With Jan Day Gravel (’10) “How to Succeed as an Executive: Use the Spoken Word More Effectively” In June, I was pleased to be asked to facilitate a panel presentation presented by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce on “Back to the Basics – The Art of the Spoken Word.” One of the panelists, Jeff Porro, a speechwriter and award winning screenwriter of the Denzel Washington movie “The Great Debaters,” had great insights to what all of us should remember if we want to move and engage audiences and clients. As Jeff said, “Speeches, talks, and presentations can mean the difference between success and failure in three critically important parts of an executive’s job—winning clients, growing the business, and rising within the business.” I have asked Jeff to be my guest columnist for this month’s Leading Edge. I know his wisdom and experience will provide key insights and serve as a reminder to boost your confidence and become even more effective when you are in front of an audience or a team. Jeff follows his own recommendation by beginning with a critical element in a presentation - a story – There is a wonderful story in Walter Isaacson’s terrific, best-selling biography, Steve Jobs, that should be a must read for every executive. In 1997, Jobs was back at Apple but technically only as a “part-time” adviser to then-CEO Gil Amelio. Apple was struggling, so Amelio was in trouble. He got a great opportunity to rally the Apple troops when he was scheduled to deliver the keynote address at Macworld, Apple’s annual gathering of the tribes, just before Jobs was scheduled to speak. Here is how Isaacson describes what happened: “Amelio had gone on vacation, gotten into a nasty tussle with his speechwriters and refused to rehearse…. Amelio stood on the podium bumbling through a disjointed and endless presentation. Amelio was unfamiliar with the talking points that popped up on his teleprompter and soon was trying to wing his presentation. Repeatedly he lost his train of thought. After more than an hour, the audience was aghast.”1 Amelio was out before the year ended. His fate is a dramatic illustration that a very traditional form of communication—one human being speaking to an audience—remains extremely important for executives, even in the age of social media. 1 Here are three key things to remember that will help you use the spoken word more effectively:    Be a Subject Matter Expert Start Strong Finish Well Winning Clients – Be a Subject Matter Expert “Give a speech. Win a client.”2 That’s the title of an article by Barbara Haislip that appeared in the Wall Street Journal a few years ago. And it’s great advice. If you’re trying to win clients through traditional one-on-one or small-group sales calls you face some daunting obstacles. A cold sales call can mean playing telephone tag until you reach the individual in the right department— who may or may not be interested in your service. Even when you get in the room with a prospect, you’re “the salesperson.” The result is a strong tendency for potential clients to tune you out. Many clients simply don’t like the pressure of a one-on-one, especially if they’re not already sure they want to buy. Consider this alternative: find an opportunity to give a speech or presentation to an audience that includes potential clients. In that situation, the odds shift dramatically in your favor. In a larger group, people feel less pressured. A speech also gives people a chance to see if they want to work with you without having to listen to your sales pitch. Most important, when you give a speech, the audience is there because they want to be, not because you leveraged them into listening to a pitch. You are there as a subject-matter expert, a thought leader. You’re providing them something they want—valuable information. Start Strong The good news is that public speaking is one of those skills that can be learned. The first thing you’ll need is a strong script, and a strong speech script must have a great beginning. As Pete Weissman, an award-wining speechwriter and strategist who's helped leaders at Coca-Cola and other Fortune 100 companies, puts it, “The first few minutes are when the audience decides how closely they will listen to you or whether they will listen at all.” In particular, the speaker has to grab the audience by first demonstrating that he or she knows what worries, concerns or interests are on the minds of the audience. In addition, the first paragraphs of a speech should establish a human connection between speaker and audience. You have to demonstrate that you are so likeable, authentic and interesting that the audience will enjoy spending the next 20 minutes or so with you. 2 Based on my experience, here are some ways to get off to a great start. 1. Research, research, research. There is absolutely no substitute for knowing your audience. When I’m working with a client, I try to learn every detail I can about the venue and the people who are going to be listening. Weissman says he makes it a point to find out what questions the audience might be struggling with. Take some time before you write a speech to interview the event organizers, do Web searches about the organization, or even get in contact with speakers who’ve addressed the group in the past. 2. Start with a joke - just kidding! The fact is, telling a joke is almost always a really bad idea. Not only do jokes often bomb, they can make the speaker sound phony. Humor can succeed, but only if you proceed carefully. Self-deprecating humor works best, but only use humor if it is part of your personality and you feel very comfortable with it. 3. Find something specific that links you to the audience. In addition to researching the big concerns of the audience, see if you can find an event, a person, or a place that connects you with your audience. When I did a speech for an event in Detroit, for example, I included a story about how the speaker was obsessed with cars during his teenage years. 