Now Craig is one speaker I really look forward to hearing from.
While his speeches edify us it is his great sense of humor that grabs our attention and keeps us engrossed for the duration.
Many speakers brand themselves. For e.g. Darren LaCroix brands himself as a comic speaker. Personally I find Craig far more humorous than Darren at any given day. That is just my take on it.
Here are some great tips from Craig. I love these tips and want to share with you.
Reflections on the Art of Public Speaking
1. You can't affect if they don't reflect
2. Don't restate your story. Relive it and invite your
audience into your re-living room
3. When you lift yourself up, you let your audience down
4. What's loose is lost (hint: this is about content)
5. Speak to one but look to all
6. Promise something at the beginning that makes them stay
until the end
7. Too many speakers try to get across too much information
in too little time
8. Don't add humor; uncover it
9. What gets recorded gets rewarded
10. Perfection sucks
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
heed this
One of the challenges some speakers, atleast me, face, is to come up with a speech title.
I remember the first speech I made at ToastMasters. It was an icebreaker. I titled my speech,'sleep breaker', very imaginative:(
I was invited by the Toastmaster of the meeting to change the title to something more meaningful, I declined the offer.
It was only after I delivered the speech that I realized I could have come up with at atleast two catchy titles. One, "Everything you wanted to know about me, but were too uninterested to ask".
The speech started with a death in my family and ended with a birth, that of my son. I realized, another great title would have been "From Death To Birth". Considering that this is against the normal flow of life it would have been a real attention grabber.
Focus on the content of your speech and the title will come to you. Save time by not bothering to create a title before you create a speech.
Your speech titles are a lot like headlines. The right title can pique audience interest and get you a bigger audience.
I remember the first speech I made at ToastMasters. It was an icebreaker. I titled my speech,'sleep breaker', very imaginative:(
I was invited by the Toastmaster of the meeting to change the title to something more meaningful, I declined the offer.
It was only after I delivered the speech that I realized I could have come up with at atleast two catchy titles. One, "Everything you wanted to know about me, but were too uninterested to ask".
The speech started with a death in my family and ended with a birth, that of my son. I realized, another great title would have been "From Death To Birth". Considering that this is against the normal flow of life it would have been a real attention grabber.
Focus on the content of your speech and the title will come to you. Save time by not bothering to create a title before you create a speech.
Your speech titles are a lot like headlines. The right title can pique audience interest and get you a bigger audience.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Learning Public Speaking From Barrack Obama
One would think all politicians are great speakers. Not quite, when you hear Hillary speak for example, your Toastmaster's Ah Counter would start automatically and go on and on, counting.
Barrack Obama is an outstanding speaker, and personally, a great politician.
I found a nice article on his speech techniques. A really neat one. I liked it, I hope you do as well.
___________________________________________________________________________________
How to Inspire People Like Obama
By Carmine Gallo
Public speaking skills are critical to the success of every leader. Over the past several years, I have been interviewing, observing, and writing about business, academic, and political leaders who have the ability to influence their audience – leaders who fire up the rest of us. Whatever your political leanings, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is one of them. For a look at what makes Obama’s public speaking skills so effective, I outline four techniques this Presidential hopeful has mastered and explain ways to use them in your own repertoire.
1. Hold Out Hope
Like Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama speaks in the uplifting rhetoric of hope. After his defeat in New Hampshire, Obama’s political oratory was so hopeful he sounded more like a winner than a runner–up. Obama knew a hopeful message would embolden his supporters. In a speech on Jan. 8, 2008, Obama said, “We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change… We have been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.”
You are the leader people want to believe in. Your customers and employees are bombarded by bad news – the credit crunch, a housing slump, an economic slowdown – but they are eager to hear something positive. That doesn’t mean leaders stick their heads in the sand – far from it. Inspiring leaders acknowledge the situation but also remind people of reasons to be optimistic.
2. Use Rhetorical Devices
Many observers say Obama sounds like King. This is because he uses some of the same techniques that made King an electrifying speaker.
