Less is more. Surprise your audience with shorter statements!

Wednesday: Speak on the Shoulders of Giants

Public speaking is one ranked as one of the number one fears among the American population. So, whether or not your job requires you to speak or present in front of a large group, it’s very important that you master the art of public speaking.

No matter what the setting or situation is, you always have to effectively get your message across.

It’s no surprise that throughout my years in the consulting industry, I’ve seen my fair share of instances where presentations went remarkably wrong.

It’s a common mistake, yet fatal flaw that some speakers or presenters think they can impress their audience more by using flamboyant language or reading a lot of dense words rather than being brief and getting to the point. In many instances, keeping your statements brief and simple instead of using dense metaphors or going down rabbit trails is far more impactful.

To avoid making your audience bored or sleepy with dense content keep reading to find out the tricks I find helpful to make shorter statements during presentations. I promise if you follow these tips you too can impress your audience.

I hope you find this week’s tip insightful as you prepare for your next big presentation.

Miles Everson
CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Speak on the Shoulders of Giants

Winston Churchill.

Abraham Lincoln.

Calvin Coolidge.

James Polk.

Franklin Roosevelt.

Ronald Reagan.

Some of the greatest public speakers in history.

What do they have in common and how did their speeches leave a mark?

The POWER BRIEF.

This is one of the techniques stated in James C. Humes’ book, “Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln.”

The Power Brief is a speaking technique that replaces long speeches with short statements.

Meetings, seminars, and presentations often take several minutes or even hours.

Have you ever witnessed a speech or presentation that was scheduled to go on for thirty minutes but was wrapped up in twenty minutes because all important points were already covered?

How did that make you feel?

Shocked? Surprised? Astonished?

An audience can typically hold their attention for an 18 to 20 minutes span. The shorter and more impactful the speech is, the greater the possibility of getting the audience’s interest.

The audience is also most likely to remember one or two lines from the first few minutes of a speech when their full attention and interest are at their peak.

As an independent professional, if you’re asked to deliver a speech or presentation at an event, remember to keep it brief.

Here are reasons why you shouldn’t make your speech or presentation too long:

Less is More. This expression first appeared in Robert Browning’s poem in 1855.

“Yet do much less, so much less…Well, less is more, Lucrezia; I am judged.”

Through the years, designers in fashion and architecture have drawn inspiration from this expression to create simple yet elegant outputs.

This mantra can also be applied in public speaking when you’re building the foundations of your speech.

American astronaut and nautical engineer, Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon in 1969. As he took his first step, he said:

“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Armstrong mentioned that he did not prepare for the address he made to the world. Even if that was the case, this short speech made a mark in history and remains to be one of the most iconic.

It is difficult to make a point using just two to three words, but remember that in some cases, saying less can make more of an impact than saying too many things.

Terse is Better than Tedious. Think of the greatest speech delivered. Google it. You might come across the Gettysburg Address by former US President Abraham Lincoln in the search results. Did you know that his speech only lasted two minutes?

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863

272 words.

This was delivered during the American Civil War at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Some named it as one of the greatest speeches in the world and the most famous speech Abraham Lincoln delivered.

Brief statements are memorable. It’s possible to say everything you want to say with just a few words.

Shorter is Sweeter. Most speakers think that if they have twenty minutes to speak in a program, they are required to use all of it and sometimes, even go beyond the allotted time. If the audience expects 15 minutes for your speech, give them 10 to 12 instead.

Franklin Roosevelt’s fourth inaugural speech during the war in January 1945 lasted only three minutes. The message?

“Wartime was no time for long orations; we all better get back to work and finish the war.”

Inaugural speeches often take around 20 minutes. Leaders usually take this time to inform their people about their plans and intentions once they officially begin their term.

Roosevelt’s three-minute speech was both practical and powerful. It was World War II at the time and he knew there were more important things to do than fill up his twenty-minute allocation.

In this case, three minutes was all it took to make a huge impact on listeners

Depending on the situation, you can make a Power Point in a single sentence. Try to summarize your message in short statements.

Don’t Eat It All. In meetings or briefings, a speaker doesn’t have to speak long with an abundance of content. Keep it short by polishing your message. Use a statement that summarizes the point you want to make and end it there.

As an example, General Eisenhower made a short statement the night before D day in 1944. The bad weather was about to endanger their safe landing the next morning. Eisenhower listened as his military staff one-by-one briefed him about the storm situation.

When they all finished, he only said three words:

“OK, let’s go!”

When used correctly and at the right time, short statements are brilliant, memorable, and powerful.

Remember:

• Less is more
• Terse is better than tedious
• Shorter is sweeter
• Don’t eat it all

Whether you’re meeting with one person or speaking in front of hundreds of people, you can use these tips.

Apply the Power Brief to your next speech or presentation and leave your audience in awe.

Follow the footsteps of the best speakers in history!

Hope you’ve found this week’s public speaking tip interesting and helpful.

Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s Speak on the Shoulders of Giants!