There are no boring topics-only boring speakers. I say this in all my speeches and seminars. The audience may look at me with skepticism but they eventually realize the truth. I tell them the story about Elliot who was in one of my Knockout Presentations workshops. I asked him to talk about a passionate topic. He chose his job of inventory control. After failing to convince him to choose another topic, I listened to Elliot speak about his job. Well, I was totally surprised. Elliot really was passionate about inventory control! The reason many presentations are boring is because the speakers lack passion. The give me the excuse that their topic is technical. Well, I'm here to say that public speaking is both a science and an art and when the two intersect it's magical. Here is a video to show how an otherwise dry presentation can be captivating and engaging when you combine it with art and creativity. Do you think this speaker engaged the audience? Do you know the art and science of speaking? What's stopping from giving a knockout presentation?
David Cameron's Knockout Presentation-Not Afraid to Confront
Politics aside, Prime Minister David Cameron gave an effective speech yesterday in response to the London riots. I'm not a British citizen and I don't know their experience. What I do know is that Cameron responded by speaking clearly and to the point. He began with a clear purpose statement. "I'd like to update you on the latest situation and the actions we're taking to get this despicable violence off our streets." He paused after the word "violence" to let it land and wasn't afraid to use emotional words (despicable).
He then quantified the results. "There are 16, 000 police on the streets," "450 people have been arrested". Mr. Cameron went on to acknowledge all who contributed to the emergency services. In a politically correct society it's refreshing to know he's not afraid to condemn negative behavior and used words such as "sickening", "appalling", and "thugs". His tone was serious, impassioned, and strong. As a public speaker, he put a stake in the ground and took a strong stand. Listen to his presentation and make note of his direct, clear, and congruent speaking style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlOxbI9st60