Take Time This New Year's To Be Quiet

We're speakers. We're expected to talk. We like to talk. Other people usually like it when we talk!

But as we celebrate New Year's around the globe (and I know some of you already are!), take time to be quiet. You don't have to be alone, just keep your mouth shut, and listen to the world around you. What are your friends and family saying? What is the world saying?

When you do take time by yourself, what are YOU saying? What are the most pressing thoughts, what are their tone and emotion?

As you head out into the next year, take time regularly to check in with the communication going on around you and within you. It may change what you say, and how you say it. And the people you spend most of the time talking to may benefit even more than you.

Enjoy a safe and happy New Year!

New Year, New Speech? 10 Reasons to Do Something New

As we near a new decade, are you planning on adding anything new to your speaking repertoire?

It's easy to get comfortable once you find what works, and some speakers make a good living telling the same stories with the same punchline to make the same point year after year. After all, each audience is different, and for most, it will be the first time they hear the Starfish Story even if its the thousandth time you've told it. (Just an FYI for newbie speakers - don't tell the Starfish Story. Ever. Please.)

But there are also plenty of reasons to switch things up a bit, if not change lanes altogether:

1. You're bored with what you're talking about
2. Your position in life has changed
3. The political climate has changed
4. The economy has shifted
5. Technology has advanced
6. You use examples older than your audience
7. Increased information/education on your topic
8. Staying fresh for repeat clients
9. Your client base is shrinking
10. New product creation

The biggest reason, however,  is one that takes a bit of a gut check to determine: because what we're doing now isn't working. We're lucky if we're scraping by, finding a client here or there, and failing to get a foothold. Even if your marketing is strong, if your topic isn't right for you or your audience, the best marketing in the world is just, dare I say it, putting lipstick on a pig.

I have struggled with topic selection for most of my career. Early on, I talked about living with Passion, Passion, and Perspective. Then I switched to the concept of embracing Your New Foot Smell. I moved on to helping people Leap from Acceptable to Exceptional. Last year, I distilled everything down to Choice, and set myself up as The Champion of Choice, creating the Champion of Choice Challenge last April. This doesn't even include the many talks I give each year on speaking.

In 2010, I'm going to continue focusing on Choice, encouraging people to take back the power in their life, regardless of where in life they are. I'm continuing to add to my story base, and looking for new ways to present my message to audiences of every kind.

As we launch into the new year, listen to your talk. What can you improve? What doesn't work well? What doesn't excite you anymore? And if your topic is oft-used, like choice, change, leadership, etc., how will make it so new to yourself and your clients that you continue to Speak & Deliver with energy and enthusiasm for the decade to come?

Whether you make a renewed vow to update and tweak your material, or decide to start from scratch, make 2010 your favorite year of speaking. The time say what you want to say is NOW.

What Idea Will You Have Today?

That's right - you're destined to have an idea today. Most of you more than one! An idea you can turn into a line in your next speech, or a story for your speech, or the basis of a new speech. At the very least you are going to have an idea that can be counted as treasure for the future.

Don't believe me? Here's a list of ideas I've had in the last 5 days (not all of them either). These ideas didn't come during 'special idea thinking time', simply as the day went along.

Dec. 25 - My daughter Riley got the Nintendo DSi she'd been praying for for months. The resulting screams, as she opened up the last gift of Christmas, made everything it took to make her wish come true absolutely worth it. A great story to use with Perserverence, Faith, Manifestation, Resourcefulness, Joy, Appreciation, and/or Rewards.

Dec. 26 - I went to Barnes & Noble to spend a gift card. Should I get a couple of classics, like Catcher in the Rye and Bleak House? Should I spend it on a book for the kids? They had sales on all sorts of family games. The Daily Drucker sat there taunting me, as did all those Gitomer books about sales and success. The choices were maddening. The process of guessing and second-guessing small decisions can easily be applied to making big decisions. Worth at least a quick throwaway humor line in the future. (For the record, I ended up with Brain Tracy's 2003 book, Change your Thinking, Change your Life.)

Dec. 27 - Spent the day sick, and by evening, my wife took ill as well, leaving the kids in full control of the household. The ensuing madness makes for huge humor opportunites, as well as an analogy about how much the world may or may not rely on our existence.

Dec. 28 - As I was midway through my day on my diet (the no-carb Atkins diet), my wife tempts me with stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and chocolate still lingering from Christmas dinner. Assuming she's going off the diet too, I surrender to my delicious desires, only to realize she never goes off herself. There's definitely a story there!

Dec. 29 - (Today) - well obviously, I got the idea for this post, and acted upon it, which is the best thing to do with your ideas. Usually.

