Steve Boyd Presentations

Find It in an Obituary!

Great sources for new material in your next presentation can come from unusual places--such as obituaries!

I’ve always sought to find in nonfiction books original or creative stories or information that I might adapt to a particular speech, but my wife introduced me to the obituary as an additional source. She shared with me an unusual obituary she found in our local newspaper. The account was short, regarding the life of an 89-year-old lady from Covington, Kentucky. The statement that took my breath away was this: “Survived by many, remembered by few.” 

One can’t help but speculate on how this sad commentary came to be included in the obit. Perhaps the woman had requested the line before she died. Or maybe one of the few who did remember wanted to remind those who knew her that they had pretty much ignored her in life. Whatever the source, this piece of nonfiction could be applied to several components of human relations, including the importance of giving attention to our senior relatives and friends.

Audience members are attracted to material they have not heard before, and this is tough considering the ease of finding information on the Internet. To keep your material fresh, seek out unusual sources for material besides the usual sources such as biographies. Think of what intrigues you and might interest others.

Strolling through a cemetery has given me ideas for illustrations, including epitaphs on tombstones or drawings, such as a page from a hymnal, carved into the stone. Recently we found Bud Light Cans on each side of a gravestone.  One can only speculate on the significance of those.

Guides on tours of significant landmarks provide captivating lectures to share. As we passed through a small town in Alaska, the guide informed us that law enforcement agents used to check out the town occasionally because the place was so removed from civilization. When satellite television reception arrived there, several arrests were made in response to “America’s Most Wanted.”

Pick up a brochure when you visit a landmark. I learned much about Kentucky Bourbon from brochures while touring the Bourbon Trail in central Kentucky. When chatting with older people, ask what their childhood was like.

Seek information about a topic when you meet an expert on a given subject.  I learned much about coffee beans in talking to a key executive in charge of purchasing coffee for a large manufacturing company. Keep a pen and paper close by when you are watching a movie. Dialogue from the movie sometimes has great quotations you can use in a speech. For example, in the 1992 movie, A League of Their Own, Tom Hanks, as manager of the team says, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it weren’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”  I’ve used this quote for years.    

Another classic quotation I still use was from a homeless man I met in the Bowery of New York City. I told him where I was from and that we were sightseeing.  His response: “Ten years ago I came to see the sights, and now I am one of the sights.” 

Don’t limit your sources for thought-provoking information for your next presentation. You may find a memorable line in a simple conversation—or in an obituary.

 

Embrace Serendipity in Your Next Speech

Last week the Cincinnati Enquirer featured a story about a little girl who was sitting in her third grade class playing with about an inch-wide gold, heart-shaped locket. She took off the necklace and in the process fumbled the locket and the locket went down her throat. This made it very difficult to breathe and her chest hurt. Her mother rushed to school and then on to the hospital with her.

En route to the hospital, the family car hit a massive pothole. The jarring caused the locket to discharge from the girl's esophagus, forcing it to travel all the way down her throat and saving her life.

Usually you want to avoid potholes, but here the pothole was a life saver. This young lady was the recipient of serendipity! Good things happen by accident. If you look for good things to happen in a speech, you will be more alert to contextual factors that improve your presentation. Seek to make serendipity work for you.

One of the benefits of getting to the meeting place early and meeting some members of the audience is that you might learn something unexpected that could help you in your presentation. As I talked to people before one presentation, I found that several had had me in class at the local university. So I mentioned that early on to boost my credibility with those who did not know me and connect with those who did.

Be grateful for serendipity when there is no explanation. For example, once I was making the point early in my presentation that I hoped by the end of the speech each would have an "aha" so that they would leave thinking "Aha! I can use that tomorrow on the job."  When I said "aha" the audience broke out in applause. The initials of their national organization were "AHA."  They thought my play on words was great and at the time I had no idea what I had said that made them applaud. I just enjoyed the positive feedback and their immediate connection with me.

Don’t be oblivious to serendipity, but embrace it and use it to your advantage.

Hyperbole: Making a Point Memorable

            A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration to make a point. For example, my father was very quiet and rarely joined family conversations. My mother would get frustrated with his behavior and would often say, "Paul never opens his head!"  When I think of someone speaking little, I think of this hyperbole. That is why the hyperbole is so powerful in a speech. You want to have lines that make people remember your point.

