Public speaking tips : Context and Humor

by Stephen Boyd

Using humor in a presentation is a challenge for most presenters. We are not comedians! Few of us can snap out the one-liners the way born comedians do. One way to make humor easier is to use the context of the speech.

For example, a few days ago we were on a Caribbean cruise. Three of the days we were at sea and spent a lot of time on the ship engaged in all kinds of fun activities. The cruise entertainment director, J.C., was an especially good presenter. On the last day, as part of final instructions for disembarking, he talked about the great experiences on the cruise the past several days. Included were "questions" he had received during the week from some of the vacationers.

With each question, the audience of several hundred laughed loudly. Questions he had been asked included, "Have you seen my husband?" Another was, "Does this elevator go to the front of the ship?" The questions may seem not very funny on the surface, but one of the constant challenges for all 2000 guests was finding their way to different locations because the ship was so large. Getting lost was a possibility each time we left our cabins, so everyone could visualize getting lost.

Public speaking tips : Use Quotes To Strengthen A Speech

by Stephen Boyd

When someone says or writes something powerful or memorable, you might think, “Why couldn’t I say it like that?” Well, you can! Jot down the quotation and the author. When you want to include that thought, say it exactly as the person expressed the idea so powerfully—and give that person credit for the statement.

Strengthen your speech by quoting others. As Michel de Montaigne said, “I quote others only the better to express myself.”

I have found great quotations from all kinds of sources: from books and speeches to tour guides and my daughter-in-law. Gina has a knack for saying things in unique and memorable ways. One of her great lines is “Never mess with a happy baby.” Tour guides repeat the same speech several times a day and have learned to hone their spiels. One New Zealand tour guide said as we got off the bus for our first break, “Remember, the difference between a passenger and a hitchhiker is about two minutes.”

Always relate the statement to the point you are making. The point should not be the quotation, but rather the quotation should support the point. When I stress the importance of reading books, I quote Descartes, who wrote, “The reading of all good books is like conversations with the finest men and women of past centuries.”

Your credibility is critical in speaking. Thomas Jefferson said, “Nothing is more confusing than people who give good advice but set bad examples.” In seeking to help people understand the importance of humor and the lighter side of life, Alan Alda in his autobiographical Never Have Your Dog Stuffed wrote, “The difference between comedy and tragedy is that in a comedy, people usually get what they want; in a tragedy, they get what they deserve.”

Use a quotation to begin or end a presentation. Use a special statement to help the audience visualize better. Use a line as a change of pace from your own content.

You may think as you read this, “Well, Steve, this is pretty much just common sense.” However, as Stephen Covey wrote, “Just because something is common sense does not make it common practice.”

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Public speaking tips: A Catchy Title

by Stephen Boyd

Let me explain. I have always asked my students to give their speeches titles when they submit outlines to me before they speak. In listening to thousands of speeches, a catchy title more often than not was the beginning of a well-thought-out and engaging presentation.

In fact there have been times when I think of a title before I have the main thought in preparing the speech. I find that a title will give me ideas for the introduction and a theme I may use in deliering the speech. If nothing else, pondering a clever and relevant title will get the creative juices flowing for preparing my presentation.

There are a variety of ways to find the appropriate title. One is to examine the stories you might include. I have a speech entitled “Practicing Short Leaps” which is about motivating yourself; the little things you do make you get the most out of your day. I tell the story of a man who is on an African safari and on his way back to camp spots a huge lion just a short distance away. The lion sees him and prepares to leap at the man. At the same time, the man raises his gun to shoot. The lion leaps and the hunter shoots. Neither hits his target; the man escapes and returns to camp.