A few days ago I got to see a really terrific speaker. He was leading a workshop on implicit bias, and every aspect of his work was precisely chosen, honed, and practiced to support and amplify his message.
Here is stuff I loved:
- He jumped right into his talk; no long wind-up or introduction
- His visuals were extremely well-chosen, dynamic, and intriguing, with not a single bit of text
- Despite the many and varied visuals, what was on the screen never detracted from what he was saying, because
- He committed to a style—he was bold and interesting, and he assumed that his audience was smart.
- He knew who he was talking to. He connected his material to our interests.
I could spend paragraphs on his rhetorical style, how he used words and music, the calculated risks he took with his material. In short, though, it was a master class in how to be intentional in every aspect of your preparation—design, material, and delivery.
If you are lucky enough to have a group of people listening to your message, why not make it the best it can be?
