Humour in a speech: 5 reasons you need it; 10 tips for using it

Using humour is a great way for speakers to connect with their audiences. Victor Hugo said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” When you speak to an audience of dozens, hundreds or thousands, the effect is multiplied. THE BENEFITS OF HUMOUR When used properly, humour is a powerful tool in […]
Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 279) – Dave Barry

“All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears—of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, of speaking before a Rotary Club, and of the words ‘Some Assembly Required’.” Dave Barry Photo courtesy of Amazur
12 ways to piss off your audience

Why make an effort for your audience when you can just piss them off?Too difficult, you say? Not at all! There are so many things you can do to anger, frustrate and confuse an audience. If you’re struggling for ideas, the 12 tips below—individually or in combination—are sure to do the trick. 1. Talk about […]
The benefits of humour and 10 tips for using it in a speech

I am one of the co-founders of Presentation Guru, a digital magazine for public speaking professionals.This post is part of a series designed to share the great content on Presentation Guru with the Manner of Speaking community. benefits of humour ——— French author Victor Hugo said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” When speaking to […]
Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 247) – Mark Twain

“Don’t use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do.” Mark Twain
Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 235) – Garry Trudeau

“Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated.” Garry Trudeau Photo courtesy of Linda A. Cicero / Stanford University News Service
Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 227) – Boris Johnson

“My speaking style was criticised by no less an authority than Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was a low moment, my friends, to have my rhetorical skills denounced by a monosyllabic Austrian cyborg.” Boris Johnson
Analysis of a speech by Dan Gilbert

Dan Gilbert is a Harvard psychologist who has spent a lot of time thinking about and studying happiness. He is the author of Stumbling on Happiness. The New York Times Book Review wrote, “Gilbert’s elbow-in-the-ribs social-science humor is actually funny. … But underneath the goofball brilliance, [he] has a serious argument to make about why human beings are forever […]
Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 192) – Mark Twain

“I was gratified to be able to answer promptly. I said, ‘I don’t know.’” Mark Twain
Five Speaking Lessons from TEDx Place des Nations

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of speaking at TEDx Lausanne. It was a wonderful experience. Two days ago, I had the privilege of attending TEDx Place des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. It was held in the impressive Assembly Hall of the United Nations Palais des Nations. Speaking at a TEDx event is a thrill, but it […]
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