Whether one speaks in front of a large audience, a small group or does the great majority of their presentations one-on-one, there are generally three presentation formats with which people are familiar; 1. Word-for-Word Memorized; 2. Following a general outline but mostly extemporaneous; 3. Totally off-the-cuff.
Which is best? I have my definite point of view I’d like to share with you, while answering a few concerns that some might have about this view.
My answer is that, other than in very special and unique circumstances, one’s presentation should absolutely be memorized. Yes, “word-for-word” including every pause and gesture.
“WHAT?” You might ask. “Wouldn’t you sound and look totally stiff and unnatural? Wouldn’t the presentation come across as contrived and phony? Shouldn’t you personalize it to those you’re addressing? Isn’t that an insult to your audience, that it’s not really you but instead you’re just an actor acting out a part?”
In the following segments, I’ll answer those very worthy questions, objections and concerns. Before that, however; I’d like to know what you think…and what you think my answers are going to be to the individual concerns mentioned above.
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I love you dude, but I hate this post like poison! I think as speakers we have a sacred responsibility to the audience, to take them where they need to go – which isn’t always necessarily where we want to go.
We must listen to the audience. As a rule they can’t speak, so we must listen through their eyes and body language. And when we see that they just aren’t getting it, they’re locking up, or tuning out, we need to be ready to go in another direction and do what’s necessary to get them back on track. And we can’t do that if the whole talk is memorized down to the commas.
Otherwise they can just download your DVD, and what do they need you for? Our responsibility as a speaker is to be there in the room, in the moment, challenging our audiences to become more. We can have an idea before we arrive and even an outline and a plan. But the world class presenters know that they must be willing and able to take a different track if that’s what is required to reach the audience.
-RG
Wow – I really want to hear your answers to those questions!
I have given presentations all 3 ways, and although I always wanted to be great at the “off-the-cuff” style, it has taken me years to get there.
I used to think that memorizing a talk would sound unnatural, but the more I practice, the more relaxed I feel, and the more natural I sound. But I still like the idea of “off-the-cuff,” so I want to know your reasons for feeling so strongly about memorizing your presentation!
Thanks, Bob 🙂
Hi Bob:
Great topic Bob…I look forward to the upcoming segments. I think I know where you’re coming from, and for most, I’ll stipulate your advice is sound with regard to presentations. However, I take a bit of different approach than what you’ll likely espouse in your upcoming segments, as I don’t do “presentations.” I view every talk (webcasts, keynotes, meetings, etc.) as facilitating an exchange of information and knowledge. For me, everything I do is interactive by design, and I’ve found that you just can’t script the feedback and input of others. I do however memorize my talking points, my transition points, and other key elements of what I need to accomplish. But in the end I find that the context of the participants and/or the environment requires a bit of fluidity to be the most effective.
Keep up the good work Bob…
Hi, thank you for your responses everyone.
Brother Randy: Not a problem. Not only in your disagreeing (I welcome opposing views, but especially from someone such as you who is – in my opinion – one of the world’s best presenters) but actually in the fact that I agree with every single thing you wrote…and I think you’re going to find that by the time we get through the entire four-part series you’ll see where there is actually no dichotomy in memorizing one’s entire presenation and being able to adjust, adapt, and add total personalized value to the audience (that’s one reason I brought up those very objections in the fourth paragraph).
In fact, the main point I’m going to make (hopefully successfully, but with no guarantee of such) 🙂 in this series is that you can do all of which you suggested much more effectively when you first have your entire presentation so much a “part of your being” (I’ve already written the series and those exact words are included) that you can then much more easily focus on the needs of your audience as opposed to remembering exactly what you (the speaker) want to say.
Nika: I believe you’ll find that the more memorized your presentation is, the more free you will be to speak “off the cuff” when the time is right to do that. The discipline of a memorized speech actually makes you more free.
Mike: Your situation is a bit different. And, it’s also why – in the third paragraph – I wrote “other than in very special and unique circumstances.” Yours is special and unique. At the same time, you’re doing it correctly (in my opinion) by memorizing your talking points and other key elements. This allows you to focus on the other person and what they are saying as opposed to worrying about what you’re going to say next. This allows the interview to go back and forth very naturally and effectively.
