Typically when I wrap up a speaking engagement, people will come up and ask questions about the content of the talk. In fact, one of my favorite things is talking one-on-one with people about subjects I am passionate about.
However, somebody this past week had a different type of question. They simply asked, “How do you speak like that? I’m less interested in what you said and more interested in how you said it and how you have the courage to do that?”
While I was flattered by the compliment, I was more frustrated that I didn’t have a good answer for him. I stumbled over some generic advice about public speaking, but honestly, I didn’t give him the kind of answer I wanted. I came home that evening and thought about the most valuable lessons I’ve learned about public speaking.
My mind eventually went to a cassette tape (yes, this makes me feel old) that I listened to when I first became interested in public speaking. The tape was titled “The Language of Leadership,” and on it, James Humes, presidential speech writer and historian, discussed Winston Churchill’s approach to speaking. He called it “The Sir Winston Method” and differentiated this approach from many others. Humes said the goal of some speeches are to inform, others to educate, some may elicit emotion, but he noticed that Churchill’s goal was always to move people to action.
Thus, “The Sir Winston Method” is ultimately about leading people to do something with the information they’ve just received. Humes lays out five practices, and these guide me each time I prepare to speak. I’ve shared them with you below. Hopefully, they’ll benefit you the next time you are asked to speak before a group.
1. Start Strong
Too many people get up to speak and start by thanking the audience. This is a kind gesture, but you can quickly lose your audience with this predictability. As a public speaker, you must capture your audience’s attention immediately in order to keep them engaged throughout your talk. Tell a surprising story. Share a startling statistic. Do something to make the audience listen.
2. One Theme
You need a consistent theme to ground your message. It is alright to have multiple points, but you need one theme. An overarching and consistent message helps the audience better remember what you said and actually apply it. You don’t want to lose them at the beginning, and you certainly don’t want to confuse them in the middle.
3. Vivid Imagery
James Humes says, “To be concrete, use sensory language.” Paint word pictures for your audience that help them engage with your content. President Kennedy didn’t say, “We want to advance space exploration for scientific progress.” Instead, he famously said, “Our goal is to put a man on the moon.” This concrete image of a man on the moon is easier to get excited about than simply the concept of space exploration. Another example is when Steve Jobs first unveiled an iPod, he asked, “How do you fit a thousand songs in your pocket?” Rather than talk about how much data could be stored in such a small space, Jobs painted a picture of what the product could do. Use similar images to engage your audience.
4. Simple Language
Simplicity isn’t about dumbing down; it’s about prioritizing. Consider what’s most important about your message and communicate it simply and clearly. It’s interesting that when we speak in front of a group, sometimes our inclination is to use more advanced vocabulary so that people will think we are smarter. In fact, it’s often through simpler terminology that we communicate more clearly. Consider the core of your message. Ask yourself if you can communicate it with an anecdote, an analogy, or a simple phrase that can carry your message.
5. End on Emotion
People care about people, not numbers. How does what you are talking about affect your audience and the important people in their lives? Use excitement, sadness, happiness, fear, or another emotion to drive home your final call to action. Make it clear exactly what you want people to do with the information that you have given them, and provide a tangible example of how they can fulfill this call to action.
Every communicator is different. There is no “one size fits all” approach, but if you want to speak and inspire people to act, I’d suggest that following Winston Churchill is a good place to start!
