9 qualities of a great speaker

I have spoken with various audiences in differing contexts and the feedback has always been fantastic. I have also been an audience member, listening to a powerful speech which, for one reason or another has resonated and stayed with me. Conversely, I have sat as an audience member, rolling my eyes and clock watching as I have willed the time to pass.

So what makes the difference? And more importantly, what should speakers be aware of to ensure that their speech is memorable for all the right reasons? Based on my own observations both as a speaker and as a member of the audience, here are nine suggestions (in no particular order) that make a great experience.

Pace

As a qualified teacher, pace is something that I have been well trained in for the classroom but it's also a key factor in how long you can hold peoples attention for. We've all been stuck at a party with the guest who is telling a story or joke but feels light years away from the punchline. Its painful. Yet pace isn't about rushing. Pace is about delivering information in a clear, concise, digestible way that allows the listener to absorb the point comfortably before moving on to the next one.

Engagement

Slightly different to pace, engagement focuses on how well people feel connected to your message. This may be shown through active participation such as asking questions or contributing feedback or more subtle signs such as nodding and making notes. Personally, I would rather speak to 200 people who really get value from what I am saying, than 2000 people who are watching me but mentally doing their food shopping!

Tone of Voice

You may not realise how important tone of voice is until you are subjected to twenty minutes of monotone. Varied volume, pitch and tone of voice is really key to ensuring that your audience is listening. A varied (yet controlled) tone of voice in itself can tell a story and take your audience on a journey that they may otherwise 'zone out' of.

Story telling

We have been telling and sharing stories for centuries. Stories are an incredibly powerful way of making connections with our audience and sharing our own views in ways that others can imagine for themselves and relate to. The article below gives some great information on the science behind why we enjoy stories so much as well as some tips on how to include them. (note - remember the importance of pace when sharing a story that you could easily get lost in)

Authenticity

This is one that many people struggle with and yet in theory it should be the easiest. Simply being ourselves. Authenticity is the sharing of our naked selves (not literally!), the mistakes, triumphs and lessons and one of the most significant ways of building trust with others. It gives people the opportunity to connect on a real level once we are prepared to show our 'true selves' and yet this in itself can feel scary because we have often programmed ourselves to present the most confident, efficient, successful version of ourselves. The truth is, we can still be all of those things but in sharing our struggles and self doubts too, it makes us far more 'real' to our audience which in turn promotes great engagement.

Body Language

Nobody wants to see a robot deliver a key note speech. Movement and gesticulation can help to deliver your message as long as its controlled and not too wild! I am often told that I talk with my hands and although I felt conscious of this in the past I have learned that the right gestures, at the right time can really compliment a message and help deliver a point. Subtlety is the key here.

Conversation

You may have noticed when I opened this article I said that I can spoken 'with various audiences' My wording was chosen deliberately because, in the same way that as an author I write for my reader, as a speaker I talk for my audience. I don't ever want people to feel that they were talked AT, but rather that they were silently participating in a conversation between us. Authenticity is a key way of ensuring this as audiences will be making emotional connections and feel a part of the experience opposed to apart from it.

Key messages

In any speech there will be key messages that you want your audience to remember and take away. By now, I hope that it makes sense that I say a message needs to be clearly expressed, delivered with a good pace and reinforced by a story if you have one. In planning a speech it's important to keep the key messages at the front of your mind and if you are unable to distance yourself enough to read your speech back as a listener, give it to a trusted friend to read and tell you what their takeaways would be.

Knowledge

This should go without saying but always ensure that you are talking about an area where you have the greatest knowledge and understanding. This will ensure than your speech is delivered with confidence and your audience will hear a convincing message that they trust. Dogs may smell fear but an audience can sense nerves. Take a deep breath and know that you've got this!

These are simply my observations and I would love to know your thoughts and whether you would add any more points. Which speech have you heard that really stayed with you?