Thanks again, everyone! Please feel free to write back and to disagree. One thing I continue to learn is that I’m not always right; even in the way I’m expressing a certain point of view.
Ok I’ll be watching! 🙂
-RG
Hi, Bob,
Very much looking forward to this discussion, and I LOVE the debate-style format you’ve chosen for exploring it. I get so VERY much out of the think-out-loud process but I often get myself in trouble for doing just that. So it’s wonderful to sit back and watch others think out loud on this subject.
And I’d offer an opinion, but I think I’m going to do what I just said instead — sit back, watch, listen and learn while others debate this issue.
And they say old dogs can’t learn new tricks.
Gill
Hey Bob
Funny, we chatted about this a while back didn’t we? I have to admit, I’m kinda with Randy on this one. Although I do think there’s a middle ground that plays here – where all of us are in sync.
I’ve been speaking to my consulting client audiences for decades – but I want to qualify by saying I have nowhere NEAR your experience so I’m certainly the newbie sticking my oar into the water here.
That said – I don’t think I could ever deliver a message the same exact way twice. For me, every client is different, every situation unique with regard to the way my message applies to them. For example – a startup audience is focused on very different aspects of their business than a turnaround audience – although both are in the midst of transformation.
That doesn’t mean I’d have a different presentation – it just means I’d spin the focus differently as I moved thru the story. I’d have different examples to apply for different situations – depending on my audience, their stage in their business lifecycle and their specific focus with my work.
So – for my world, I’d have a somewhat standard ‘pitch’ with regard to key points (Fab 3’s) preso slides, signature stories and flow – all of those would be consistent. But the application of my points and angles of the storytelling will be a bit different from audience to audience – for example, between a startup vs a turnaround.
I do believe that some of our audiences are more homogeneous than others – and the more homogenity between your audiences the more you can standardize a presentation – indeed, the more you should standardize so all of your engagements receive the same consistent and great information. And you do that SO WELL my friend.
In my specific case – I’m speaking to a single corporation with a shared focus. But that focus is different from corp to corp (aka presentation to presentation).
I feel I offer more value when I apply my principals for transformational thinking a bit differently to distinctly address each of their needs individually.
Aren’t we blessed to be in a free market economy where we can CHOOSE our approach AND agree to disagree and still appreciate each other!!!
As always – I love to hear your perspective. You teach something every day and for that I’m always grateful.
Keep Smilin’
reb
This is an interesting discussion here.
As a speaker from Germany stepping into the international market, English is not my first language. So I have to memorize my speech word by word.
And as an actress I wrote my speech like a monolog I would play in a theater. Then I learned my own words like the lines of a role. But different than in theater during a speech, of course it’s important to look into the eyes of my audience in order to reach everyone.
It’s very interesting and true what Randy says.
And I think and hope when you are deeply connected with your audience the whole time, it’s possible to send your energy to everyone. So, they’re always follow you and are curious what comes next.
Every actor knows that you only can design and create your role onstage when you memorize your lines word by word. And as far as I understood we speakers are like actors and entertainers because we have to entertain the audience and it’s our responsibility that they follow us – word by word.
Of course their are possibilities to improvise even in theater but with my English as my second language it’s difficult to do it.
So, I think I have to stay with my old method to memorize word by word.
I hope it will work. At the GSS in South Africa it worked, my audience were emotional touched that they cried.
By the way I will speak right after Randy in Holland, when he opens the Convention there in March 2010. Paul ter Wall just told me yesterday at the GSA Convention. This definitely will be a tough test for me.
Adele
Thanks, Bob – that makes perfect sense. I am really looking forward to your entire series!
Love it: “The discipline of a memorized speech actually makes you more free.”
Hi Gill, Rebel and Adele, thank you for your comments (and Randy and Nika for your follow-ups),
If I may, I’m going to respond indivdiually as I did after the first group of comments, so please “scrolleth”…
Gill, I didn’t actually choose a debate style format. The reason I included the 4th paragraph, in which I myself brought up the suggestions, was to let people know I would indeed explain myself. However, I probably miscommuncated or simply didn’t do it effectively enough so it turned out that people wrote in disagreeing with the basic premise of a “rehearsed, scripted” speech before reading my eventual answers to the “objections.” And, that’s okay. In the final paragraph I did ask what people think but also asked what they thought my answers would be. Interestingly enough, in the discussion on my Facebook page, people did write in with what they thought I’d answer and they were correct.