4. Lay the groundwork for the rest of your speech. For an executive, a speech should always be used to move a specific audience to action – “buy my product, embrace our new business approach, hire my firm,” etc. You should have that objective firmly in mind as you prepare your opening. You don’t have to state that objective, but you should be opening the door to it. 5. Master your start. I strongly recommend that executives – especially young executives – know their opening paragraphs perfectly, so they can start off very naturally and conversationally without having to look at notes. A “natural” beginning will get the audience on your side and make them want to hear more. After that strong start, what comes next? I strongly recommend executives remember to include these critically important things in their presentations –     Get Personal Stories…Yes Repeat Yourself Conflict Can be a Good Thing Get Personal To add energy to your speeches include some personal detail or story that illustrates the larger substantive points you’re making. Especially for a rising executive, making it personal has two positive effects. First, the personal touch engages the audience. They pay more attention; they feel a stronger connection when they hear a personal story with which they can identify. In 3 addition, getting personal tends to fire you up, too. Let’s face it, we all love to talk about ourselves, and when you convey that kind of energy, the audience will respond. Stories…Yes. Statistics… Not So Much. It’s a fact of life – executives love statistics. And no wonder. Statistics tell them how their organization is doing, what their customers are buying, what their donors are thinking, etc. Unfortunately, in a speech, a few statistics go a long way. In fact, a parade of statistics is a sure way to make audience eyes glaze over. Stories, on the other hand, tend to get audiences involved. So look for ways to illustrate your key points with an evocative story or vignette that involves an actual human being doing something. The more specific you can be (“Engineer John Smith is on the front line of the data security revolution…”) the better. Repeat Yourself… Repeat It may sound odd, but to deliver a good speech, it turns out that you have to turn off the voice in your head (probably that of your high school English teacher) that says, “Don’t be repetitive.” That anti-repetition advice is great if you’re writing an essay. It turns out your speeches will sound better if you repeat yourself, using slightly different words to make a point. Repetition works because natural speech is much more expansive than the written word. Try this test: Look at almost any famous speech in history, and I can almost guarantee you’ll find repetition. This is from Ronald Reagan’s speech in front of the Berlin Wall: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor. Conflict Can Be a Good Thing Lee Iacocca became nationally famous in the 1980s for using speeches to save Chrysler. He once wrote, “A good speech, like a good novel, is constructed around conflict.” The reason is that conflict draws in audiences. So if it’s at all possible, draw contrasts between opposing points of view, describe how your company is struggling with another, how your division is helping your company overcome challenges, or find other ways to get conflict into your speech. It will add drama and keep your audience tuned in. Crafting a good script is the first big step to becoming an effective speaker. The next step is to practice, practice, practice. I advise my clients to seek out chapters of Toastmasters (they’re everywhere), an organization that provides lots of opportunities for speaking before a supportive audience. You can also speed up your progress by working with a good presentation coach. I guarantee that with some preparation and effort you will be able to make the spoken word an effective tool for your success. 4 Finishing Well While the opening of a speech or presentation is most important, the ending is critical too. To finish strong –  Start with the end at the beginning Everyone preparing a speech should start by asking, what results do I want from my audience? What do I want them to do after they hear me? Then look at the way you plan to end the speech, and make sure those words achieve that result.  Bookend One of the classic and most effective ways to end a speech is to circle back to the beginning of the presentation at the end. Look back at your first couple sentences and see if you can include a reference to them as you finish.  Do something out of the ordinary Meryl Streep waved her Oscar for “The Iron Lady” at the end of her speech introducing former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. She was making a point about the difference between playing a leader on the screen and being one in real life. The crowd went wild. You don’t have to be that dramatic, but look for an unusual quote, or a little known event in history.  Taking questions is great, but… A Q&A session following your remarks can be an effective way to connect with your audience. However, you can’t control the questions. That means you can’t control the last words your audience will hear from you. One recommendation is to reserve a little time after the questions for you to deliver your final, final remarks.  T.A.P. – Talk about People Try to end your speech by humanizing the larger point you’re making. Find an evocative story or vignette that involves an actual human being doing something. The more specific you can be, the better. Now you have three core elements to remember as you prepare your next presentation – how to start strong, critical elements to include, and how to finish well. Include all three and I know you will be even more successful the next time you speak! Resources  If you want to gain more useful nuggets from Jeff, you can read them in his book, Words That Mean Success. You can find it on Amazon, iTunes, or Barnes & Noble. If you have a speech or talk that you are worried about or that fell short of your goals, you may contact Jeff at [email protected]. 5 Jeff also recommends:  10 Steps to Writing a Vital Speech: The Definitive Guide to Professional Speechwriting by Fletcher Dean and David Murray  Toastmasters International – a communication and leadership development organization with 292,000 members who strive to improve their speaking and leadership skills. If you want to find a club near you, here is a link http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/ Happy Thanksgiving! The holiday gives us the opportunity as leaders to hit the pause button and count the blessings we have and the blessings we give others as leaders. My hope for you is during the midst of activities, you find time for your own much needed rest and renewal. If you have any thoughts or questions, please send them to me at [email protected]. In December, I will share a resource I have recently discovered that can help you navigate the holidays with less stress and anxiety in your life. 6