Notes for: I Have Something to Say

title: I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in an Age of Disconnection author: John Bowe published: 2020 edition: 1 ISBN: 978-1400062102

Introduction

In this book, the author described how his short time as a member of a Toastmasters club helped him overcome his fear of public speaking and establishing connection with his audience. Each chapter described how he approached one of the 10 exercises from the Toastmasters manual.

Key Takeaways

• preparation and understanding the audience
• Many members of the Toastmasters organisation found that their experience with the club also changed their personality.
• Learning to think from the perspective of the audience, have made them more inclined to think about other people in their daily interactions.
• Being prepared for a speech gives you more freedom and flexibility to dynamically make adjustments during the speech without losing focus.

Tips from the Author

The 5 steps to make a great speech.

Thinking About Your Audience

• What is the size of the audience, and composition (age, race, religion, gender, nationality, ethnicity, education etc.)
• What is the occasion for the speech and why are you chosen to speak
• What does the audience know about you and the topic
• What is the layout of the venue
• What is the program of the day in relation to your speech
• Will there be visual aids or printed materials etc.

Define the Purpose for Speaking

Start with a single value proposition sentence

As a result of the speech, the audience will know X and respond by doing Y

• The purpose could be to merely inform or entertain
• Cut any unnecessary content that doesn’t serve the key purpose
• The audience at all time need to know 3 things
  • What are you talking about
  • Why should they care
  • What is in it for them
• Every decision made in designing the speech must demonstrate that you are talking for the audience’s benefit

Outline and Organize

The typical outline of a speech consists of an introduction and a conclusion, with 3-5 main parts in between. Here are the common organisational structures:

• Chronological: explains the topic along a timeline
• Spatial: explains the topic according to physical space, location, or directional relationships
• Topical: arranges information according to different areas within a larger topic or category
• Cause and Effect: explains causes for a phenomenon and the resulting effects (or vice versa)
• Problem and Solution: defines a problem and describes the solution

Regardless of the structure chosen, we should inform the audience early about the structure we will be using. At every transition, we should also mention where the speech is going. This helps to keep the audience focused.

Compose the Speech

• Use Words Effectively
  • People are bad at listening. Do everything to help them hear and understand. Short words, sentences, paragraphs.
  • Use physical, concrete, vivid images to appeal to the senses.
  • Use active verb choices instead of abstract/passive language.
  • Eliminate filler words and nonperforming words (“like”, “just”, “really” etc.)
  • Eliminate lazy catch-phrases and cliches (“at the end of the day”, “it is what it is” etc.)
  • Eliminate business jargon, pretentious words, bloated/imprecise expressions
  • Eliminate slang/subculture expression that not all audience will understand
  • Avoid vague descriptive words and be precise so that all audience have the same understanding
  • Compose the speech using cognitive lexicon of the audience, and use localised and relatable examples
• Use Data Effectively
  • Use data sparingly
  • Always cite the source of information, and use trusted sources that wouldn’t antagonise the audience
  • Contextualise the data to local context of the audience
  • Vary the sources of data (stats, scientific studies, personal anecdotes, witness testimony, historical records) to be expressive and stimulating to the audience
  • Engage the audience by telling them how you feel about the data and why it matters (instead of letting the data speak for itself)
• Using Visual Aids
  • These helps to keep presentation fluid and lively (slides, charts, props, graphics, videos, physical demo)
  • Keep it simple and avoid cluttering visual elements
  • Limit the number of images (your voice is still the main focus)
  • Never turn your back on the audience
  • Never read from the slides
  • Visual aids must be varied in colour and style. Stimulate the audience’s senses as much as possible

Practice the Speech

• Find your Voice
  • Start with reading the speech aloud.
  • Measure the duration and ensure it is meets your objective. Average listeners can absorb 125-150 words per minutes, so pace accordingly.
  • Continue practicing to enunciate words clearly and focus on the feel and sound of the words.
  • Record the speech or practice in front of others
  • Look for opportunities to vary the tone, speed, pitch, to correspond to the content
  • Memorise the introduction and conclusion. This may help to avoid brain freeze at the start, and ensures that the speech ends strong with impact.
• Use your Body
  • Avoid unconscious gestures that will distract the audience from the speech
  • Practice every part of the speech as if the actual delivery, to figure out how you will be moving on the stage
  • Use gestures to emphasise certain points or enhance emotions of the speech
  • Incorporate movements on stage. This avoids being too rigid, and allows you to interact with different sections of the audience
  • Script your gestures if needed (where to pause, when to walk where), it will become more natural with practice

Other Books Mentioned

• Ars Rhetorica, Aristotle
• Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama, Leith, Sam
• Simply Speaking: How to Communicate Your Ideas with Style, Substance, and Clarity, Noonan, Peggy
• The Fall of Public Man, Sennett, Richard
• Personally Speaking, Smedly, Ralph C.