These aren't the only ideas I've had in the last 5 days, and they may not even be the best of them (gotta hold back a little, right?). The key is, they happened in the regular course of living, by watching and listening, and then taking deliberate notice of how life applies to our speaking and writing.

You are going to have at least one good idea today. Are you ready for it? Think...and Deliver!

Twas the Reading Before Christmas

Each Christmas Eve, my children all settle in around me as I sit to read Clement Moore's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'. It's a Public Speaking moment I look forward to every year.

Reading the written word aloud is a special part of the fear of Public Speaking that doesn't get a lot of attention. In fact, it may be a core aspect of the fear, dating back to the days we were asked to read sentences from the board, or religious passages in church classes, or give the dreaded oral book report.

The brain must multi-task in this situation - first comprehending the visual information for pronunciation, intent, and emotion, then simultaneously moving translating it verbally with vocal variety and the occasional gesture and confirming eye contact. I spoke about this a few weeks ago - How to Read With Style.

A couple additional tips to consider when reading aloud:

1) Posture - Sit or stand straight, and your material at an angle that doesn't create lung or larynx compression. Heavy breathing doesn't add credibility to most types of reading.

2) Room Temperature Water or Hot Tea - good for any type of speaking, really. Cola's coat your throat, and generate phlegm that interferes with clear vocals, or constant throat clearing.

3) Practice, when possible. And I admit, I read "Twas the Night Before Christmas a couple of times out loud to myself beforehand. After all, I've got a reputation to protect.

One of today's practices (my second) is below.




Remember, the most important aspect of reading to an audience is getting them to comprehend the material, and often, the emotion that the author, or you as the speaker, want to convey. It doesn't have to be perfect, just authentic.

If you're celebrating Christmas, enjoy your Christmas Eve night. Read with your kids, be it Clement C. Moore's classic, the biblical reading Linus gave in yesterday's post, or even this Dr. Suess classic.

See you tomorrow, after seeing what Santa chooses to Speak...and Deliver (under the tree).

The Greatest Thumb Sucking Orator in History

Earlier this week, I was very excited about the post I planned for Christmas Eve. It was going to be an analysis of Linus' speech from A Charlie Brown Christmas, with the accompanying YouTube video. What a cool idea. So cool, in fact, that my friend and fellow coach beat me to it by a couple of days. So, while I spend today coming up with something else cool for tomorrow, enjoy what John Zimmer has to share with you!

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During Christmas, one of the things that my family and I like to do is watch the classic shows of the season: “A Christmas Carol”; “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (see previous post!); “It’s a Wonderful Life”; and more. One of our favourites is “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.

At one point in the show, Charlie Brown, exasperated at the commercialism that has kidnapped Christmas, cries out: “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?!?” It is then that Linus goes on stage and delivers a 45-second speech in which he gives Charlie Brown his answer.

As I watched the show, it occurred to me that there is a lot that we can learn from this little speech by a cartoon character. Let’s have a look.

So, what did Linus do well as a speaker? Plenty!

• He understood that his speech had to be relevant to his audience. Charlie Brown was trying to understand the meaning of Christmas, and Linus addressed the issue. His message was also relevant for the other kids (and Snoopy) who were getting caught up in the materialistic side of the season.
• He was not afraid to ask the technician to adjust the lights. Good speakers know that things such as lighting and sound should be adjusted to enhance their speeches and not detract from them. Now, some might say that Linus should have checked this out in advance; however, as this was an impromptu speech, I hardly think he can be faulted.
• He told a story.
• He was confident enough to deliver his speech without PowerPoint.
• He used great gestures to emphasize his points. For example: 0:25 (“And lo!”); 0:28 (“And the glory of the Lord …”); 0:31 (“And they were sore afraid”); 0:38 (“… tidings of great joy …”); 0:44 (“… a Saviour …”); and more.
• He used vivid facial expressions (well, for a cartoon at least) to convey different emotions such as fear, joy and happiness. He even imitated the infant sleeping in the manger!
• He had good vocal variety.
• He had great eye contact with the audience. (I realize that there was nobody in the seats and all the kids were in the wings, but you know what I mean.)
• He used pauses to emphasize key points.  He did not rush at all.  Two examples: 0:36 (“Fear not! [pause] For behold, I bring you …”); and 0:47 (“And this shall be a sign unto you: [pause] You shall find the babe …”).
• Finally, Linus kept his speech short and memorable. He did not drone on and on. He made his point quickly and well, and then got off the stage.

Is there anything that Linus could have done better? Well, he was stationary the whole time and might have used the stage a bit more. Also, he should have left his blanket off stage as some might have found it distracting. To his credit, however, he did throw it away at 0:35. And, to be fair, he is Linus and Linus without his blanket is like Batman without his cape.

On the whole, Linus did a great job and we can all learn a thing or two from him.

You're Not As Good As You Think You Are

You're not as good as you think you are. The good news is you're not as bad as you think you are, either!

Last month, I attended a fairly new Toastmasters club. They were having a 'training night', and showed three speeches from the 2008 World Championship of Public Speaking - the winner, LaShunda Rundles, and two others: Jock Elliott, a five-time finalist and my own (it was my 2nd appearance in the finals).

I have only viewed that video twice, and not once in 2009. Having that much separation in time from the event, I was able to watch my speech with 'new eyes'. I am over the sting of 'losing' (as if being in the Top Ten out of 25,000 worldwide should be considered losing), and have put that summer of victories and defeats into some perspective.

Despite this supposed 'perspective', I cringed several times watching the speech. My head was spinning with all the things I could do differently with that speech. Gestures, phrases, transitions all could have been better. That moment is past, never to be retrieved, of course. Just tortuously set in digital stone for posterity.

But after the meeting, I had four separate people, none of whom had met me before, tell me how much my speech meant to them. They espoused their own interpretations of what I offered, found value in my persistence and perspective, and appreciated the raw authenticity of the speech. None of them said I should have won, but they all got my message, which is its own victory.

Back on that August morning in 2008, I remember thinking, as the awards were being called, that I had given a great speech, a championship-winning speech. Watching the DVD,I was mentally beating myself up as I watched myself in living color and stereo sound. In fact, I was actually somewhat embarrassed to have them watch the speech. No, Rich, you're not always as good as you think you are.

Despite my own criticism, however, the speech was a success. It didn't take home the prize, but if affected people significantly that night, and continues to affect those who watch it on DVD. People without a rooting interest. People who aren't 'in the moment' of the big contest. Just folks sitting in chairs in a church basement watching TV. No, Rich, you're not always as bad as you think you are.

Yes, I would love to go back and fix that speech. Yes, we can always do better. Yes, we should strive to improve our speaking and presentation skills, and be open to criticism from our audience, coaches, and selves.

Take heart in this: If your message is strong, the audience will find it, even when you are less than perfect. The audience, for the most part, is not picking you apart as you speak they way you will do to yourself. They are in it for themselves, and what they can get out of you. We must always give our best, even if our best isn't our best. As a wise coach once told me - our best speech should always be our next one.

You're never as good as you think you are, and you're never as bad as you think you are - but as long as you are striving to Speak & Deliver, to deliver your best message in the best way you are capable of at that moment in time, you'll be a Champion.

Toastmasters Friday: Ready At Any Moment!

I was the Toastmaster for my Spokane Falls club last night. As it turns out, I had to become MacGyver.

I had made the calls, and figured I'd have one speaker and one evaluator for sure, half what I like to have, but about par for the course for this small club during the Christmas season. As various people showed up, it became evident that my General Evaluator and Speaking Evaluator were not going to show. This wasn't so bad, I guess, since my speaker didn't show up either.

A sure sign of disaster, right? Especially with 2 guests walking through the door to see what Toastmasters is all about.

By the end of the meeting, however, we had two speeches, two evaluations, and two impressed guests. How? By being ready at any moment.


1) I showed up early enough to the meeting to handle changes.
2) One Toastmaster I'd spoken to earlier in the week came with a pocket speech, just in case. Not just any pocket speech, by the way. She had a visual aid and handouts! Big pockets.
3) The Toastmaster who cancelled out of speaking showed up anyway, still determined not to speak. As I spoke with him, I was able to cajole him to give an impromptu speech about all the things he'd been doing instead of working on the speech he intended to give. It provided for an interesting speech!
4. I took over the General Evaluator role, in addition to Toastmaster.
5. My Timer took on an Evaluator role, with the Table Topic Master taking over timing duties during evaluations. The Grammarian/Ah Counter added the Evaluator to his duties.
6. The Table Topics Master did show, and did a great job involving every one who attended with a question.

We had a total of 6 Toastmasters, and because all were ready at any moment, we had a strong meeting that represented Toastmasters well, and encouraged the newcomers.

In addition, it exhibited the strength of the Toastmasters program, by putting people in impromptu situations where they were able to shine. How many times do you end up in a situation where you have to speak unexpectedly? Even the best platform speakers can find themselves fumbling for words when they weren't mentally prepared to speak. Using Toastmasters as a practice field for your impromptu speaking skills is a fun and inexpensive way to stay sharp.

Whether you're a Toastmaster or not, if you're a speaker, you'll find yourself in this position often. Your reputation will precede you, and you'll be asked to fill in for a toast, a prayer, a business presentation, who knows? Being prepared to be unprepared is the burden of being a speaker, so you may as well embrace it! The behind you save may well be your own.

Carry your pen and paper clip, and be ready at any moment - to Speak & Deliver!