Things I Learned Listening to 700 Speakers”

 I calculated one time that I had heard at least 700 speakers at our weekly Lunch Program and have seen it done well, really well, and could that have gone any worse.  Here is what I think are the things that I have learned from those who did it well.  I have tried to practice these in my own speaking

1.  Tell Stories.  Stories get their attention and give them a hook to hang your main point on.  Ed Seabough, one of the great college speakers of the 60's and 70's was a master story teller.  He told me he practiced several times telling a story before he told it to a crowd.  Practice your story.

2.  Speak Casually.  Most college students, especially those you most want to listen, do not respond well to what I call "the preacher voice".

3.  Humor always goes Well.  Telling something stupid you have done, etc.  Just do not tell corny, eye rolling jokes.

4.  Pace Matters.  Often time is limited, but it is important to not get in a hurry.  That is part of speaking casually and more informally.  It is just you and a conversation with a whole bunch of college friends.

5.  Know when they QUIT Listening.  In my experience, when a bunch of them have their heads down, they have quit listening.  It happens to all of us.  That is the point to say something that draws them back into the conversation. One big crowd speaker says he always has a prop or something he pulls out at that point.  Sometimes, just a pause will do it and then almost like you are starting from scratch.

6.  Quit BEFORE they quit!  Better too short than too long.  When it is going well, don't get carried away by the sound of your own voice. It has happened to me....maybe not you.

7.  Speak without a podium or speakers stand.  It just feels more casual.  Put your notes in your Bible.....I always use some sort of notes or outline and just paper clip them inside my Bible.  I know some of you guys and gals are smart enough to speak without notes.

8.  Ask an INVOLVEMENT question.  "How many of you cut class today?"  Or, "How many of you have done something really stupid?"  When I ask something like that, I always hold my hand up.

9.  Do a Give Away.  I sometimes have given a Gift Card to a student who would hold their hand up on one of my Involvement Questions.  It is usually like a $10 gift card to a popular student eating place....nothing fancy. That perks everybody up.

10. Do Q & A!  Let them ask questions and ALWAYS, ALWAYS make them feel good about what they ask.  "That is a great question."  "Boy that question shows you are smarter than me."  Never put down anyone for what they ask. The more you affirm the questions ask, the more they will ask questions.

There is only one Louie Giglio or whomever your favorite speaker is, but we can all do better, if we practice a little. And, I am all about doing it out loud at least twice before I do it in front of a group.  That is, I think, the SECRET TO BETTER SPEAKING.

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