Parallel structure. We can thank the ancient Greeks for this rhetorical tool – they called it “anaphora.” It simply means repeating the same word or expression at the beginning of successive sentences or phrases. One of the most famous examples is King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed…. I have a dream that… I have a dream…” Obama uses the same device frequently. In his Iowa victory speech on Jan. 3, Obama said, “You have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do. You have done what the state of New Hampshire can do in five days. You have done what America can do in this new year.”
Anaphora’s sister technique is called “epistrophe.” It is the repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive sentences or phrases. For example, in Obama’s New Hampshire speech, the expression “Yes, we can” rallied thousands of supporters when used like this, “It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out for distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.”
Alliteration. Both Kennedy and King were fond of this device that strings together words starting with similar sounds. At the 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote speech that brought Obama to prominence, he said, “Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?” In 2005, during a commencement speech at Knox College, Obama described America as “a place where destiny was not a destination, but a journey to be shared and shaped…” When speaking at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in August, 2006, Obama proclaimed, “The history of America is one of tragedy turned into triumph.” In January’s New Hampshire speech, Obama used alliteration again: “We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics.”
Rich Imagery. Persuasive speakers have long understood the power of imagery to stir emotions – the creation of mental pictures through the words. In his 2004 speech, Obama described what he meant by the audacity of hope: “It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs, the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores, the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta, the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds, the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.”
3. Exude Confidence
In debates Obama appears unflappable, answering tough questions while maintaining strong eye contact. He doesn’t fidget or shake his head when listening to sharp attacks from his opponents. While seated, he leans slightly forward. People will make an impression of you after only a few seconds. Pay attention to what your body is saying. Communicate confidence, competence, and control.
4. Use Dynamic Vocal Delivery
A monotonous speaking style lulls the listener to sleep, regardless of the power of the content. Obama knows how to enhance his delivery. Consider these three aspects of his delivery.
Pacing. Obama varies the speed at which he speaks. Very few sentences are delivered at exactly the same pace.
Volume. In his victory speech after the Iowa caucuses, Obama raised the volume of his speech with each sentence in the following paragraph: “We are one nation. We are one people. And our time for change has come.”
Pauses. Nothing is as dramatic as a well–placed pause, and Obama knows it. He pauses at key moments to make a memorable impact.
Obama connects with millions of people thanks to his public speaking skills. Consider learning from him to influence your own audience.
Carmine Gallo is a communications coach for the world's most admired brands. His book, "Fire Them Up!", contains insights from top business leaders who inspire through the language of motivation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Barrack Obama is an outstanding speaker, and personally, a great politician.
I found a nice article on his speech techniques. A really neat one. I liked it, I hope you do as well.
___________________________________________________________________________________
How to Inspire People Like Obama
By Carmine Gallo
Public speaking skills are critical to the success of every leader. Over the past several years, I have been interviewing, observing, and writing about business, academic, and political leaders who have the ability to influence their audience – leaders who fire up the rest of us. Whatever your political leanings, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is one of them. For a look at what makes Obama’s public speaking skills so effective, I outline four techniques this Presidential hopeful has mastered and explain ways to use them in your own repertoire.
1. Hold Out Hope
Like Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama speaks in the uplifting rhetoric of hope. After his defeat in New Hampshire, Obama’s political oratory was so hopeful he sounded more like a winner than a runner–up. Obama knew a hopeful message would embolden his supporters. In a speech on Jan. 8, 2008, Obama said, “We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change… We have been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.”
You are the leader people want to believe in. Your customers and employees are bombarded by bad news – the credit crunch, a housing slump, an economic slowdown – but they are eager to hear something positive. That doesn’t mean leaders stick their heads in the sand – far from it. Inspiring leaders acknowledge the situation but also remind people of reasons to be optimistic.
2. Use Rhetorical Devices
Many observers say Obama sounds like King. This is because he uses some of the same techniques that made King an electrifying speaker.