            In a speech to the Nobel Prize winners in 1962, President Kennedy said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of human talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House—with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."  As you can determine from this example, hyperbole is often humorous as well, which adds to the impact of the point.

            Watching Alan Alda in the movie, "Tower Heist," reminded me of his autobiography, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, when he was describing a movie flop he made. Note the hyperbole: "We finished the picture, and it was released directly into obscurity. I heard that it played on an airplane over Pittsburgh, and I imagined people strapping on parachutes and jumping to get away from it."

            You can certainly find examples on the internet that you might borrow, but developing your own hyperboles is a great way to show your uniqueness in a speech

            The hyperbole is especially valuable to show how important an idea is, or, in the Alan Alda example, how bad something was. To show extremes and to add punch to your next presentation, think about using the hyperbole. I’ve acquired millions of fans just by using a clever hyperbole!

Coaching for a Specific Presentation

Last week an article in the Wall Street Journal, "Improving Your, Um, You Know, Public Speaking,”  caught my eye. Several speech coaches/consultants were interviewed on how to improve one's presentation skills, making excellent suggestions. One method not mentioned is coaching for a specific presentation.

            In my thirty years of coaching/consulting one-on-one, one of the most effective and challenging situations is the executive who comes to me for help on a specific presentation he/she is delivering within a few weeks or days. This session is effective because with the presentation so close at hand the client has great motivation to practice. The coaching is challenging because of the urgency to be excellent both in delivery and content. Usually a part of the content does not fit or sound right; if so, I can give an objective reaction to the speaking situation since I am responding for the first time. I put myself in the audience and provide input that can be implemented immediately.

            One executive whom I have met with several times over the past decade is an excellent speaker, but he feels that one coaching session a couple of weeks ahead of a specific speaking occasion gives him an edge. He realizes that one tip or an addition or omission of one sentence can make the difference in a good presentation and an excellent one.

            Today's technology allows high-quality filming and minimal equipment for the one-on-one session. I use a flip camera and a small tripod and then play it back on my laptop. I often email the piece to the client to watch the clips several times before the speaking engagement.

            This coaching session just prior to the engagement gives realism to the situation that allows me to suggest a current event that might give the content more relevance. The speaker is often aware of a less than interesting section that must be included and seeks help on a story or one liner to give the point a little "oomph."

            Sometimes we may go over one section several times and play back each time to see places to improve or change content. The client is very willing to do this because of the importance of the material and the upcoming event.

            Usually by this time the client knows what proceeds or follows his/her presentation so we can work on ways to transition to the presentation or to have a stronger ending because of what follows the presentation. For example, if the speech is just before lunch, you might have an ending that easily transitions into lunch. If the speech is first on the agenda after lunch, you might want to have more punch in the opening ten minutes because the audience may be a little lethargic after eating a full meal.

            Any coaching session is going to be useful. However, a coaching session in preparation for a specific occasion gives the coach and client opportunities to improve that are not afforded when you are working on presentation skills in general.

Stephen D. Boyd, Ph.D., CSP, is Professor Emeritus of Speech Communication, College of Informatics, Northern Kentucky University, near Cincinnati. He presents keynotes and seminars to corporations and associations whose people want to speak and listen effectively and coaches local executives. Visit his site to read other valuable articles on effective speaking and listening.

Choose the BEST Word!

Earl Nightingale said, "If our vocabulary is limited, then our thinking will be limited." One way that we can continually become better presenters is to increase the amount and quality of our vocabulary. Words can cause problems.

In a rural part of my home state of Indiana there is the story of Ida Sue who passed away, so her husband Johnny called 911. The 911 operator told Johnny that she would send someone out right away. “Where do you live?" asked the operator. Johnny replied, "At the end of Eucalyptus Drive." The operator asked, "Can you spell that for me?"

There was a long pause and finally Johnny said, "How 'bout if I drag her over to Oak Street and you pick her up there?"

Johnny's problem was spelling the word, but we may need a different word because we can't pronounce easily the word that first comes to mind. An expanded vocabulary can help get around that problem. I've always found the word "statistics" difficult to pronounce, so I will usually say "numbers" instead.

Ideas can be clearer and more vivid when you pay more attention to your vocabulary. Instead of saying "I was confused," you might instead use words like "bewildered," "mystified," or "flummoxed."   Use thesaurus.com or some similar resource to add to the quality of your vocabulary.

