It is 9am in a leadership workshop. I am listening to an experienced speaker. She is confident, well spoken, professional and credible. But there is a problem. I am bored. Really bored.
I am trying my hardest to listen. My very hardest. But I am failing. Miserably.
And I am not alone. Looking around the room, most people have drifted off. There is not a lot of listening going on.
But then it happens. The prepared presentation finishes. And the questions start. Bang. Just like that, the room wakes up.
We ask. She answers. Away goes the script. Off go the slides. And suddenly we are listening to a compelling communicator who listens, laughs and answers our questions, in a relevant and direct manner.
How does this happen? How does a presenter go from boring to engaging? I will tell you how – by throwing away the script.
Scripts can be problematic for two main reasons…
Reason 1 When you read a script, you sound boring.
Reason 2: Scripts prevent you from being yourself.
Every week I work with amazing communicators who lose their ability to connect with their audience when asked to get up and present. People who have been making me laugh, listen and engage all day, suddenly become distant, serious and formal. As they work hard to recite their presentation script.
But to ditch the script is easier said than done. Having a script to fall back on, makes you feel prepared and in control. I get that. But the truth is, the most effective communicators are people that can explain concepts in a simple, compelling and relevant way. They often make ‘mistakes’, or forget to say certain things. But they also read the room. Which means they get it when points don’t land. So they try again. This time using different words, different examples. They ditch and adapt content on the spot. They listen to audience questions and choose answers that are relevant rather than prepared. None of this can happen when you are a slave to your script.
So what is the alternative – should you wing it Donald Trump style? In short – no. We all know that Trump loves to freestyle as many speaking opportunities as possible. He prides himself on going where no President has gone before. Completely off-piste. This is not an approach I would recommend. For obvious reasons. When people have given up their time to listen to you – it’s important to show respect and prepare relevant and structured content.
Try this instead: Take time to understand who you are talking to. Write out the most important thing you want to say to them. Back it up with relevant points that are right for your audience – the key word here is ‘relevant’. You need flexibility in your content depending on who you are talking to. Practice talking around these points. Out loud. 10 different times, 10 different ways. The more you do this, the more you will ‘own’ your words. By the time you are ready to talk, you will feel more confident, clear and in control of your topic.
This approach helps at question time too. As it allows you space to move from ‘what you were supposed to say’, to actually answering your audience’s questions, in a way that won’t result in a PR disaster for your organisation.
But what if the stakes are high, and a script is the only way you are going to ensure you ‘get it right’? For example, you are a Keynote speaker, you are doing a Ted talk or the Queen has asked you to cover her Christmas day speech to the Commonwealth.
Well if necessary, go ahead and prepare that script. However, put in the time to know it so well, that you will ‘own’ your words, not read them. And a warning – this takes time. Chris Anderson, the author of Ted Talk; The official TED Guide to Public Speaking, recommends devoting an hour a day for an entire week. The test he says is that you can focus entirely on another activity, such as measuring out ingredients for brownies, whilst also doing your talk. Anderson believes that if you can give your talk whilst the cognitive load is that high in your system, you can give it well while focused on the stage.
Remember – the most effective communications are about communicating ideas and concepts – not specific words and phrases. Free yourself from your script.
Stop presenting. Start talking. www.persuade.co.nz