Please understand that in my responses to the responses, I didn’t disagagree with anyone. They were all correct. So there is really no debate at all. And the reason is that there is no dichotomy between a scripted speech and one which you can gear to the audience, read their faces, interact, have fun, etc. And this is what I’ll explain by the end of the series. Thank you for your thoughts.
Rebel, thank you for writing. Please read my response to Randy. It basically will hopefully answer your thoughts, as well. Again, I don’t disagree with you or Randy. The fact that you know your presentation inside and out (whether multiple versions or one single version) is what allows you to speak extemperaneously when you want, go back-and-forth with audience, read their faces, focus on *them* instead of yourself. We can and should approach each audience as an audience of indivduals…that is exactly what they are. Memorizing your speech helps you to do that; it doesn’t keep you from doing that.
Adele, I have so much respect for you, learning a presentation in another language. WOW! Again, I want to impress upon you the same points as above. Congratulations on being chosen to speak right after Randy at your upcoming convention. Please know that – rather than feeling pressure at having to follow Randy – it’s going to be very helpful to you as he will have the audience ready to hear your awesome and amazing presentation.
Bob —
I think I know where you’re headed….and I’m looking forward to “the journey”….but the premise of memorizing every word, phrase and gesture throws me into paralysis. Based on that standard, I’m not sure I would ever feel prepared to speak in public.
As for Gill’s comment — I tell myself that it’s the LAZY old dog that can’t learn new tricks. I may be an old dog, but I’m far from lazy!
Thanks Bob….looking forward to the next edition.
RR
Interesting discussion – I have big respect for all of you guys and by far not the experience of public speaking you have. I’m simply a trainer for presentation skills and other areas of personal effctiveness in a small European Country called Austria.
I’m with the words of Dale Carnegie who said you shoud NEVER, EVER memorize your speech. Why – simply because you risk to lose authenticity and you will lack the possibility of interaction (this has been said already by other comments in this thread). Just imagine you are listening to the same speaker a second time and he/she repeats exactly – word by word – what you heard last month – how do you feel? and what do you think about this person? somehow credibility will go down, wouldn’t it?
Thanks anyway for this discussion, I will be following.
Have a great day
Robert
Bob – aka S.P.B. – Although I lack the experience that you and your friends have and whose answers emanate knowledge, I am armed heavily with opinion so I thought I would share a “rookie’s point of view”. I think memorizing your speech 100% is the way most should go in order to have that added layer of support in getting across to the audience whatever meaning it is that you are trying to make. I think at that point it is up to the speaker to uniquely mold that memorized word to conform to whomever they are speaking to. I believe that the gift of captivating an audience comes from two basic principles – 1. the ability to sound/look like what you are saying is coming from your heart and soul – creating a realness and “off the cuff” diatribe of what you actually memorized word for word 2. Having the ability to read the audience you are presenting to and attune your memorized speech to solidify the belief that you are speaking directly and individually to each person in that room. That requires wiggle room with your words, but having the back up in mind is the only way, I believe, that you can do that correctly. It gives each individual person that feeling that you pulled the questions they were thinking right out of their head and magically answered them allowed. After all, the best thing to ones self is to hear themselves speak; if they can’t do that then you answering the questions they had in their head is the second best thing! I don’t think this conformity can be created without having 100% knowledge of what you plan to say and having the 100% ability to construct your words for each unique ear to hear it. Like a baker to dough, the ingredients are ultimately the same and done in a structured format and once made, the dough can be created into many different things. 🙂 Just my humble opinion. Luv ya! Diane Said
HI RR, Robert and Diane, please scroll as I respond to your kind thoughts and comments individually…
RR: First, my apologies for causing you distress regarding this matter. Please know that it need not be an “all or nothing” proposition. Whether you are making a presentation to your prospects or clients or presenting to a small or large audience, you can certainly take things incrementally. Rather than not do anything at all, begin with the outline and key phrases. You already know your subject matter better than your audience so do the best you can. You’ll be fine. My suggestion would then be to – a little bit at a time – learn your presenation “inside and out.” Again, not to limit you, but to provide you with a context where you know it so well that you can then take the focus off of yourself and be able to gear your presentation, thoughts and responses to your audience without having to worry about losing your place.