Practice new words in conversation and you will more likely start to use them in your presentations. I remember a friend who would try to use a new word in morning staff meetings and in office conversations. He would write the word on a Post-It and then try to use it several times that day. I'm sure his staff picked up on that and would guess what his new word for the day was.

You can subscribe to  Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day  and learn the definition of the word for that day. Think about how you might incorporate the word in your message. Today's word is "onomatopoeia." In telling a story during a presentation, you might use onomatopoeia, as in words such as “hiss” and “dazzle.” If you want to use the word itself, you might stress that onomatopoeia draws the listener in when the word reflects the sound it refers to.

Work on your next presentation or conversation by developing your vocabulary. As Joseph Conrad wrote, "Words have set whole nations in motion…Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the world.”

 

The Turtle on the Fence Post

Alex Haley, author of Roots, kept on the wall of his office a picture of a turtle sitting on a fence. To him, the image held a powerful lesson. His explanation: "If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you know he had some help." 

I think that is especially true of the effective presenter. Becoming a competent presenter requires help. To become effective, you need others to give you feedback and advice on how to improve. This is important because you are not in the audience to hear yourself speak; you have to rely on the feedback of those who listen. Certainly, there is benefit in watching yourself on video, but this is not the same as getting actual audience members telling you what they saw and felt as you were speaking.

If there is not an organized method of audience feedback, then choose someone you know who will be in the audience to critique your speech. If there is a person in the audience who has heard other speakers in the past, ask how you compare to previous ones.

Choose a coach to give you suggestions. This can be a presentations trainer or someone who has heard you speak several times and knows your style and topic well. My wife is an invaluable resource for me. She is willing to give me honest and specific feedback since she has heard me speak a few hundred times. She is especially helpful in vocabulary selection. She can revise the structure and word choice of an idea that usually makes me think, "Why couldn't I have thought of that?"  Your person might be a member of Toastmasters who has had a lot of experience in critiquing speakers.

When you hear an excellent presenter, ask that person who has helped him or her along the way. I guarantee the response will not be, "Oh, I just kept trying different ways until I thought it worked."  Instead there will be a particular person or an audience he or she addressed where the feedback “made me change the way I spoke,” or a name of someone “who made me aware of a few things I had not been doing.”

For example, one of the greatest regional speakers in the 20^th century was Governor Frank Clement of Tennessee. His speaking was the subject of my doctoral dissertation many years ago. A major influence on his speaking was his sister, Annabelle.

In addition, a major speechwriter for Ronald Reagan who influenced the content of his speeches was Peggy Noonan, now an author and Wall Street Journal columnist.

Outstanding speakers must have help to achieve excellence. Don't become too caught up in your ability to speak. Remember the turtle on the fence post.

Stephen D. Boyd, Ph.D., CSP, is Professor Emeritus of Speech Communication, College of Informatics, Northern Kentucky University, near Cincinnati. He presents keynotes and seminars to corporations and associations whose people want to speak and listen effectively. Visit his site to read other valuable articles on effective speaking and listening.

The End of an Era

            Not many people have a life on network television news at age 92, and yet that is what Andy Rooney has been able to do. Curmudgeon that he is, his ideas were always thought-provoking. He has a communication style that basically says, "Here is my opinion and I don't care how the chips fall."  In addition, he looked at issues in a way no one else had thought about. He was willing to poke holes in our sacred cows.

            One I remember well was shortly after the inauguration of President George W. Bush in 2000. His criticism then was why Presidents always include in their speeches, "God bless America." Not only did President Bush do it in his inaugural address, but Rooney showed  short clips from Presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and the Democratic  presidential nominee  that year, Al Gore,  where each had invoked God's blessings. His question was, "Does that mean that God does not bless other countries? Or does that mean He should not bless other countries?”  This was a unique way of saying maybe we use  this phrase  as a trite throw-away line instead of actually thinking of a spiritual experience  that probably does not  fit most  major speech  situations.

            An important point for communicators from Andy is not to speak unless we have a specific point to make. His listeners who heard his commentaries never thought, "I wonder what his point was."  And Andy Rooney never rehashed old stuff. His other lesson for talkers is to speak only when you can add something new or different on the topic.

The Perfect Toast

One of the best ways to affirm someone is to propose a toast. We don’t need a plaque or certificate to show our love and appreciation for someone; we can do it with words. That is what a toast consists of. A toast is a special way to celebrate an event or date in a person’s life with words of affirmation and encouragement.

