In early 1950, then-United States Senator Margaret Chase Smith was fed up. She was upset with her Republican and Democrat colleagues; with her fellow citizens; with her entire country. There was an evident division occurring among the population. Margaret believed that instead of focusing on the true enemies, the country was fighting itself. So, she created a document titled the “Declaration of Conscience” – where she stressed the importance of balancing national security with individual freedoms – and introduced it in a speech. Throughout her talk, Margaret wielded 3 public speaking techniques and storytelling devices that positively impact audience response.
Public Speaking Tip #1: Repetition
Margaret paid no mind to her grade school teachers. Despite all of the times we were told to vary the start of our sentences, there is just something about beginning a series of sentences with a consistent phrase. In “Declaration of Conscience,” Margaret began 5 sentences with “It is” (for a total of 10 words) and 7 sentences with “I speak” (for a total of 14 words). Of the 1825 words in her speech, these two beginning phrases comprised nearly 1%. That may not seem like a significant chunk, but its impact is profound on the listener. In public speaking, repetition allows for a presenter to emphasize key points and alter the cadence of their content.
Public Speaking Tip #2: Honesty
The same is true in public speaking as it is in life: honesty is the best policy. Even when it might hurt. Or sting in the slightest. Many presenters shy away from creating tension or owning a different viewpoint. But being honest with yourself and your audience will enable you to increase the recall of your message and strengthen connections. During her speech, Margaret adopts a sarcastic tone, laced with a layer of irony.
“It is ironical that we Senators can in debate in the Senate directly or indirectly, by any form of words, impute to any American who is not a Senator any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming an American — and without that non-Senator American having any legal redress against us — yet if we say the same thing in the Senate about our colleagues we can be stopped on the grounds of being out of order.”
Source: Margaret Chase Smith, “Declaration of Conscience”
Audiences appreciate a presenter who can be real with them and show them a side of his or herself that hasn’t been completely molded by company and industry jargon and marketing speak.
Public Speaking Tip #3: Identity
Sometimes presenters forget that they aren’t word-spitting, mouse-clicking machines. They are human beings. And as human beings, they have a personality – a distinct set of characteristics that sets them apart from all of the 7 billion people on earth. When it makes sense to do so, a presenter should reveal certain aspects of their identity that relate to the audience and to the main message. For example, Margaret felt so strongly about the partisan politics and lack of cohesiveness in government and in civic life. And this, in part, a result of her identity. She repeatedly mentioned her identity several times: American, woman, senator, and Republican. All of these identifiers provide context for why she feels the way she does about the topic she is discussing.
Try using one or all of the 3 techniques described above in your next presentation. To discover more tactics utilized by some of the greatest speakers of all time, read the articles listed below!
Speaking Lessons from History: “Duties of American Citizenship” by Theodore Roosevelt
Lessons from Shubhendu Sharma’s TED Talk “How to Grow a Forest in Your Backyard”
Speaking Lessons from History: “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” by John F. Kennedy
