 2012 edition suggests resources to stimulate your creative juices. Creativity and fresh ideas are essential to the success of any professional speaker, and even naturally creative people lose their edge occasionally. Whether you’re struggling to write a book, revamp your business model, or just having a dull, uninspired day, turn to one of these resources to reignite your creative spark.

While You Were Sleeping

You already know that sleep is good for you, but did you know that we are at our most creative when we are dreaming? Listening to information while you are drifting into la-la land stimulates creativity and enables the unconscious mind to absorb information more effectively. Plug in the SoftSpeaker Pillow from NPR’s online store for the perfect combination of comfort, quality and reliable sound. The speaker is padded in soft foam and its cover is washable. $19.95. www.Shop.NPR.org

Drink Yourself Smart

A lot of “smart drinks” on the market claim to clear brain fog and stimulate creativity. Whether this one actually works or not, it packs an undeniable punch of herbs, natural compounds and organic agave syrup. The world’s first kosher drink of its kind, Brain Toniq from TrueToniqs is said to increase mental focus and help you conquer your day without all that caffeine. Order online or find it at your local health food store. $2.99/can. For a full list of ingredients, visit www.BrainToniq.com.

Add a Pop of Kuler

Want to add pizazz to your PowerPoint®? Brighten up your branding? Kuler by Adobe is a unique website that generates color themes to compliment your marketing materials and inspire a myriad of new projects. No matter what you’re creating, Kuler lets you experiment quickly with color variations and browse thousands of themes from the Kuler community. You can also upload your own images and select matching or contrasting pallets. The best part? It’s free. www.Kuler.Adobe.com.

Stumble Through It

Discover new and interesting content on the Web via StumbleUpon.com. The site, which boasts over 20 million members, lets you browse random websites with the click of a button and indicate whether you “like” or “dislike” recommendations. As you provide feedback, StumbleUpon learns what best suits your tastes. You can also sign up for email updates that further assist you in uncovering hidden gems from across the Web that are sure to get your creative juices flowing. Join for free. www.StumbleUpon.com.

Sleep on the Job

Napping is highly underrated, and these days innovative companies like Google are encouraging it to help employees get the much-needed rest they need to regenerate ideas and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The EnergyPod from MetroNaps combines stylish design with ergonomic functionality to create the ideal environment for energy enhancement. It features a contoured shape to elevate the feet, semi-private sphere, and a built-in adjustable timer. Visit www.MetroNaps.com for more details.

Start Stacking

Stuck in a rut? Start stacking, that is, compiling a list of online bookmarks that showcase your passions. Delicious.com lets you take a look at what other people find interesting on the Web, create your own “stacks” – videos, pictures, tweets, blog posts – and personalize them with your own commentary to share with the community! Drop the Delicious bookmarklet in your browser to get started. Free. www.Delicious.com.

Tune in to TED

If you haven’t heard of TED by now, do yourself a favor and click on www.TED.com to find free videos on technology, design, business, and global issues. TED Talks are invitation-only events where creative powerhouses like Bono and Bill Clinton come together to swap ideas. For a live experience designed to stimulate dialogue on a local level, you’ll want to check out TEDx events, inspired by TED’s mission – “ideas worth spreading”. Visit www.ted.com/tedx to learn more.

Mind Over Matter

Group collaboration can be challenging. XMind makes it easy with a powerful and intuitive design, simple ways to express ideas and share information to your audience, and user-friendly project tracking and task management features. With this mind-mapping software, you can create and edit topics, drag and drop to reorganize, take “mapshots,” and add attachments. Free or $49/year for XMind Pro. www.XMind.net.

Turn to Toons

Brighten up your inbox with a daily cartoon illustrated by Hugh MacLeod, bestselling author and CEO of Stormhoek USA, which markets South African wine in the States. Drawn on the backs of business cards, these delightful messages are motivational and thought-provoking. When you subscribe on his website, you’ll get access to hundreds of limited edition prints and access to special offers. Sign up for free, and be sure to follow Hugh on Twitter @gapingvoid. www.GapingVoid.com.

You can subscribe to SPEAKER magazine on the NSA website.

Joanne Westley is a senior manager in the supply chain of the UK’s Jansen Display. In her spare time Joanne likes to go mountain biking as well as hiking in the Lake District.