            I attended a wedding recently at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The wedding and reception, naturally, had a baseball theme, and one side of the room looked down on the ball field. With this as a backdrop, Stephen Byers delivered this toast to his brother and new sister-in-law:

            “There comes a time in every man’s life when he has to quit warming the bench and watching the game from the sidelines and step up to the plate. Today, Rick, is that day for you. Spring training is over, your friends and family are cheering you on from the stands, and you’re at bat. In my own 31 seasons, I’ve learned that life is an unpredictable pitcher. Often times, when you’re feeling good—the count is in your favor and you think you’ve got it figured out—you get thrown a curve ball. But it’s nice to know that now you have a teammate for life who will help you round the bases toward home plate. To quote a friend of ours, ‘When God put you two together, He hit a homerun.’ Let’s raise our glasses in tribute to Rick and Ashley’s marriage.”

            Here are traits that make this a model toast: The toast is short. Two minutes should be enough length to keep the audience attentive and provide a complete message. The toast relates to the context of the event. There are references to the marriage and he predicts positive results of this wedding. The toast is unique and creative. The analogy to the baseball theme is memorable and meshes with the surroundings. There are no extraneous words or clichés that often accompany toasts such as, “I know so many things about Joe that I don’t where to begin,”  or “I’ve always admired you and loved you  as we have grown up together.” 

            There is structure to the toast. The audience can follow the narrative easily. Even though there are references to the challenges of marriage, there is an upbeat spirit that has a nice positive tenor. It ends with a prompt to actually drink to the couple.

            Any accomplishment is a reason to propose a toast. Use these tips and you will add happiness and a positive aura to the occasion.

Connect: Introduction to Introduction

            Not only are the first sentences of your presentation important, but also the last words of whoever is introducing you. Those last words have a lot to do with how effective you are in the beginning of your speech.

            One way to insure a good transition is to write out what you want the introducer to say—especially the last part which leads into your opening remarks.   The introducer, if left on his or her own, might mispronounce your name or the name of your company, or end with something inane such as “Here he is,” or “I’m sure you will enjoy what he has to say,” or “I guess that’s about it.”

            Instead, carefully plan your beginning to respond to what you have written for the introducer to end with. Here is how I will sometimes make that happen in my speeches.

            The introduction points out that I played basketball in high school and our nickname was "The Shawswick Farmers." It even mentions that our favorite cheer was “we plow them under.” I assume the audience is not sure how true that is. (I admit it seems a bit hokey and ridiculous now.) Once I’m on stage, my first words are:  “I know your questions here. Yes, we were the farmers!  Yes, we plowed them under. And I would add we had farmer’s night and everyone wore bib overalls with a red bandanna handkerchief hanging out the back pocket.” 

            This is a smooth transition to my opening and my response allows me to begin with smiles and chuckles from the audience—always a good start for a speaker.

            In thinking about what you want to say in your presentation, make sure you include in your preparation both introductions: the one by your introducer and the one where you begin your speech. Do what you can to insure the success of the introducer who helps you get off to a good start.

How You Say It Makes a Difference

Mark Twain was known for his regular use of profanity. His wife got tired of this and decided to show him how distasteful this language was by using profanity in his presence. Twain listened to this for a while. His response to his wife was, “You’ve got the words, but not the music.” 

         That line represents well what I want to say:  it is not just the message you present, but also how you look and sound as you say it. J. Robert Parkinson wrote regarding delivery in acting and speaking, “Content alone is not sufficient. If the text were all that was necessary for a great performance, everyone could be an accomplished Shakespearean actor because everyone has access to the same words.” What makes the difference is the way the words are said.

            We can tell so much with the voice. When my children were small, I would call them for dinner. Just by the way I said their names they knew if they should have come to dinner ten minutes earlier or whether they had another ten minutes to play.

            What can you do to avoid the monotone voice and show that you really care about your topic?  One way is to choose materials for your next presentation that you are truly excited about. If you genuinely believe an idea is important, this will show in your voice.

            Punch out any statistic or proper noun. This will add emotion to your voice and emphasize the importance of the statistic or name. Pause before a key word or idea, as this will usually give you more force with your next words.

            Stay away from your speaking notes as much as possible. This will help you avoid reading directly from your notes and give more spontaneity to your voice.

            Don’t make it easy for the audience member to drift off mentally by droning on in your presentation. If an audience member is going to nod off for a nap as you are speaking, be sure to make them work for it!