How to Become A Good Speaker

1. How to Become A Good Speaker Kai-Fu Lee Corporate Vice President Microsoft Corporation

2. Why Be a Good Speaker? “The man who can think and does not know how to express what he thinks is at the level of him who cannot think.” Pericles • Not just “presentation”, but also “persuasion” • Get people’s “mindshare” • Influence a friend, colleague, or boss • Tell people what you did, and why it matters

3. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills What You’ll Learn Today:

4. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills First Topic: Learn Speaking Skills

5. Verbal (words spoken) Vocal (tone, range, appeal, credibility of voice) Visual (physical appearance, gestures, eye contact) 7% 38% 55% Can be learned What Are Speaking Skills? Delivery Skills

6. Most Important: Enthusiasm “There is just one sure cure for bad speeches – Get truly excited on the subject, and 99 percent of the faults of your speaking will disappear.” Robert Montgomery • Don’t accept a talk without enthusiasm • Could be from interest, experience, environment • Example: Martin Luther King I have a dream… that one day this nation will rise up;live out the true meaning to its creed.We hold these truths to be self-evidentthat all men are created equal. • Not how loud, but how sincere

7. Verbal Skills – Be Simple & Clear • Be simple and clear! • Don’t ramble • Stop to think if you need to • Example one: Dan Quayle celebrates democracy • Example two: Dan Quayle trying to say “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”

8. Verbal Skills – Use simple words • Speaking is not like writing!!! • Use simple words • Don’t use complex sentences • Can you understand this: • Text: The development of this frightful means of destruction was ardently demanded by the perils of the time and situation. Simultaneously, however, a new paradoxical situation has been…. is upon us continually. One cannot defend oneself effectively any more. -- Albert Einstein

9. Vocal Skills : Play your voice • Project & resonate your voice • No “UM”s and “ER”s. (Pause instead) • Tools: silence, loudness, intonation, speed • “You are right. I am wrong.” – Stalin to Trotsky • “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” -- John F. Kennedy • “I welcome this kind of examination, because people have to know whether their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook.” -- Richard M. Nixon • Don’t overdo it!!!

10. Vocal+Verbal : Words+Intonation • John Kennedy: • “You need to contribute to your country” • “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”. • Quayle vs. Benson Debate: • Quayle: "I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency." • Answer 1:“Jack Kennedy is better than you.” • Answer 2:"Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.“

11. Visual Skills • US Election 1960 was won on visual skills • Components of Visual Skills: • Eyes • Body • Hands • Face

12. Visual Skills – Eyes • Look forward at audience (trust) • Don’t shift eyeballs; don’t look in corner • Don’t look too much at computer screen or notes • Look at people’s faces (not eyes) • 3-6 seconds per person • Shift randomly • Nod, smile, use facial expression

13. Visual Skills – Body • Stand up when talking • Walk around = informal • Don’t: • Rock, shake • Lean too much

14. Visual Skills – Hands • Gesture complements talk • Should come naturally, without thinking • Make sure they match! • Need to exaggerate a little • Especially with large audience • Don’t fidget or put in pocket • Videotape whole talk & watch • Can improve hand gesturing!

15. Visual Skills – Face • Show emotion! • Most of the time: • “I care a lot about this.” • “I really believe in this.” • “I love my work.” • Sometimes (in response to questions). • “This is the most outrageous thing I’ve ever heard.” • “I will have nothing to do with this.”

16. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills Next Topic: Develop the talk

17. The Key Point: the Goal of the Talk • The ONE clear walk-away message. • The answer to the question: “How was the talk?” • The one thing people remember in 3 months Persuasion The Key Point (Where you took them) The Origin Point (Where the audience was)

18. Must Have Audience Benefit • Put audience needs at heart “What’s in it for you?” • Has to be their reason, not yours • Must consider feeling, not just reaction • Must have right “you” • Good phrases to know: • “This is important to you because…” • “Why am I telling you this? Because…” • “What does this mean for you? Let me tell you…” • Know your audience • Experience, knowledge, attitude

19. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills Next Topic:

20. Organizing the Story • You’re the salesman • First lesson for salesmen: Tell them what you’re going to say Opening Body Say it Ending Tell them what you said

21. The Opening You never get a second chance to make a first impression Jerry Weissman • The opening • A question • Factoid • Anecdote • Quotation • Analogy • Joke (make it relevant!) • Customize the opening • Lead to the Key Point • Give a (very short) outline/overview

22. The Body • Brainstorming into data dump • Connect the ideas into “main themes” • Connect the teams using one logic flow DON’T!!! Ready to write the slides?

23. Good phrases to use Remember in 3 months Audience feeling Key point What’s in it for you? Audience benefit Right you Everything a good idea “How was the talk? brainstorming Research background 3-step salesman Data dump Connect to main themes Opening Analogy Clusters main themes Quote Joke Form / Function Relevant Flow Repeat KP Issue / Action Chronological Problem / Solution Transitions Ending Opportunity / Leverage Feature Benefit & Main Themes Data Dump

24. The Flow • Possible flows: • Convincing logic & order • Smooth transitions • Keep repeating the Key Point! (See “Presenting to Win” by Jerry Weissman for more examples)

25. The Ending • End with a BANG! “Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be served.” George W. Bush • Repeat the Key Point • “If you remember only one thing from this talk, then you should remember XXX” • Say thank you

