John Dryden, a famous English poet, once said: “First you create a habit, then the habit creates you.” How does this relate to giving a better speech?
Your habits not only influence your results in life but also how you come across on stage and your charisma. You may not be a master speaker yet, but you can learn how to give a better speech with these 7 habits shared by Darren Lacroix, the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking.
Darren Lacroix became the champion in 2001, which means he has 20 years of experience since winning, and at least a decade of trial and error before achieving that championship. Therefore, these public speaking techniques are truly invaluable gems.
You can listen directly to Darren in the clip. Below are the insights that I summarized and learned from the clip, combined with my experience honing these habits since 2011.
Better Speech Habit #1 – Thinking Differently
As a speaker, your job is to convey ideas in a different way to captivate the audience. If you don’t have the habit of thinking differently, how can you come up with unique ideas?
Before a speech, ordinary speakers usually worry about something. After the speech, they regret something. Master presenters are different. They always think positively, focusing on the question: How can I speak better?
Craig Valentine, right after winning the 1999 World Championship of Public Speaking, went to the airport and immediately bought a book on giving better speech. He always believed, “Even if you’re on the right path, if you stop, how will you reach the destination?”
Most people have to experience the pain of a bad speech before they start seeking ways to give better speech. Be different, learn this skill now, and avoid any unnecessary mistakes in the future!
Better Speech Habit #2 – Attention to the Introduction
The introduction here is not the beginning of your speech but the MC’s introduction of you before you take the stage. Ordinary speakers often overlook this part or prepare a lengthy and boring “resume.”
On the other hand, master presenters know that your speech starts when the MC says what you want the audience to hear. Therefore, the simplest technique they apply is to prepare this introduction very well.
No matter how impressive your resume is, what matters is letting the audience know why they are here, while they have a million things to do at home. What will they gain after listening to your speech?
Even if the MC is professional, you should still provide them with a “standard” introduction about yourself. The most important thing is to ask questions that stimulate the audience’s curiosity and expectations before you take the stage.
Habit #3 – Connection from the beginning
Many speakers step on stage and, in the name of building trust, spend most of the initial time introducing themselves with impressive achievements. They don’t realize that by doing so, they elevate themselves and create a distance from the audience.
Master presenters are different. They know that the audience’s presence indicates trust in them, so the first thing they do is connect with the audience through questions, showing concern for the audience’s difficulties.
Imagine everyone’s mind has a gate with a guard sitting there. Master presenters know how to open that gate effortlessly, making the guard smile and open the gate for them.
How can you connect with the audience more powerfully? Try to “hook” the audience’s attention with various questions that evoke their emotions. You can find the details in my free ebook ORE at the end of this blog.
Better Speech Habit #4 – Make use of Silence
Ordinary speakers are often afraid of silence, so they try to speak as much as possible to fill that silence. Master presenters, on the other hand, value silence because it helps the audience absorb what they just heard, leading to a deeper connection.
In his 2001 championship speech, Darren Lacroix intentionally fell on stage. He created a very long silence, so long that his feet trembled, and a voice inside him echoed, “Get up, say something.”
However, Darren fought back with the voice of his mentor, “Stay calm, Darren, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005… okay, now you can stand up.”
This is a simple but not easy speech technique, a habit you need to practice daily. Next time after you ask a question to the audience (or someone), pause, observe their reaction, and then continue speaking.
Habit #5 – Worry about Something Bigger
Ordinary speakers often worry about how they will be perceived? Are their clothes okay? Will their makeup be ruined by sweat? Will they forget something? etc…
When your mind is busy with such worries, how can you connect with the audience? If you have to worry, master presenters worry about something bigger. They worry about the audience. In 3 days, after this speech, what will the audience apply from it?
To give a better speech, be more confident, never nervous… you should worry more about the audience than yourself. Every time you plan to say something, think about what the audience will do to apply it in their lives.
By doing so, you will not only be more confident but also leave a profound impression on the audience because they can apply it to their lives!
Better Speech Habit #6 – Creating Laughter Daily
Most people think humor is a talent, so they lack confidence in coming up with something funny and instead add internet jokes to their speech. What happens if they tell them, and the audience doesn’t laugh?
You know how it feels to tell a joke, and the only one laughing is you in pain, right? Yes, in life, humor can be a talent, but in speech, humor is mostly preparation.
Master presenters unearth the inherent humor in their stories to make the audience laugh naturally. When the audience laughs, they embed the message deep into their hearts, and it stays there forever.
How can you be funnier in life and incorporate it into your speech? This is a big topic. I’m writing a book talking about it in detail. See you there when I’m finished. Keep in touch.
Habit #7 – Craving for Feedback
After a speech that didn’t go as planned, ordinary speakers often hesitate to address it, even if it’s recorded, watching it again becomes a torture for them.
Master presenters consider feedback the most valuable gift after each speech because they simply care about the next speech and want to make it better!
When you speak, you usually focus on the content, while the audience’s reactions are often overlooked. However, when you watch or listen to the speech again, you see and hear the audience’s feedback, gaining valuable experience.
Darren shared that he has a habit of craving for feedback. If someone praises his speech, he will ask them to point out the best part for him to enhance. If they criticize, he will ask for specific feedback to improve.
Which better speech habit will you apply?
With these 7 valuable gems, I hope to see you on stage one day, spreading good values to the world. Now, what do you think of my blog?
