“The best speakers know enough to be scared…the only difference between the pros and novices is that the pros have trained the butterflies to fly in formation.” ~ Edward R. Murrow
It’s a tough balance: how to give a public speech with a casual, conversational tone while carrying a sense of authority, leadership, and deep knowledge on the subject matter. There’s nothing worse than an over-rehearsed, robotic speech, except a sloppy, ignorant one. Being authentic requires just enough rehearsal to be semi-comfortable, and no more. A few butterflies are beneficial – they keep things interesting.
Last night I heard Harold Ford Jr. speak as part of the Hudson Union Society series. I wish he had run for the New York Senate seat. He certainly had a story that he wanted to get across – his new book More Davids than Goliaths: A Political Education has just hit bookstore shelves – though his answers to the moderator were always genuine. Not once did I hear an “um”, “ah”, or “like”. He injected some dry humor, and then in the next breath spoke about serious issues like education, financial reform, and race. His elegance commanded respect while also showing the utmost respect for his audience. I wish every public speaking engagement I attended went that well.
On the flip side, I listened to the President of a large corporation this afternoon and his speech had every element that an unfortunate speaking engagement contains. He wasn’t robotic – he was entirely unprepared. It was clear after the first few sentences that he had no rehearsed, maybe not even prepared, a single remark. He wanted to appear off the cuff – and told us so. (This is a no-no. The last thing an audience wants to know is that a speaker didn’t care enough to prepare at all.) And the tough part about doing absolutely no prep at all is that a speaker is likely to make bad jokes that don’t get a laugh and then fill the silence with comments that should never be made. It’s a vicious cycle.
When I got home today from the horrendous speech, I grabbed a book I reviewed a while back – Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun. Berkun’s book should be required reading for anyone whoever plans to speak in public. Its rich advice is right on the mark. I think I should send a copy to the company President I heard today – he needs all of the speaking advice he can get, particularly from a pro like Berkun. I’d send a copy to Harold Ford Jr. as well, except that he already has public speaking down to a beautiful balance of science and art.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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“The best speakers know enough to be scared…the only difference between the pros and novices is that the pros have trained the butterflies to fly in formation.” ~ Edward R. Murrow
Christa Avampato 