BY and large, a real leader —particularly a public relations (PR) leader —delivers a speech or a talk not to impress, but to express. A real leader doesn’t attempt to master presentation technology, but makes a difference, endorses a dream, nurtures an idea and follows a vision. A real leader changes the way people think. Essentially, he forms messages that encourage people to think differently, to influence and inspire them, and ultimately, to alter the way they feel, think and take action today or in the near future.
Being able to deliver effective presentations is an absolute must for PR executives, especially when presenting campaigns to colleagues and clients, or when pitching for a new business. As a PR communicator, you must always feel confident and comfortable when presenting, when bringing your key messages across to your audience, and making every presentation more engaging and effective. Communication networks like Dentsu Aegis Network put a premium on presentation skills when hiring for most of the positions in the agency, believing the power can delight and move the hearts and minds of your listeners and consumers. As Demosthenes, the father of Greek oratory, said, “As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not, so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish.”
You’re a real leader if your leadership goes hand-in-hand with your ability to get your message across, no matter what the size of your audience is. You learn how to sell yourself and your ideas by mastering the strategies, skills and techniques that great leaders use.
Think for a moment about the most powerful speech you’ve heard a leader deliver in 2016. Was it Michelle Obama’s endorsement speech of Hillary Clinton’s presidency in the Democratic National Convention? Or was it former US President Bill Clinton’s endearing storytelling of his and Hillary’s love story? Or was it President Duterte’s first State of the Nation Address? What makes such a speech—and its speaker—great and memorable is likely a mix of authenticity, stage presence, confident delivery and—above all—an emotional and motivational message that tugs the heartstrings. Think, too, of sitting through hugely boring speeches that make your mind wander and think about more exciting topics or impel you to check your text messages or e-mail on your cell phone. And then, there are the good PowerPoint presentations with oodles of well-chosen photos or colorful infographics. These are good while you’re in the presentation venue, but a day after, you only remember the great visuals utilized, and forget what the main points of the presentation were.
Real Leaders Don’t Do PowerPoint—a matter-of-fact read on How To Speak So People Listen by Christopher Witt, a speech consultant and coach—explains his techniques and shares presentation tips with anecdotes and examples. For sure, nobody in the audience ever got out of a great speech saying, “I loved her presentation wardrobe”, or “I loved the use of background music to accompany his words”, or “I loved the way he used PowerPoint.” Yet, all too often, you rely on PowerPoint and tools like it to carry you through a presentation—tools that lessen your impact.
“Call PowerPoint what it really is—corporate karaoke,” Witt remarked. “You endure it even though it bores audiences, trivializes content and pushes speakers to the side of the stage where they interact with their slides, not with the audience.” As such, real leaders want nothing to do with it.
There are four essential elements of a real leader’s speech: A noteworthy event, a great person, a compelling message and a masterful delivery. Witt’s list is a modern-day telling of the four principles of Demosthenes. You have to be cognizant of them, put them to effective use to make certain your speeches serve you and your audience’s purpose well—minus today’s ubiquitous PowerPoint.
Be a great person
TO be a great person, you don’t have to be the president of the Philippines or even the president of your company. A great person has experience, passion, character and a sense of humor. You simply have to be the best you can be in all you do. The way you are perceived is a significant element of your message. You should be genuine, take a stand on issues and project a clear identity. As Witt declares, the best way to be mediocre—and so ignored—is to imitate others, avoid saying anything controversial and hide the things about you that make you unique.
“Speak every word into the eyes and heart of one other person,” advised Lee Glickstein, founder of Speaking Circles Int.
Be picky about which events you speak at
CHOOSE the events where you can make the most impact, and avoid events that cheapen your image or do not contribute to your positive reputation. Ensure everything else that happens aligns with and supports your message, and don’t get involved in events that run counter to your principles. Also, try and tweak the event so it aligns with the objectives you’re working towards. Sometimes, this will be feasible, other times it won’t, but you definitely should try and use your influence in this way. And remember, you always have the right to opt out.
Witt states, “Leaders, like novelists, have at best only a few big things to say. Wisdom consists in not saying them ad nauseam.”
Be an influence and an inspiration
HAVE a compelling message. Your most important job is to motivate and inspire an audience toward a grand mission or vision, not simply to transfer facts and data. You are the message. Who you are is always inseparable from what you’re trying to say. Your character always shapes the message listeners hear. Rev. Billy Graham avers, “When a brave person takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
To get your message across, you have to ensure what you’re saying is in sync with who you are. This is the reason Bill Gates could never give a speech on “Why software should be free”, or Donald J. Trump would struggle to give a speech on “The benefits of a low profile in business”. Messaging involves best practices like focusing on one big idea, opening and closing strong, using storytelling techniques, plain language and repeating key points.
Be a masterful presenter
LET your passion shine through. There’s no room for real leadership if you’re a timid speaker. Be an advocate and take a stand, ooze charisma, live in the present moment, be interested in what you’re saying, be bold and be different.
Indeed, there are presentations that are better when you put the slides away and just talk. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech would have been diminished with PowerPoint slides.
While the title of the tome reads like it’s anti-PowerPoint, Witt doesn’t take cheap shots at PowerPoint. We have to be thankful to the person or group who brought us the technology. I admit to using it in many speaking engagements. Witt’s lone objective is to give you the fundamentals in preparing and delivering great speeches apt for real leaders, sans the distraction of PowerPoint.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the UK-based International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s premier organization for PR professionals around the world. Bong R. Osorio is a communications consultant of ABS-CBN Corporation, SkyCable, Dentsu Aegis Network and government projects among others, after retiring as vice president and head of the Corporate Communications Division of ABS-CBN.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com