Robert: thank you for your kind words and you certainly are qualified to weigh in and your thoughts are very welcome. As a trainer of presentation skills, you are more qualified than I am, as it’s not really something I normally teach. Difficult for me to imagine Dale ever saying such a thing but if you’ve got it in writing (in one of his books) then it is what it is. Again, I would have to wonder if by “memorize” he means it in a clumsy, stilted, inauthentic manner. Again, though, I can’t even imagine him saying that. Luminary speakers such as Mark Twain (whom many credit with the invention of the “pregnant pause”) and more modern day speaking legends such as Bill Gove taught absolutely to memorize word for word, pause for pause, gesture for gesture…again, for the very reasons I’ve mentioned above and in some of my other responses. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.
Diane: Your “humble opinion” was (in my usually “less than humble opinion”) right on the mark. I think you said it beautifully. Thank you for sharing. I believe you’ll find some of those thoughts to be in the subsequent parts of this series. Thank you very much for adding to the disussion.
Initially I admit I was a bit surprised by your “choice” Bob. Perhaps because you can pull that off without sounding “scripted”. However, I can think of one speaker who does this and does it BADLY. I heard her speak the first time and found her to seem fake. When I heard the EXACT same speech the second time with equally poor delivery, I was not only unimpressed but found myself annoyed by it. Annoyed by the lack of authenticity and annoyed because I would’ve expected at least some regard to relevance to the difference audience and format.
In any case, I think it depends on the person, and the purpose. For some perhaps “having it down cold” provides greater value to the audience. If that is the intent (as I am sure it is with you) then it works. Because that “shows”. When the person is memorizing for reasons such as it being easier to just do the same one over and over (don’t have to think or apply effort), I think that shows too! Ultimately how passionate you are about the message makes the biggest difference (IMHO).
You are obviously far more experienced than I however, so I will eagerly listen to and consider your wisdom on any topic!
In the meantime I generally memorize the topics that I want to cover, write out a draft, mentally play it out in my head a few times, and then in the end I go in with my last thought being something like “Lord, please help me to say whatever it is that I should say, in whatever way I should say it in order to best reach whoever it is here that I am meant to reach”. (That helps take the pressure off to remember it exactly, RR!)
Just my point of view:) Looking forward to the continuing discussion!
Hello, HeatherO. Thank you for your comments. I have a couple of thoughts about what you wrote, if I may.
1. Where you said, “Perhaps because you can pull that off without sounding “scripted”” I’m going to suggest that if one cannot do that, then they still don’t know their material well enough. Think of the person performing in a play. Do they sound scripted? If they are good, they sound very natural. They used to say that when he performed his most famous role, Yul Brynner didn’t *play* the King…he *was* the king.
2. It sounds as though the problem that person you’re talking about has is not that she memorized her speech but that she is not a proficient enough presenter to be presenting. We need to make sure we don’t attribute an incorrect cause to a particular problem. Of course, I’ve never seen her speak so I can’t say either way, but that’s what I would figure based on past experience.
3. I also say a prayer before every presentation. I still get nervous before going on and it helps to know I’m being watched over. That way I can only get myself into so much trouble. 🙂
If I may, I’d like to respond from the perspective of the listener
and NOT the speaker.
In my own speaking career, I’ve spent probably as much time
“Evaluating” speakers as I’ve spent actually speaking.
I like to think I have a keen sense for what makes a speech
good and a speaker great.
I have never been a fan of memorization when it comes to the
art of “speech making”.
I believe a speech should flow and be the extension of the speaker.
The rhythm that is created between the speaker and the audience
is the magic of a GREAT speech.
If the speaker is focusing on the memory of his speech and not
the intention behind the speech, the “connection” never really happens.
Now, please don’t let this be confused with knowing your material.
There is nothing more pitiful than a speaker extemporaneously slinging
together a whole bunch of stuff that has no relevance.
A speech needs to leave the audience with an idea. A thought. A Vision.
So, I guess if a speaker can do all that with a “memorized” speech, then I
guess Mission is Accomplished.
