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 […]
Pauses in a speech: Why, when and how
A STORY FROM SPAIN Pauses aren’t easy. I teach public speaking and presentation skills at a few Executive MBA Programmes in Switzerland and Spain. A few years ago, I was teaching a class at IESE in Barcelona. One of my students was a fellow named Manuel. He was bright, thoughtful and fully engaged. He also […]
Things that public speakers don't need on stage
There are many things that public speakers don’t need on stage. When you deliver a speech or presentation, leave the following things behind because they are all distracting: – Your cell phone – Coins in your pocket – Keys in your pocket – Anything that can jingle in your pocket – Jewelry that can jingle, […]
Lessons from Senegal – Part 2
Pierre Thiam Teranga. It is the word that best represents the values at the heart of society in Senegal. During my trip to Dakar, I experienced it on a daily basis.There is no direct translation of teranga in English. “Hospitality” comes close but it is an incomplete translation. The best way to understand teranga is to have it […]
Lessons from Senegal – Part 1
I recently had the privilege of traveling to Dakar, Senegal. There I worked with 30 officials from the United Nations (in French) to help them improve their public speaking and presentation skills. These men and women are doing important work in often difficult conditions all over Africa. It was a privilege for me to be […]
The Summer School of Rhetoric – Part 5
This is the fifth and final post in a series based on the sketches that graphic recorder Linda Saukko-Rauta made during my public speaking workshop in Hämeenlinna, Finland. I was speaking at the 2019 edition of the Summer School of Rhetoric. Today’s sketch is about making your message stick; i.e., ensuring that the audience will remember your message. It […]
The Summer School of Rhetoric – Part 3
This is the third post in a series based on the sketches that graphic recorder Linda Saukko-Rauta made during my public speaking workshop in Hämeenlinna, Finland. I was speaking at the 2019 edition of the Summer School of Rhetoric. Today’s sketch is about structure. Every presentation needs good structure if it is to be successful. That means a powerful […]
The Summer School of Rhetoric – Part 2
This is the second post in a series based on the sketches that graphic recorder Linda Saukko-Rauta made during my public speaking workshop in Hämeenlinna, Finland. I was speaking at the 2019 edition of the Summer School of Rhetoric. Today’s sketch captures the three pillars of a successful persuasive speech, as set out by Aristotle over 2,300 years […]
3 tips to deal with the room where you speak
When we give a speech or presentation, we usually don’t have any control over the room where we speak. We might be able to move chairs and tables or adjust the lighting, but in general, we have to deal with the room as we find it. Last week, I went for a walk around the […]
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