With public speakers, audience consideration wins

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Supposedly, our most common fear is public speaking. Yet some speakers, overtly comfortable at the stump, blithely deliver their presentations with so little regard for their audience, one wishes they’d contract this phobia.  And yet other speakers, who are utterly paralyzed by the prospect of giving a speech in public, are the ones we ought to hear from. Sad paradox.

Fortunately, many public speakers are conscientious enough to adhere to a few intuitive rules and share their knowledge, views, etc. in a useful manner. Only simple courtesy and common sense are required. 

Back in 1992 retired U.S. Admiral, Stanford University professor and Ross Perot running mate James Stockdale began to speak at a vice presidential debate by asking, “Who am I?” “Why am I here?”  That opening was greeted with laughter and later parodied on TV. I laughed too. At that moment, Mr. Stockdale sounded buffoonish before a worldwide audience.  It was unfortunate since Admiral Stockdale was a genuine American patriot, scholar and highly decorated Vietnam War veteran who suffered many years in NVA captivity.

Although Mr. Stockdale, who died last year, was chided for his opening lines, he began that debate by trying to explain exactly who he was and why he stood before us.  Totally appropriate and so simple, yet how many times do other speakers drone on without sharing perfunctory information about who they are, or what we can expect to learn from them today?

Before drafting your presentation, consider what your audience really wants or needs from you. Then stick to it. Save the meandering town hall style for friends and family.  Start by explaining who you are, share your mission and an agenda that tells your audience the topics you’ll cover. Mention that after your prepared remarks, you’ll take questions (if that's part of the format). Don’t leave us guessing or assume we know any of these things mentioned above. 

Of course, some famous speakers don’t require much introduction or a clearly stated agenda because those things are obvious to the audience. But famous speakers don’t get a free pass. We come to hear them for the same reason we come to hear ordinary people. We want a better understanding about something the speaker knows and the speaker’s job is to transfer that understanding as effectively as possible in the time allotted.

Years ago I attended a breakfast event in Chicago where the keynote speaker was a renowned economist. People, who had paid handsomely to eat cold eggs and hear her views, packed an elegant hall and midway through her presentation, she began talking about her relationship with one of her children. I don’t mean a short, illustrative anecdote that related to her topic, or a quick icebreaker. No.  I’m talking about multiple paragraphs spewed out to an audience that politely listened. Although I witnessed some eye rolling; I doubt anyone in the audience was inherently uncaring. Rather, the problem was a speaker who forgot her purpose and indulged an impulse to stray from the expected topic for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, if you use technology to underscore your points, please make sure it works beforehand or don’t use it at all. If you can’t connect to a website, get that video clip to run properly, etc. don’t hope for the best knowing you can summon an attendant while your audience waits.  Think about a paper chart or sock puppets instead.

In sum; please respect your audience's time.