The British press reports that John (Monty Python) Cleese has offered his services as a speechwriter to Barrack Obama if he wins the Democratic nomination to become US president.

Cleese, famous both Monty Python and his portrait of Basil Fawlty, proprietor of the Fawlty Towers guest house, calls Obama “a brilliant man”. One assumes his speechwriting would have the same sensitivity and wit as his well-known comedy scenes from Fawlty Towers, such as this one where he is welcoming some German guests to the hotel:

Basil: Right, right, here’s the plan. I’ll stand there and ask them if they want something to drink before the war … before their lunch … don’t mention the war!
2nd German: Can we help you?
Basil: Ah … you speak English.
2nd German: Of course.
Basil: Ah wonderful. Wounderbar! Ah – please allow me to introduce myself – I am the owner of Fawlty Towers, and may I welcome your war, your wall, you wall, you all . . . and I hope that your stay will be a happy one. Now would you like to eat first, or would you like a drink before the war . . . ning that, er, trespassers will be – er, er – tied up with piano wire . . . Sorry! Sorry! Bit of trouble with the old leg . . . got a touch of shrapnel in the war . . . Korean, Korean war, sorry, Korean.

This would go down a treat in the current political climate in the USA. The Clinton camp will be laughing long and hard if he gets the job.

Kudos to John Kinde for a couple of full reports on the National Speakers Association (NSA) Presentation and Performance Lab which took place over the weekend in Las Vegas.

His report on day one of the conference shares a tip from keynote speaker Giovanni Livera useful for both speakers and speech writers:

…a storyboarding technique using colored Post-It Notes to visually see the flow of audience-impact-moments in your speech (color-coding each type of speech segment; stories from the heart, audience participation, music, etc. Pick categories most relevant to the texture of your speech.)

His second report covers the last two days of the event. Among the dozens of ‘keepers’ John records are many of equal value to speakers and writers:

• Make your spoken word imaginative and more precise.
• When you write a speech: Write it. Speak it. Write it. Speak it.
• Your job as a storyteller is to be an observer.
• Stories are not complicated. They are simple…but difficult to create.
• Transcribe your talk and then edit to eliminate the unnecessary words.

Thanks to John, this was one time when what happened in Las Vegas did not stay in Las Vegas.

Back in September 2006 I had the pleasure of attending a seminar on presentation skills given by Granville Toogood. As I wrote at the time:

What made the event worthwhile for me was seeing (Toogood) in action — coaching volunteers from the audience. He showed how difficult it is for any speaker to actually implement systematic change, to step out of their comfort zone.

The one problem is that these seminars were mostly taught on the East Coast. However, this issue is now resolved. Today’s Financial Times has a full page ad for a free April 24th web seminar where Toogood will offer tips and tricks on learning to speak like a seasoned pro in every important business opportunity.

During this unrehearsed one hour session, Mr. Toogood will coach an executive through an actual presentation and demonstrate many of the same advanced communications techniques he has taught to over two thirds of the Fortune 500 CEOs.

Sounds like a deal.

Last week’s news that Bill & Hillary Clinton’s tax returns show they have earned $109 million over the last eight-years since leaving the White House highlighted the runaway success President Clinton has a professional speaker. His podium fees account for nearly half their family income. The former president’s vigorous lecture schedule, where his speeches command upwards of $250,000, brought in almost $52 million.

Bill would be welcome both as a member of both the National Speakers Association and the International Federation For Professional Speakers.

On September 26th, 2006 he earned $450,000 for one London speech. He’s earned $5.2 million in Canada alone.

These numbers support the claim that Bill Clinton is one of the most successful, compelling public speakers alive today. Of course, he has a unique biography and perspective on the world – anyone who has spent eight years as President will bring that to an event. But I very much doubt that audiences will be paying to see the current inhabitant of the Oval Office when he saddles up and rides off into the sunset.

Bill commands these fees because he delivers value for money. He’s a consummate professional on the podium whose skills as a public speaker, charisma, and ability to entertain audiences around the world keep him in demand. I’m sure he turns down many more offers to speak – at any price – than he accepts. Heck, for all I know, there are interns working at the Clinton Global Initiative Office calling up heads of state to decline invitations every day of the week.

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.

Canadian freelancer Colin Moorhouse writes about his proven formula for finding new clients:

• Publish a Web site and/or blog showcasing your expertize
• Teach speechwriting seminars
• Publish articles on the subjects of speechwriting and rhetoric in consumer and trade publications

You can find out more about Colin by reading his website or blog and signing up for his free newsletters.

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:07 — 965.1KB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

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.

One of the highlights of the Press Conference held at Hewlett-Packard earlier this month was the premier of a video showcasing the latest innovations from HP Labs.

The video features some of the 600+ scientists and engineers from around the world who work at Labs explaining their research in nanotechnology, sustainability, predicting the behavior of crowds, context aware computing and more. But this is not just a dry ‘talking heads’ film. The video uses creative animations to make each invention come alive. The researchers show what inspires them and explain how they turn their dreams into reality.

My favorite segment is Philip Stenton’s stunning demonstration of Mediascapes. This context-aware solution transforms the quotidian into the phantasmagorical. He illustrates how the technology is “like rolling out a digital carpet on a physical landscape” as the downtown street around him morphs into a medieval castle with fire breathing dragons. Gamers, eat your hearts out! Philip then shows how the same technology can be used in the business world as he uses Mediascapes ‘X-Ray Vision’ capability to uncover wiring schematics buried behind walls and conduits beneath the city streets. Coming soon to a city maintenance department near you?

I was also fascinated by Andrew Bowell’s explanation of BookPrep digitization which takes print-on-demand to a whole new level. This makes it possible to bring back into print every book ever printed. The possibilities for people to build profitable small businesses catering to niche markets with customized reprints of books are endless. Mash-ups of recipe books (pun intended) are first out of the chute at the Foodsville community portal.

The video lasts just under seven minutes. Take the time to witness state-of-art in high tech research profiled in a state-of-the-art video. Click the play button below.

In addition to the video of Shane Robison, Foremski’s blog has a longer clip of Head of Marketing Michael Mendenhall, Labs Director Prith Banerjee and CEO Mark Hurd discussing the new blueprint for R&D in the Labs: