Public Speaking: Are You Just Boring?

What does it mean to behip, cool, or in the know? A provocative article in the New York Times Magazine challenges everyone who leads, speaks or teaches to understand that the enemy of attractiveness or being memorable is being just like everyone else--even when the audience thinks that 's what they want. It used to be that being cool was being different--now cool or hip is being just like everyone else.

Professors who crave great evaluations put themselves in the position of being the students of their students. If the students are deeply involved in social networking, the profs do it too. Kids love computers in all their forms, so the professors use them too. No one dares ban laptops in class for fear of being blacklisted and boycotted.

Business leaders also add more digital components to their speeches and presentations. They do this because they see everyone else doing it and because they believe the audience expects it.

But you know what??? When you do this you become just another digital source--not distinguished from all the rest and just as expendable. How many times have you thought or realized that if you miss something in a digital medium, it's okay--because there are more to come that are just the same.

When you speak to an audience--and I mean speak--no slides or very few crafted deliberately and to lead to your points--you'll get some grumbling. But nine times out of ten the majority of the audience will actually remember you for what you didn't do--and that will strengthen the impact of your message.

How do you avoid the trap of knowingness--being so much like the majority that you don't stand out? Think of speeches and presentations in terms of the audience's pain and the call-to-action. Craft a speech that they won't easily find anywhere else. Deliver it with passion and authenticity. That's something that will be worth your time and the time the audience puts into attending.

How do you stand out? Share your best ideas through our comment link below.

Comments

[Dr. Jim Anderson]

Ouch! You make a good point. Just to drive it home a bit more I guess you'd have to ask the follow up question: are your slides boring. We all use PowerPoint to some extent, now the big question is do we use it the same way as everyone else?
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My recommendation here is to read the book "Beyond Bullet Points" by Cliff Atkinson. He does a great job of presenting a way to use PowerPoint that will make your presentation unforgettable.
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- Dr. Jim Anderson
The Accidental Communicator Blog - www.TheAccidentalCommunicator.com