26. Data Dump  Main Themes Flow Main Themes Theme 1 Issue  Action Theme 2 Issue  Action Review of Organizing Your Story Opening  Key Point Tell them what you’re going to say Body (Repeat Key Point) Say it Closing  Key Point Tell them what you said

27. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills Next Topic:

28. Design Graphics • PowerPoint only supports your talk • Spend more time on organization & delivery! • Design principles • Keep it simple • Apply psychology • Make it easy to follow • Make it attractive • Your titles should tell your story

29. Why “Keep It Simple”? • Aim to develop a consistent style, using the standard stylesheet whenever possible. • One concept per slide. • The font that is being used should be very large • 24 point or larger. I will now use smaller fonts to prove to you that it is a major strain to your eyes to read small fonts. • The color of the font and the background should be in sharp contrast. If one is light, then the other should be dark. Otherwise it will be very hard to read. • The use of bullets should be simple. Too many bullets distracts the user from listening to you. • 3 big sub-ideas (or bullets) is the most you should have. • The entire slide should have fewer than 8 bullets and sub-bullets. • I will add a few more bullets to show this is not a good idea • And one more • And one more • Keep the language used simple, so that the user doesn’t have to “think” to understand your point. • Each bullet should fit in one line, because the idea of a bullet is to convey idea, headline, and server as a reminder (or cue) for you to describe and amplify. • Parallel wording means the bullets are roughly parallel, and contain similar grammatical constructs. This can save the user a lot of time trying to “understand” what you said.

30. Keep It Simple • Consistent look • One concept per slide • Readable • >20 point • Avoid abbreviation • Use shadow outline fonts • Contrast font & background • Don’t leave too much blank space

31. Keep It Simple : Bullets • Headline, not sentence • Reminder for you • Concise • <4 top-level bullets • <10 total bullets & sub-bullets • Simple language • One line per bullet • Parallel wording

32. What’s wrong with this? • A good speech • Clear point • Understands what audience wants • Organization based on logic • Powerful opening • Ending that people remember

33. Instead, do this…. • A good speech • Clear point • Appealing audience benefit • Logical flow • Powerful opening • Strong close

34. Apply Psychology to Design • Don’t fight natural eye movements • Move left to right • Return to upper left corner • Sweep to lower right corner • Subliminal hints • Graphics to match your key point • Anticipation

35. Apply Psychology to Design • Don’t fight natural eye movements • Move left to right • Return to upper left corner • Sweep to lower right corner • Subliminal hints • Graphics to match your key point • Anticipation • Avoid bad signs

36. What’s Wrong With This? • Great financial results-- Revenue reached $1,000,000-- Growth passed 20%-- Profit exceeded $200,000

37. Instead, do this • Great financial results • Revenue reached $1,000,000 • Growth passed 20% • Profit exceeded $200,000

38. What’s Wrong With This? Revenue

39. Instead, do this Revenue

40. Make it Easy to Follow • Use outline • Highlight upcoming section • Use builds • Remind where you are • General goal: • Don’t make the audience think(Other than what you’re saying)

41. Make It Attractive • 20 hours on preparation • 10 hours on practice • Why not spend 1 hour on attractive design?

42. Instead of doing this… • Cost • Satisfaction • Productivity • Revenue

43. Cost Satisfaction Productivity Revenue Why not do this…

44. Instead of doing this… • Bill Gates • Brilliant Technologist • Steve Ballmer • Powerful Salesman • Steve Jobs • Passionate Evangelist • Lou Gerstner • Logical Businessman

45. Why not do this…

46. Apply psychology to design Conclusion Eyes Keep it simple Giving a good answer PowerPoint only supports talk Opportunity to amplify Words + intonation Design graphics Q&A Review of organizing story Be yourself The ending Audience participation The flow Humor Data dump & main themes Overcoming nervousness Use simple words The body Overcoming language barrier The opening Verbal skills Confidence & passion What are speaking skills? Organizing the story Delivery Speaking skills are important Must have audience benefit Rehearsing your delivery Key point = Goal of the talk Practice your talk Develop Key Point Why be a good speaker? What you’ll learn today Body & hands Visual skills Enthusiasm Vocal skills: Simple & Clear Learn speaking skills Play your voice Make it attractive Face Make it easy to follow • Show emotion! • Most of the time:“I care a lot about this.”“I really believe in this.” “I love my work.” • Sometimes (in response to questions). “This is the most outrageous thing I’ve ever heard.” “I will have nothing to do with this.” • Use outline Highlight upcoming section • Use builds Remind where you are • General goal: Don’t make the audience think (Other than what you’re saying) Your Titles Should Tell the Story “The man who can think and does not know how to express what he thinks is at the level of him who cannot think.” Pericles • Not just “presentation”, but “persuasion” • Influence a friend, colleague, or boss. • Tell people what you did, and why it matters. • Get people’s “mindshare”.

47. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills Next Topic:

48. Rehearsing Your Content • Prepare, prepare, prepare • Customize the talk • Within-talk references • Repeat key point • Repeat main themes • Repeat your company (university) name • Practice to use same word(s) per concept • Practice transitions between slides

49. Rehearsing Your Delivery • Record & listen to every talk at least twice! • Best : PowerPoint features • OK : Tape recorder • Get the timing right • Running out of time is a disaster • Practice to an audience or record video • Ask experienced speaker to critique • Record video for critique

50. Q&A Delivery Practice Talk Design Graphics Organize Story Develop Key Point Learn Speaking Skills Next Topic: