HOW TO MASTER THE ART OF PUBLIC SPEAKING?

Ideas are the currency of the twenty-first century. In order to succeed, we need to be able to sell our ideas persuasively. This ability is the single greatest skill that will help us accomplish our dreams. Remember the 2014 general elections; one leader had an idea of ‘Acche Din’ and he went ahead criss crossed the country with his confident body language and persuasive oratory to win a landslide victory! This is what good public speaking is all about. Persuasion is undoubtedly an art form, but have you ever wondered about the secrets of the world’s most persuasive speakers? They are usually tasked with steering an audience to accomplish an explicit action, or to get it to convert to a specific assumption or opinion……... to believe in the fact that ‘Acche din’ or good days are just round the corner!

People are dying because we can't communicate in ways that allow us to understand one another. That sounds like an exaggeration, but I don't think it is. When patients can't relate to their doctors and don't follow their orders, when engineers can't convince a town that the dam could break, when a parent can't win the trust of a child enough to warn her off a lethal drug, they can all be headed for a serious ending

The power of presentations is rooted in our craving for human connection. When two or more people come together to exchange ideas, something bigger is born: a shared experience that aligns their minds and moves them forward with unified momentum. Yet most presentations fall short of this promise, and so we need a methodology designed to shape ideas into presentations that shift audience beliefs and behavior. So what did Modi do differently in 2014 and then again in 2017 during the U.P. assembly elections?

I think it is a grand combination of 4 things:

Empathize: In the theater of presentations, the audience is the hero and the presenter is the mentor. We have to learn what moves audiences, find common ground, and inspire them with a compelling reason to change.

Engage: Story structures are inherently persuasive. We need to craft a narrative that uses proven techniques from oratory and storytelling traditions to ignite excitement, overcome resistance, and motivate action.

Visualize: If people can see what we’re saying, they’ll understand it. We need to use visual thinking and smart design to conceptualize our ideas and convey information clearly and powerfully.

Activate: A potent idea packaged well takes on a life of its own. We need to invite interaction and accelerate the reach of our ideas with presentations that spread content across multiple channels.

What is a successful presentation?

Successful presentations are understandable, memorable, and emotional.

Understandable. Successful presentations are free of jargon, buzzwords, complexity, and confusion. Although there are many ways to make a presentation clear and understandable, my favorite technique is what I call the “Twitter-friendly headline.” Steve Jobs always described his products in one sentence “the world’s thinnest notebook.”. Even before Twitter existed, Jobs’ product descriptions never exceeded 140 characters.

Memorable. If our audience cannot remember what we said in our presentation or recall our idea, it doesn’t matter how great it is! Here there is ‘a rule of 3’. Neuroscientists generally agree that the human mind can only consume anywhere from three to seven points in short term, or “working memory”. We must try to incorporate the rule of three in your presentations. We can divide our presentation into three parts, discuss “three benefits” of a product, or give our audience “three action steps” they can take. Packaging the content into groups of three makes it far easier to remember, and if we can rhyme it, it is even better….’Abki baar Modi Sarkar’!

Emotional. There’s a large body of research that shows the emotional component of a message trumps the analytical. Yes, you need to show data and evidence to reinforce your position, but it’s the emotional part of a presentation that often moves people to action. By reiterating the monitory losses suffered by the nation because of corruption in 2G scam, Coal scam, CWG scam Modi was analytical but the moment he started telling his electorate that this was their money which, if not looted , would have electrified their villages, provided schools and hospitals to their towns and tehsils, fed the poor and the underprivileged, he established an unbreakable emotional rapport with his audience.

Who is a successful presenter?

1. They always appear confident

Although the confidence might not be there in reality, a persuasive speaker will always give the impression of confidence. This is one of the most imperative parts of being persuasive. Unsureness on the speaker’s part will be picked up on by the audience, so it’s crucial for a persuasive speaker to have a confident demeanor.

2. They don’t talk right away.

One should never talk as one walks out on stage. A lot of people start talking right away, and it’s out of nerves, it communicates a little bit of insecurity and fear. Instead, one should quietly walk out on stage. Then take a deep breath, find his/her place, wait a few seconds and begin. I know it sounds long and tedious and it feels excruciatingly awkward when you do it, but it shows the audience the orator is totally confident and in charge of the situation.

3. Their body language is strong

In order to maximize their interface with an audience, a speaker must exhibit strong body language. Consider how much emphasis is now made on visuals in our culture thanks to technologies such as tablet computers, smart televisions, movies, video games and smart phones. We come to expect the same visual strength from the people we consider to be persuasive.

4. They make eye contact

Rather than looking out at the audience as a collective, a persuasive speaker will go that extra mile to ensure that they make eye contact with as many individuals as they can during their speech. In fact, people in an audience tend to expect a speaker to make eye contact with them, and this is a great way of building trust.