Presentations are stressful, and PowerPoint can make them even more so. Will the computer read your USB stick? Will the version of PowerPoint be different? Are your pictures and video going to show up right?

And, even if all that works out, will you hear a groan from the audience when they see the first slide from yet another cookie cutter slideshow?

Break the cycle and move beyond PowerPoint. There are new and exciting tools available that will let you add some spice to your talk, as well as open new avenues for collaboration.

Prezi

Prezi is the darling child of next-gen presentations. While the user interface can be daunting to a novice user, once mastered Prezi can produce murmurs of approval from your audience. While you can recreate the sterile slideshow feel within Prezi, it also has the ability to zoom in and out, rotate, and create visual experiences that are not possible from PowerPoint. Prezi can also integrate YouTube and other content seamlessly.

SlideRocket

Sliderocket will look much more familiar to PowerPoint users. It’s slide based, but offers a snazzier selection of tools and ingredients out of the box than PowerPoint. You can add charts, tables, video, and audio, and the interface is very intuitive. Be careful though, both SlideRocket and Prezi will have issues if running on a slow computer or an out of date browser.

Google Docs

The Presentations feature of Google Documents is a simple, no-nonsense slide creator. It offers the majority of the same features as PowerPoint, although it lacks the ability to insert audio and has less presentation customization. However, given the growing popularity of the Google Documents suite, this is a safe choice for group presentations since it’s likely they already have a Google account.

Whiteboards

One thing these digital formats lack is the ability to make adjustments to your presentation on the fly. Instead of PowerPoint or another online show, consider using a simple whiteboard for your presentation. This allows you to more closely tie your visual content to your talk by creating it as you go, as well as making your presentation more interactive by having the ability to answer questions on the whiteboard. Just make sure you and your audience will be comfortable with your handwriting and diagramming.

Zoho Show

Another online alternative, Zoho Show is as close to an online clone of PowerPoint as it gets. The menus and options have the same look and feel as the traditional Microsoft product, and so Zoho would be a good choice for a less technically savvy group who still wants to use an online digital platform for their presentation.

No matter which tool you choose, take the time to learn it and your material well, and your presentation will be a success. Based on my research, Prezi has the most potential for creating a Wow! experience, while Google Presentations is number one for ease of use. If you have an artistic streak, though, go for the whiteboard. Good luck!

Since 1994, Cynthia Klein has been guiding parents to creating happy and healthy families. As a speaker to over three hundred groups, Cynthia has given parents the tools and confidence to improve their family dynamics. Her presentations are interactive, highly visual and easy for parents to apply to their own family situations. Parents leave encouraged that they are able to make positive changes. Cynthia’s clients have included the parents at Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente, The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, The Children’s Health Council and Hewlett-Packard.

Cynthia works privately with parents who want to make permanent improvements in their families. The wisdom she has gained from successfully raising her strong-willed young adult daughter is invaluable in understanding each parent’s struggle and prescribing the correct solutions. Her success lies in her amazing ability to first accurately assess family dynamics. Then Cynthia creates unique and individualized strategies during her interviews with the parents. This fine-tuned approach fixes the foundation of family problems. Parents gain wisdom of how to apply their newly learned beliefs and actions to other family situations.

Cynthia authors the Middle School Mom column for the Parenting on the Peninsula magazine. Her education background includes a B.A. in Psychology from Berkeley and a Training and Human Resources Certificate from U.C. Santa Cruz along with certificates from four parent education institutions. She has also been credentialed in California and New Mexico where she taught elementary school. Her greatest pride, though, is that her 23 year-old-college graduated daughter is self-sufficient, calls her for guidance and considers Cynthia her mentor.

Cynthia’s website is Bridges 2 Understanding.

Pro-Track Profile

I met Cynthia at a recent National Speakers Association Northern California Chapter Pro-Track class and asked her about her professional focus and what attracted her to Pro-Track. To hear what she had to tell me, click on the podcast icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:07 — 1.4MB)

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Kate Peters has taught voice and communication impact for over 30 years, and is the author of the book, Can You Hear Me Now? In addition, she has been the communications trainer for many successful business clients, a featured speaker with many organizations, and a guest on the KNX Business Hour, as well as on the Wayne and Jane show in Canada, and others.

Kate stays active as an a performing artist, with several recordings , and her blog, Kate’s Voice is among the top 100 public speaking blogs in the US.

