Effective Speech Require Know How

By virtue of my role, I've had the opportunity to do a lot of public speaking: company all-hands (which at LinkedIn we do every other week), event keynotes, fireside chats, investor conferences, television appearances, etc. Regardless of the context, I've found that applying three simple rules can make all the difference between a memorable and effective talk and one you wish you could do all over again. The three rules are know your audience, know your material, and know your passion

Know your audience

Several years ago, before LinkedIn, I was often asked to give a particular presentation on the evolution of search and digital media. The talk was typically well received, so much so that as time went by, there was little reason to change the material. One year, after having delivered the presentation some 10-15 times, I was asked to do a final talk at an annual sales conference in which about 2,000 people would be attending. I dusted off the Powerpoint slides and presented the same delivery as always. However, this time when it was over, rather than hear enthusiastic applause, I basically heard the following:Surprised by the lukewarm reaction, I sought out the head of the sales team for his feedback. His response was a series of simple, but insightful questions that went something like this:

Me: That didn't go as well as I had expected. Any thoughts on what I could have done differently?

Him: Sure. Who did you present to?

Me: Salespeople.

Him: And what do salespeople do?

Me: Sell.

Him: And how much of your presentation enabled them to sell more stuff?

Me: Oh.

Simply put, audience members are investing their precious time to hear you speak so they can derive value from the talk, whether that be learning something new, being inspired, being entertained, or ideally all of the above. To do that effectively, you need to start by understanding who you're talking to and why they are there. That means customizing your material to make it as relevant as possible for them, and not just presenting what comes most easily to you, regardless of how well received it has been in the past.

Know your material

By now, you've most likely heard the oft-repeated maxim that more people fear public speaking than fear dying. Jerry Seinfeld may have summed it up best when he joked, "In other words, at a funeral, the average person would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy." While on the surface this may sound somewhat hyperbolic, on a metaphysical level the rationale actually makes sense.

Among the most hurtful non-physical acts you can commit toward another person is invalidating him or her. This invalidation can manifest itself explicitly, e.g. humiliating someone in front of others. Or it can happen far more subtley, e.g. not listening while someone is talking to you. The one thing that remains consistent in both scenarios is that the person doesn't feel heard. When people don't feel heard, you are essentially denying their existence.

Translated into the context of public speaking, what people fear isn't so much the actual speaking as it is the potential for invalidation. So what do they do? They painstakingly prepare a speech or memorize their words with the mindset that if they say everything just right, people will listen and thus validate them.

What typically happens next? The speaker gets on stage, forgets a word, stumbles over a line, or hits the inevitable technology snag and becomes increasingly anxious. The audience, already possessing a limited attention span, senses the speaker is uncomfortable, and begins to tune out. One by one, people start fiddling with devices and checking watches. The speaker, seeing that he has lost the audience, breaks eye contact and an unintended stream of "um's" and "uh's" soon follows. The cycle feeds on itself until the last slide arrives and everyone -- speaker and audience -- sighs in relief. (If you ever find yourself going down this path while on stage, try making a joke; there is no faster way to connect with an audience then making them laugh.)

One way to avoid the above scenario is recognizing that your talk is not about the words so much as it's about your command over the material and the confidence you project. Thus, when invited to speak, pick subjects that both meet your audience's needs and that you know cold. Go further by studying and preparing the talk well in advance. As a litmus test, try running through the presentation without the slides. You'll know you're ready when you don't skip a beat without them.

Rather than try and draw a false sense of security from memorizing every word you want to say, find strength in knowing your subject material better than anyone in the audience. If you don't, trade places with them.

Know your passion

At the end of the day, the people in the audience are going to remember how you presented and how it made them feel far more than what you actually said.

Think about the last time you heard a great public speaker. If asked to describe the event, you would probably recall an insighful line or two and the speech's overall impact, e.g. "That was one of the most inspirational talks I've ever heard!" What you wouldn't do is provide a verbatim account of the event.

This dynamic is more than anecdotal. According to social psychologist Albert Mehrabian, there are three primary ways we communciate through face-to-face interaction: words, voice inflection, and body language. Through years of research, Mehrabian concluded words only account for 7% of overall message delivery.With that in mind, how can you ensure you are communicating effectively beyond the words you speak? Above all else, be passionate.

Your audience wants to be moved. The people watching intently want you to cut through all of the clutter of their day-to-day experiences and deliver something special. To do that, you have to believe in what you are saying with such conviction, authenticity and passion, that the crowd begins to feel what you feel. Once the audience is connecting on that level, the speaker benefits from a powerful virtuous cycle, channeling the positive energy of the crowd to help take their performance to greater heights.

By way of illustration, I'll never forget sitting near the stage at a Bruce Springsteen concert several years ago. Toward the end of the show, I happened to turn around while he performed "Born to Run" and was absolutely awed by what I saw: a sea of 40,000 diehard Bruce fans singing and swaying in perfect rhythm with The Boss. Talk about effective public speaking.

While we can't all perform like Bruce Springsteen, no matter how many times you've been asked to present the same material, it's essential you bring your specific brand of passion to the stage. To avoid the boredom commonly experienced as a result of endless repetition, find something exciting to talk about with each subsequent event. That passion needs to be there everytime you speak, whether it's the first time you're presenting or the fiftieth. If you don't feel it, neither will your audience.