Scanning and panning is a speaker’s worst enemy. While it looks like he / she is looking at everyone, it actually disconnects him/her from the audience. It’s much easier and effective if the orator directly looks at specific audience members throughout their speech without breaking their gaze. When he/she finishes a sentence, he/she can move on to another person and keep connecting with individual people throughout the tenure of speaking. It’s like one is having a conversation with the audience not speaking to them but speaking with them. This tactic not only creates a deeper connection with individuals but the entire audience can feel it.

5. They use an emotional punch

Whether it’s highly joyful or frightening, the memories stick because they arouse our emotions Many highly persuasive speakers include a “grabber” right at the start of their presentations. Examples of a grabber are a declaration, symbol, image or other tool that is employed to immediately grab the audience’s attention. Furthermore, persuasive speakers also use emotions to gain attention and elicit a positive response from their audience.

 6. They turn nervousness into excitement.

Have you noticed what champion athletes or tennis players or cricketers say when reporters ask them "Were you nervous?” All of them give the same answer: "No, I was excited." These competitors were taking the body’s signs of nervousness - clammy hands, pounding heart and tense nerves - and reinterpreting them as side effects of excitement and exhilaration. When a speaker is up on stage all nervous in front of a crowd all he/she has to think is  “I’m not nervous, I’m excited!” This has a miraculous impact on the speaker.

7. They speak unusually slowly.

When we get nervous, it’s not just our heart beat that quickens. Our words also tend to speed up. Luckily audiences are more patient and forgiving than we know. They want us to succeed up there, but the more we rush, the more we turn them off. If we just go quiet for a moment and take a long, deep breath, they’ll wait for us. It’s kind of amazing but the best orator in Indian parliament Sri Atal Bihari Vajpai used these pauses to miraculous effect and people… would… hang… on… to...his… every… word..!

8. They always answer “why” questions

Another technique that persuasive speakers use is to answer a “why” question at the very beginning of a presentation, such as “why is it essential to discuss this subject at this point in time?” Posing such a question, then having the ability to answer it clearly is a demonstration of strong and effective communication skills.

9. They are passionate about the topic at hand

In order to persuade or convince an audience, a speaker needs to be passionate, or at least convey passion, about the topic at hand. This has an impact on the audience, which will inevitably pick up on the passion, leaving its members with a sense of obligation that they should accept what they are being told for their own good.

Great communicators read many books from a variety of authors and across a range of genres. The best communicators are readers, synthesizing ideas from different fields and applying those ideas to their topic.

10. They speak conversationally and tell stories, funny stories

A persuasive speaker will always place emphasis on talking conversationally with their audience, as opposed to giving a speech. This creates an honest and trustworthy perception of the speaker in the minds of the audience members. Persuasive communicators don’t speak in passive language. They take a stand and argue forcefully for it. Genuine humour and true, open laughter almost always lead to engagement, If they’re laughing, they’re listening. Humour comes in the form of humorous short stories, while other forms of humour are self-deprecating.

11. They build a sense of truth among the audience

The world’s best actors are prized for their ability to completely involve themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally in the role they are playing. A persuasive speaker takes on the same role whether in a rally or in the boardroom or at a conference. The more natural the delivery, the more believable the speaker’s message is.  Persuasion isn’t simply a recitation of facts. Persuasion requires connecting words to a broader theme that inspires to embrace a big, bold vision. Having a vision for the future will give hope for a better tomorrow. And hope is a powerful thing for anyone who wishes to persuade.

12. They will use repetition for emphasis

Recapping certain points a few times throughout the course of a presentation is the perfect way for a speaker to create greater engagement with the audience. This is especially effective when the speaker goes over the points covered in the presentation immediately after it has been given.

13. They share their personal experiences

In order to make themselves more relatable, persuasive speakers will share personal experiences when and where they can as they’re giving their presentation. Doing so brings the message to life, makes the presentation pleasant and wins over the hearts and minds of the audience.

14. They show up to give, not to take.

Often people give presentations to sell products or ideas, to get people to follow them on social media, buy their books or even just to like them. These kinds of speakers “takers,” and audiences can see through these people right away. And, when they do, they disengage. We are highly social animals and even at a distance on stage, we can tell if the speaker is a giver or a taker, and people are more likely to trust a giver - a speaker that gives them value, that teaches them something new, that inspires them!

15. They ignore the naysayers.

Dismiss the people furrowing their brows, crossing their arms or shaking their heads “no.” Instead, focus only on supporters - the people who are visibly engaged, enjoying the presentation and nodding “yes.” This makes the speaker much more confident and relaxed than trying to convince the naysayers.  

16. They are brief

The audience is expected to have a cascade of information coming at them from all directions. They need information fast. By stories, anecdotes and personal experiences the speaker has to convey the information effectively, convincingly and conclusively.  Condensing the argument makes it tighter, stronger, and easier for the listener to absorb.

17. They say thank you when done.

Applause is a gift, and when we receive a gift, it’s only right to express how grateful we are for it. The audience gave us their time, and they’re giving their applause. That’s a gift, and we have to be grateful. So we always end with a ‘Thank you’!