The Power of Intention: The secrets your voice reveals
by Kate Peters

I am often surprised by the lack of research in the area of voice as a barometer for the psyche, but we all know it is. I got a voice mail from my daughter the other day. All she said was, “Hi, Mom. Call me,” but I knew something was wrong. Fortunately, it was not a big problem, but how did I know there was a problem at all? It wasn’t what she said; it was how she said it. Politicians can deliver eloquent, powerful phrases in response to accusations, and we think we know they are lying, no matter what they actually say.

An Ohio State University study has shown that emotions can be “heard” in the voice. An emotion is what happens when many interconnected processes of interpretation, bodily reaction and expression happen in response to a situation, either external or internal. Emotion is physical. Therefore, since the voice IS also physical, it is no wonder that we can “hear” emotions in the voice. It happens through changes in the muscles, the breath and the brain which in turn affect the pitch, cadence, and inflection of the voice. Coupled with the ability for the voice to show emotion is the ability for the ear to pick up minute differences in the sound the voice produces. The ear can perceive 1400 different pitches and 280 different levels of volume for each pitch it can hear! So if you feel an emotion, you can be assured that no matter how hard you try to disguise it, someone will pick it up!

But what about intention? Can we pick up intentions in a person’s voice or because of their relation to emotions, or is there something else going on? Intention is what one has in mind to do or bring about, and I mean literally “in mind,” as was shown by two studies of intention. In the first, it was revealed by New York researchers that infants as young as six months old can understand our intentions, and respond to them. Another study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to show that the mirror neuron system tracks not only the actions, but also the intentions, of others. This mirror neuron system has been identified as being very important in guiding our social interactions, especially in survival and keeping us safe. Therefore, intention is a component of “trustworthiness” in social interaction and it is definitely picked up by others, which is why you need to be clear about your intention as a speaker.

Aligning your intention with others’

Public speaking often feels like a solo act. Conversation can feel that way too! In personal expression, you will almost always communicate the representation of your personal perspective. You seek to persuade others, to inform others, or to entertain others. However, if you truly need or want to communicate something, you need to consider the perspective of others. You can think of intention in public speaking as something akin to good marketing: you need to know who you are, what you do and why anyone should care. In an article called “The Power of the Ask,” Market Like a Chick blogger, Coree Silvera, says “You build your solutions based on their needs and demonstrate how your unique product or service can help them achieve their goals.” Likewise, when speaking with others, you do the same. You are not looking for their intention to be the same as yours, but you must understand how their intention for being there intersects with or conflicts with yours.

Let’s look at some obvious examples.

• A political comedian may be hysterically funny to the Democrats and offensive to the Republicans, or vice versa.
• No matter how persuasive, a pharmaceutical rep may have a hard time convincing a convention of naturopaths that his product is viable.
• The most eloquent teacher in the world will not necessarily persuade a group of restless teenagers to sit and listen to him for hours.
• If you know that you have a solution to sell and they need your solution, that doesn’t mean that their intention is to buy from you.

Speech coach, Lisa Braithwaite has an article on her blog, Speak Schmeak, which addresses intentions in a broader picture. She stresses that your words have to align with your actions, and in her examples, the actions have intentionalitiy behind them. Though not in these words, she asks you to consider this: what is the intention behind your actions?

It is safe to say that there are those who have persuaded others to listen when it was against the odds. One fine example is that of a ten-year-old boy, Dalton Sherman, who has captured the hearts of over 500,000 viewers on YouTube. Dalton is a passionate speaker who makes us believe in him because he obviously believes in himself. Dalton’s voice is strong. His words are strong, and he intends that we move together to make a strong difference in education.

Discovering Intention

How can you be more like Dalton? How can you better align your intention with your voice and your content? The first step is often to get very honest with yourself and to take inventory of what’s going on in your mind and the minds of your listeners. Make it a part of what you do in preparation for a talk or a conversation. And consider that circumstances may interfere with your intention. A sound system fails, a heckler interrupts your talk, an unexpected emotional response affects you deeply, and changes your mind. Still, an awareness of intention in yourself and others is key to more clear communication. Here are some ways to discover yours and use it well.

