SPEAKING IN PUBLIC: Use An Elephant!

"I'm obsessed with giving the audience something that they didn't see coming!"

This quote from Jordan Peele, the Emmy and Oscar award-winning writer and director of Get Out, gives a great insight into storytelling... the importance of 'the surprise'! Now, we're not actually suggesting that you bring an elephant onto stage with you but surprising your audience is a great way to keep them engaged and looking forward to what's coming next. 

3 Surprising Suggestions:

The Surprising Start

According to Forbes magazine people have made most of their initial assumptions about you in the first 7 seconds. Yes... 7 seconds! So you've got to make the start of your speech count. But HOW?! 

Start by asking yourself what your audience are expecting to hear... and then try to subvert those expectations. If you're making a speech about "Eating more vegetables" then you could surprise your audience by starting your speech with "I love burgers" or "According to a recent poll, 90% of vegetables are officially disgusting". Subverting your audiences expectations in those first 7 seconds is a great way to make sure they sit up and engage with your speech.

The Unpredictable Prop

We've all seen speeches which use visual aids to help the audience understand complex data or connect with your material through impactful imagery. But, what about using a prop (or any visual aid) just to surprise your audience? 

A great example is Mohammed Qahtani's speech about "The Power of Words". He begins his speech by pretending to light a cigarette; the response from his audience is audible! By surprising them with the unpredictable use of a prop he's successfully grasped their attention and helped them to engage in his speech. 

Warning: using a prop can't be *totally* random. Yes, it needs to attract attention but it should also stimulate interest in your subject matter and help to make your meaning clear. 

The Imperfect Speaker

When you're making a speech you're in a position of 'authority'; you're audience is expecting you to be an advocate or a spokesperson for either your topic or your point of view. So, it can be surprising and effective to admit that you weren't always an expert on your topic; or, that you didn't always have the point of view you do now. 

A really simple way to do this is to use an anecdote (a short story from your own life) in which you admit that you once thought differently. By admitting your 'imperfection' you help your audience to empathise with you - it can also be a really helpful way to connect with your audience as it can often establish common ground between you and them. 

USEFUL LINKS:

TO READ...

5 Ways to Surprise Your Audience

(Another) 5 Ways to Surprise your Audience 

TO WATCH...

Mohammad Qahtani Using a Prop

Top Tips for those first 7 seconds!