Parallel structure. We can thank the ancient Greeks for this rhetorical tool – they called it “anaphora.” It simply means repeating the same word or expression at the beginning of successive sentences or phrases. One of the most famous examples is King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed…. I have a dream that… I have a dream…” Obama uses the same device frequently. In his Iowa victory speech on Jan. 3, Obama said, “You have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do. You have done what the state of New Hampshire can do in five days. You have done what America can do in this new year.”
Anaphora’s sister technique is called “epistrophe.” It is the repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive sentences or phrases. For example, in Obama’s New Hampshire speech, the expression “Yes, we can” rallied thousands of supporters when used like this, “It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out for distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.”
Alliteration. Both Kennedy and King were fond of this device that strings together words starting with similar sounds. At the 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote speech that brought Obama to prominence, he said, “Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?” In 2005, during a commencement speech at Knox College, Obama described America as “a place where destiny was not a destination, but a journey to be shared and shaped…” When speaking at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in August, 2006, Obama proclaimed, “The history of America is one of tragedy turned into triumph.” In January’s New Hampshire speech, Obama used alliteration again: “We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics.”
Rich Imagery. Persuasive speakers have long understood the power of imagery to stir emotions – the creation of mental pictures through the words. In his 2004 speech, Obama described what he meant by the audacity of hope: “It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs, the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores, the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta, the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds, the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.”
3. Exude Confidence
In debates Obama appears unflappable, answering tough questions while maintaining strong eye contact. He doesn’t fidget or shake his head when listening to sharp attacks from his opponents. While seated, he leans slightly forward. People will make an impression of you after only a few seconds. Pay attention to what your body is saying. Communicate confidence, competence, and control.
4. Use Dynamic Vocal Delivery
A monotonous speaking style lulls the listener to sleep, regardless of the power of the content. Obama knows how to enhance his delivery. Consider these three aspects of his delivery.
Pacing. Obama varies the speed at which he speaks. Very few sentences are delivered at exactly the same pace.
Volume. In his victory speech after the Iowa caucuses, Obama raised the volume of his speech with each sentence in the following paragraph: “We are one nation. We are one people. And our time for change has come.”
Pauses. Nothing is as dramatic as a well–placed pause, and Obama knows it. He pauses at key moments to make a memorable impact.
Obama connects with millions of people thanks to his public speaking skills. Consider learning from him to influence your own audience.
Carmine Gallo is a communications coach for the world's most admired brands. His book, "Fire Them Up!", contains insights from top business leaders who inspire through the language of motivation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Top Five Inspirational Videos
That such touching and inspirational videos exist on the internet was an eye opener to me.
Here is one on enjoying life's journey and not just its final destination.
Here is one on Michael Jordan's secret of success, and it has nothing to do with the sport:
Gene Hackman delivers a motivational speech in the locker room:
Mind is important, but your body matters, equally.
Ok...ok you don't have to be dead serious or mournful to partake of life's lessons. Here is a wickedly funny gag. It does have a message though: great things can be achieved if we work together.
Here is one on enjoying life's journey and not just its final destination.
Here is one on Michael Jordan's secret of success, and it has nothing to do with the sport:
Gene Hackman delivers a motivational speech in the locker room:
Mind is important, but your body matters, equally.
Ok...ok you don't have to be dead serious or mournful to partake of life's lessons. Here is a wickedly funny gag. It does have a message though: great things can be achieved if we work together.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Why god made them so cute...
A few weeks ago my blogging venture suffered a setback.
My toddler son ripped apart half my computer keyboard. So thorough was his job that I could not simply press the eviscerated keys back into the key pad. I had to glue each one of them individually. Once I did that however my keys lost their springs and I ended up pressing each of them hard in order to type. It was terrible, not only did it slow down my typing but surprisingly it affected my flow of thoughts.
And before that he emptied a full bottle of oil on my bed...
And before that he stuffed 20 toys down the heating vent...
And before that...well ..you get the idea.
