There are thousands of public speaking tips and resources available, but if you want to learn how to deliver content effectively, listen to creative performers speak about their craft. When you are speaking in public, you are sharing information that you have probably already written. Comedians (generally) do the same thing. Musicians do as well, performing music that has usually been written, arranged, and recorded before. All of these people will riff and improvise around their core content, and those nuances greatly enhance and inform the performance, but their performance will almost always follow a fairly straight line to its planned conclusion.
What unites a business speaker with a comedian or a musician is the fact that they each share information publicly in a manner that is presented consistently, and with the appearance of spontaneity. Their audiences share similar expectations that they will be engaged, that they will be provided with relevant information, and that they will share “moments” that may change their lives, if only in tiny, subtle ways.
Consider for a moment why people attend live performances in music, theatre or athletics, rather than watching it onscreen at home. Why do you do it? Getting to a live show can be a pain - you have to buy tickets, you make plans to readjust your day, you have to get babysitters, travel, find parking, and find a restaurant before or after the show. It’s a lot of work and expense. So why do so many people do it?
If you are a business speaker, you can learn as much from musicians, actors, comedians and athletes as you can from other business speakers. Public speaking isn’t just about business - there is a lot of “show” that goes with it, and the best source of show business expertise comes from those who deliver a show night after night. If you think public speaking is hard, try singing, cracking jokes, or carrying the expectations of fans on your shoulders.
A live performance, even when its entirely scripted, delivers a balance of fear and confidence that can’t be found in a published or recorded work. As an audience member, you participate in the delivery of the “product,” sharing in its balancing act of fear and professionalism. In a live performance, anything can happen (and often does). This is a part of the experience that is rarely articulated - the entire production can crash and burn at any moment. It’s the same in sporting events - as an audience member, it is exciting to watch professionals perform at the peak of their abilities, in the moment, because they are trailing the edge between grandeur and failure. It’s exciting to witness, and your presence within a broader audience adds to the drama. When a live performance is perfectly executed in any genre, it’s a rush for everyone involved. There is a release of energy between performers and their audience that is legitimately exciting, and collectively invigorating.
Like anything else in business, the key to success is often to model the success of others. You may never be the Jerry Seinfeld or Wayne Gretzky in your field, and you shouldn’t try to be - but they can give you a lot of ideas from their experience that you can curate into your own distinct, successful presentation style.
Sharing Ideas
The following video is a long one, and pretty NSFW (thanks largely to Louis C.K.), but it’s worth watching - not only because it’s funny as hell, but because it shares dozens of tips about how to deliver a good show (which in their case, when you think about it, is an effective 90-minute verbal presentation). These guys talk about using fear to your advantage. They discuss understanding the needs of your audience, the benefit of rehearsing your work, and acknowledging all nuances of the physical space you are performing in to avoid surprises. They talk about creating “moments” with an audience, and using an audience’s reaction to your benefit. View this clip through the lens of delivering content to your audience, and you will learn tonnes about how to assess your approach, and how to deliver your ideas confidently and effectively.
Find Your Core
Similarly, check out Robert de Niro as he discusses the subtleties of his acting approach. Haven’t you seen a speaker that clearly “overdoes it” with their energy and gregariousness? You can learn as much from the poor speakers as the effective ones, so consider how de Niro’s approach may apply to your speaking style. There is something to be said for a “less is more” approach, and he defines how he makes subtlety work for him. I present this to you to suggest that, with all the tips in the world, you still need to be “you” when you speak. Audiences can smell inauthenticity, and it kills effectiveness. Over-reaching and over-delivering is rarely good.
Ninety Percent Mental
Creative professionals always advise aspiring professionals to find their voice, be extremely well-prepared, and be ready to go. These lessons are clearly transferable to business speaking. Wayne Gretzky once said “Ninety percent of hockey is mental and the other half is physical,” which applies to public speaking too - everything that is carried by your voice and body begins in your mind. You must be clear on your message, you must have clearly-developed content, and you should present it well. Embrace your fear, and use it to your advantage. Rehearse your content and understand it well enough to improvise if necessary. Engage your audience to support and enhance your message. Make them part of your performance, and understand that they went to a lot of effort to see you in person - so include them in the process, and give them what they want, which is the counsel of a professional at the peak of their ability - one who will provide moments and an experience that may change their lives, if only in a tiny, subtle way.
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