Efficient, or engaging?
In the world of public speaking, there is a certain magic in guiding your audience towards an idea without explicitly stating it.
I was coaching a professional speaker recently and accused them of suffering from an ailment that plagues my own speaking, too: whilst their delivery is really good, it’s more efficient than engaging.
Put simply, they tend to make a point, and then justify it. As a well prepared and highly practiced speaker, they do this very well. The points are beautifully articulated and the evidence and justifications clear and compelling.
But… it lacks something. It feels convincing, rather than enlightening.
I think one of the most amazing skills to master as a speaker is learning to guide your audience towards an idea, rather than handing it to them on a platter.
It's a bit like a magic trick. You set the stage, you perform your sleight of hand, and suddenly, they're hit with an 'aha' moment. When you do it well, every member of the audience feels like they’re switched on and ahead of the curve, having reached the conclusion all on their own.
There are probably a squillion ways to do this, but three you can try immediately are stories, metaphors, and questions.
Stories and metaphors both allow you to effectively convey your message without explicitly stating it. By sharing a compelling story (which is a literal example of the point) or a metaphor (which is an analogous example of the point), you can give them the tools to piece together the big idea themselves, which is often far more impactful than simply telling them what to think.
Similarly, questions can create openings into which the audience can inject their own understanding. Making space for small-group discussions and facilitating a conversation around the room creates further opportunities for the audience to feel empowered and self-directed.
Often, I think good public speaking is just a function of trusting your audience,and their ability to connect the dots themselves and arrive at the idea on their own terms.
PS - If you haven’t checked in on The Fink Tank podcast I’ve been creating with my brother Cam, you can check it out on LinkedIn, Spotify, or through any podcast app.