But what did he get for all this. A few timeouts at the most.
Why, because he is so darned cute and his tears tug at your heart.
Now I understand why god made them so cute....they could not survive into adulthood otherwise.
My toddler son ripped apart half my computer keyboard. So thorough was his job that I could not simply press the eviscerated keys back into the key pad. I had to glue each one of them individually. Once I did that however my keys lost their springs and I ended up pressing each of them hard in order to type. It was terrible, not only did it slow down my typing but surprisingly it affected my flow of thoughts.
And before that he emptied a full bottle of oil on my bed...
And before that he stuffed 20 toys down the heating vent...
And before that...well ..you get the idea.
But what did he get for all this. A few timeouts at the most.
Why, because he is so darned cute and his tears tug at your heart.
Now I understand why god made them so cute....they could not survive into adulthood otherwise.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Losing But Still Coming Out A Winner
Those of you who read one of my earlier posts the message will know that I had been preparing for an area level contest of Toastmasters.
Well, I competed and ...lost.
I was disappointed for sure, but also very gratified by my performance.
You see the only person I was comparing to ... was myself. And I had beaten me.
This was my best performance to date. I hope soon to host the videos of my first speech, the Ice Breaker I delivered in August 2007 to the latest speech that I delivered in April 2008.
The difference is obvious.
As Darren LaCroix, one of the Toastmaster world champions of public speaking often states...it is stage time, stage time, stage time.
Well, I competed and ...lost.
I was disappointed for sure, but also very gratified by my performance.
You see the only person I was comparing to ... was myself. And I had beaten me.
This was my best performance to date. I hope soon to host the videos of my first speech, the Ice Breaker I delivered in August 2007 to the latest speech that I delivered in April 2008.
The difference is obvious.
As Darren LaCroix, one of the Toastmaster world champions of public speaking often states...it is stage time, stage time, stage time.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Your Fraternal Twin
The following is the text of a speech I delivered at the Area level contest of Toastmasters.
It is one from my heart. Not only do I start with a personal incident, the whole speech is based on my personal belief of the importance of public perceptions. One that I believe with every fibre of my existence.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Way back in my 8th grade I transferred to a new school. I was the only new kid in the class. Everyone else knew one another from grade 1.
Being shy and reserved only made it worse for me. I tried to become invisible, meld into the walls and the desks.
I never answered any questions let alone raise questions. You would not hear a single word escape from my mouth.
Because I kept to myself I was perceived as not too bright up here....until an event took place with far reaching consequences.
It was the first term exams. I performed so well my teachers were amazed. My Economics teacher commented that she was pleasantly surprised by my performance while my Physics teacher asked if I had cheated on the exam!!
And just like the caterpillar that transforms into a beautiful butterfly my image was magically transformed from that of the class dunce to one of its whiz kids.
Think of your perceived image , your brand as your fraternal twin. Why...because it is a lot like you but not exactly like you.
And therein lies the whole problem. Our public perceptions rerely reflect our true inner worth.
We all have a fraternal twin. One that gladly interferes in our affairs and wreaks havoc if unmanaged.
And people may cling to your twin not because they dislike you but because it is so much more convenient.
Now an 8th grader's story may not convince you about the ease with which people form mis perceptions but a Harvard University study just might...
The study involved 2 groups of students. One group watched a lecture given by a professor of Statistics and the other group a lecture given by a professor of Humanities. The Statistics professor was perceived as being cold and distant. The Humanities professor warm and caring.
Now here is the rub, they were both the same person!!!
What we do for a living greatly influences how others perceive us.
My 8th grader story had a happy ending. My test scores made all the difference. All misperceptions were cleared away.
However when it comes to your career your fraternal twin assumes an entirely new level of significance.
It is your fraternal twin that is responsible for your salary and career advancements.
You could do all the right things. Work hard, take on additional responsibilities, go the extra mile and hope you get promoted into management. But your evil twin just might be working against you.
As a result, when your bosses meet they might say " You know ....I just don't think he is management material" ... end of discussion!
It is human nature to form quick impressions of others. Unfortunately rarely do people go beyond first impressions.
Laws of Human Nature
1) People make emotional decisions and then rationalize it with facts and logic
2) If someone likes you they may see you as entirely good and omit your failings.This is called the Halo effect. The converse of this is called the 'Horn' effect.
You cannot fight such a deep rooted systemic prejudice. We are not just victims we are perpetrators ourselves.
Instead we can flow with it by doing a few things.
First make friends with your fraternal twin , get to know him. As bright as I was academicaly I was not aware of the damage my public perception was inflicting on me. Do not let that remain a blind spot for you.
Second help your fraternal twin make friends with others. By this I mean that once you are happy with the kind of perception you want to project make sure others get it,. People cling to old perceptions..you have to work to change them.
Over 2 centuries ago George Berkely, an Irish Philosopher proclaimed , "To Be is to be Perceived."
Remember...don't let your twin win.
It is one from my heart. Not only do I start with a personal incident, the whole speech is based on my personal belief of the importance of public perceptions. One that I believe with every fibre of my existence.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Way back in my 8th grade I transferred to a new school. I was the only new kid in the class. Everyone else knew one another from grade 1.
Being shy and reserved only made it worse for me. I tried to become invisible, meld into the walls and the desks.
I never answered any questions let alone raise questions. You would not hear a single word escape from my mouth.
Because I kept to myself I was perceived as not too bright up here....until an event took place with far reaching consequences.
It was the first term exams. I performed so well my teachers were amazed. My Economics teacher commented that she was pleasantly surprised by my performance while my Physics teacher asked if I had cheated on the exam!!
And just like the caterpillar that transforms into a beautiful butterfly my image was magically transformed from that of the class dunce to one of its whiz kids.
Think of your perceived image , your brand as your fraternal twin. Why...because it is a lot like you but not exactly like you.
And therein lies the whole problem. Our public perceptions rerely reflect our true inner worth.
We all have a fraternal twin. One that gladly interferes in our affairs and wreaks havoc if unmanaged.
And people may cling to your twin not because they dislike you but because it is so much more convenient.
Now an 8th grader's story may not convince you about the ease with which people form mis perceptions but a Harvard University study just might...
The study involved 2 groups of students. One group watched a lecture given by a professor of Statistics and the other group a lecture given by a professor of Humanities. The Statistics professor was perceived as being cold and distant. The Humanities professor warm and caring.
Now here is the rub, they were both the same person!!!
What we do for a living greatly influences how others perceive us.
My 8th grader story had a happy ending. My test scores made all the difference. All misperceptions were cleared away.
However when it comes to your career your fraternal twin assumes an entirely new level of significance.
It is your fraternal twin that is responsible for your salary and career advancements.
You could do all the right things. Work hard, take on additional responsibilities, go the extra mile and hope you get promoted into management. But your evil twin just might be working against you.
As a result, when your bosses meet they might say " You know ....I just don't think he is management material" ... end of discussion!
It is human nature to form quick impressions of others. Unfortunately rarely do people go beyond first impressions.
Laws of Human Nature
1) People make emotional decisions and then rationalize it with facts and logic
2) If someone likes you they may see you as entirely good and omit your failings.This is called the Halo effect. The converse of this is called the 'Horn' effect.
You cannot fight such a deep rooted systemic prejudice. We are not just victims we are perpetrators ourselves.
Instead we can flow with it by doing a few things.
First make friends with your fraternal twin , get to know him. As bright as I was academicaly I was not aware of the damage my public perception was inflicting on me. Do not let that remain a blind spot for you.
Second help your fraternal twin make friends with others. By this I mean that once you are happy with the kind of perception you want to project make sure others get it,. People cling to old perceptions..you have to work to change them.
Over 2 centuries ago George Berkely, an Irish Philosopher proclaimed , "To Be is to be Perceived."
Remember...don't let your twin win.
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