Now this makes me wonder…
Does Joel Osteen memorize his speeches?
Deb
Hi Deb, Thank you for your thoughts and comments. Always great to hear from another speaker. I’d like to suggest you refer to my above answer to HeatherO. The key here is two things:
1. If you can tell it’s memorized then it is *not* actually memorized (at least not effectively).
2. If they are having to focus on the memory of their presentation…then it is *not* actually memorized. And, as you said, there won’t be a connection. But it’s not because the speech is memorized; it is because it is *not* actually memorized.
Does that make sense?
Regarding Joel Osteen. I don’t know if he does or not but I would say in the case of someone who gives so many speeches, sermons, etc., memorizing would be a virtual impossibility. That would be one of the “special and unique circumstances’ I mentioned in the original article. Thank you again for your contribution.
I’m with Randy on this one. Part of a live presentation is the interaction and involvement with the audience. That’s where the “live” part comes in. He’s right, if that’s not part of the game, they can buy the DVD. I’ll add one more thing. If you need precision and comprehensiveness, then a live presentation shouldn’t be your tool. Use something written or a scripted audio or video.
Wally, knowing you as I do, I’m sure you’ve read my various responses to the different comments. And, while I appreciate all the comments and see many excellent points from everyone, I’m beginning to think my communication skills leave something to be desired (not a good thing in this case since that’s a big part of what I teach) 🙂
Hopefull, in my next article – which should be published in about 15 minutes – I will clear up some of the confusion I’ve unwittingly caused.
The key point I’ve been trying to make in my responses is that memorizing one’s presentation doesn’t *keep* one from interracting with your audience; it *allows* one to do so more effectively. Regarding your part about precision and comprehensiveness, I believe the comment has more to do with the fact that I probably have not communicated my intent on this topic well at all and has been interpreted exactly the opposite of my intent.
Hi Bob,
Fascinating post and discussion. You seem to have touched upon an explosive issue here 🙂
From your post, and from your responses to the various comments, I completely agree with your approach, but of course everyone else is also right.
I`ve heard Randy Gage on several occasions live, and he knows his stuff inside out. That`s why he has time to engage his audience with such great talent while delivering his presentation.
I`ve never heard you live, but I assume you are in the same league with Randy.
People just beginning to speak before audiences have to memorize everything down to the very last gesture and expression. Otherwise, they will be preoccupied with choosing words and deciding when to pause. Some people might get away with it, but the vast majority will probably lose contact with the audience while they are preoccupied with what to do or say next.
I look forward to reading the continued discussion…
Thank you, Osnat.
Bob,
Great post – and I’m looking forward to sticking with you through the end. I may be splitting hairs here – or maybe you’ll end up with me. I believe that as a professional expert AND speaker:
1. We MUST memorize the first 60 seconds – stone cold like an opera singer. It must be note-perfect and consistent in tone, delivery, content, everything.
2. From that point on, your expertise takes over. I believe it was our NSA brother Thom Winninger who said that a true expert has 40 hours of material for every hour presented on stage. I have a game plan and a path for my program – but if something comes up from the audience or from me or from a spontaneous connection in my mind where I can (and MUST) add more value to THIS audience to THIS section of the speech for THIS reason, I’m going there… 90% of the time it’s WELL worth the trip. I’m also ready to admit that 10% of the time it falls flat and we go back to “Where was I… ah, yes…”
3. We MUST memorize the closing 60 seconds – stone cold like an opera singer. Again, note-perfect, consistent, and it needs to kick butt. Don’t summarize – Don’t bring in new information – NEVER close with Q&A (we all know this one) and instead NAIL everything you’ve said and cap it off with a bang.
Respectfully,
Newman out!
Hi David, thank you for participating. I’ve heard great things about you! I don’t think it’s so much a matter of “splitting hairs” as much as – and I’m inferring this from your second paragraph – that there is still a feeling that memorizing a presentation is equal to being constricted and losing the ability to improvise, relate, be audience-specific, etc. And, just the opposite is true. This is a point I’ve been trying to explain (obviously, unsuccessfully) 🙂 within my answers to the comments on this post. Earlier today I did post the second part of this series and (hopefully) I’ve explained it a bit more clearly and effectively. Thank you again, Andy, and best wishes for continued success.