• Ask yourself why you are there? Are you there to convince the audience to do something? Are you there to entertain? Are you speaking to educate? Are you giving something away in order to get them to buy something else? Are you speaking on behalf of a cause? Are you using this as an opportunity to do something you weren’t actually asked to do? Did you agree to have lunch with someone because you would then be able to corner them with a topic they are not expecting? Are you apologizing? Are you wanting them to hear a grievance? There are many possibilities. Write them down and be aware of them as you craft your speech or conversation.
• It may be more difficult to clarify intention when you are asked to speak on the spur of the moment. In that situation, take a moment to consider the audience and who and why they are there. Your intention is the intersection of why YOU are there, what you have been asked to do, and why the audience should care.
• Create a personal statement of intention for each project or product you need to represent. Let that statement shape your intention in your communication with others.
• Research the purpose of the organizations and businesses for whom you speak. Find ways in which their purpose and your intention intersect and use that as a filter in your communication with them.
• You have a unique perspective and personality to bring to whatever you do. You have a voice that is unlike any other, both a physical one and a “voice” as an authentic presence in the world. Your intention is always to bring that voice to the table so you can be heard. And even though Dalton impresses us because he isn’t like most ten-year-olds, just like Dalton, you can bring your unique self to us and do so with confidence and clarity if you honestly believe in who you are what you have to say.

The final day of the 2012 Ragan Speechwriters Conference ended with a Speechwriter’s Survival Guide Panel session:

Caryn Alagno (CA), SVP, Corporate Issues at Edleman
Mike Long (ML), Freelance Speechwriter
Colin Moorehouse (CM), Freelance Speechwriter
David Murray (DM), editor of Vital Speeches of the Day
Pete Weissman (PW), Freelance Communications Strategist and Speechwriter

Fletcher Dean, Director of Leadership Communications at The Dow Chemical Company was the moderator.

1. If you are an unemployed speechwriter, or a freelancer between assignments, join an Association of communicators like IABC or NSA, volunteer to meet everyone. Then join an Association, such as for biotechnologists, where there are no other speechwriters, pass your business card around to make contacts. (CM)
2. Be known for something, develop your expertize in a specialized niche. “People need to believe you are good at something before they’ll believe you are good at everything.” (CA)
3. Use technology to be productive: Evernote to file ideas; Dragon Naturally Speaking for transcriptions; Scrivener to organize facts; voice replay on PC or Mac to have computer read speech back for proofing; Carbonite and thumb drives for backups. (PW)
4. Stop writing for the “speakers voice”, write for content. (ML)
5. Don’t follow in footsteps of old school, cynical writers who would hammer out a speech for anyone with the bucks to hire them. Connect with what you are passionate about. Connect with your industry, connect with other speechwriters. (DM)
6. Be more than a speechwriter, become a content strategist by injecting facts and statistics into speeches. Repurpose content into Op-Ed’s, Employee newsletters and more. (CA)
7. Learn the ask the right questions: What headline do you want the speech to generate? What news can the company announce? Are there any landmines or sensitive issues to avoid? What is the audience’s biggest problem? What unique point of view does the speaker bring to the issue? (PW)
8. Freelancer’s must know what their monthly “nut” is – how much do you need to earn to pay the bills? (ML)
9. Don’t charge by the hour, or word, charge by the project. You’ll work fast and make more and the client will have the comfort of knowing the total cost up front. (ML)
10. Develop a sense of humor, all speechwriters who survive learn not to take things too seriously. (DM)
11. Once you have made contact with potential clients at the level of exchanging business cards, call for a follow-up lunch, listen to their issues, ask about their life. At the end of the meeting ask for permission to keep in touch and, finally, ask if they know anyone else you can talk to. Do this with each contact and it will lead to paying clients very quickly. (CM)
12. Term what you write as “CEO remarks”, not just a speech. Consider rebranding your role to make yourself more relevant to each client. (CA)
13. Respect your skills as a storyteller who, as Hitchcock noted, is “life with the dull parts left out”. Enjoy talking to the influential people who you meet and you have the freedom to ask them probing questions. (PW)
14. Juice your creativity with a simple, practical writing exercises. Example: Describe everything you can about a chalkboard, now list the ways these qualities are like love (both are easily erased, never quite clean, leaves some dust in the air). (ML)
15. Find other outlets for your creativity beyond speeches. If the CEO won’t take your counsel, volunteer on the board of a non-profit. Write magazine articles at the weekend. (DM)
16. Expect to charge between $5,000 – $12,000 for a high-stakes speech and if you write fast and limit the re-writes you can earn $600/hr. (ML)