The media is buzzing today with talk of last night’s Iowa caucuses. The coverage includes the obligatory handicapping of who’s up and who’s down, but nearly every political pundit and blogger also has something to say about the candidates’ speeches. Whether you’re particularly interested in politics or not, the candidates’ performances in Iowa have something to teach business leaders about communication and public speaking.
So what’s the take away? Bert Decker, executive coach and CEO of Decker communications, compiled his yearly list of the best and worst communicators on his blog this week and Mike Huckabee, the Republican victor in Iowa, took top honors. Why? Besides being open and authentic, he peppers his speeches with SHARPs: Stories, Humor, Analogies, References, Pictures. And if you want your speech to connect with a crowd, Decker urges, so should you.
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Categories: general · people
Tagged: business, speech
What does it take to deliver a great speech? Well, first and foremost, you’ve got to come up with an “elevator pitch.” Let me tell you why.
Let’s say you’re going to deliver a speech at a five-star hotel with a world-renowned golf course. You meet one of the audience in the elevator. He looks at your name tag and asks,
“Hello, Mr. Speaker. Give me one reason why I have to listen to what you have to say, instead of going out for rounding at this fancy golf course?”
Your answer will determine the golfer’s chance of listening to your speech. That’s what I mean by “elevator pitch”–a simple summary of what you have to say and what’s more, why the audience have to listen to you in the first place. The answer should clearly show what’s in it for the audience.
So, next time you prepare for a speech, forget PowerPoint and focus on your elevator pitch and storyline. You’ll see the difference!
Categories: general
Tagged: elevator, powerpoint, simplicity, speech, story-telling
