I spent this weekend at the Inn on the Harbor in the charming seacoast village of Stonington, Maine, where I have stayed many times before. Every summer, the innkeeper revises the guest book and adds what she calls a “zany” page that returning guests like me look forward to reading. This year was one of the best for “zany” reading. And yes, believe it or not, even here I found timeless principles that pertain to the art of public speaking!

The Zany Page of Revised Proverbs
In the guest book was the story of a first grade teacher who had 26 students in her class. She presented each child with the first half of a well-known proverb and asked the student to come up with the remainder of the proverb. Following is the list as it was posted in the innkeeper’s guest book. As you read this list, do keep in mind that the children who wrote these are only six years old.  

Don’t change horses…until they stop running.
Strike while the…bug is close.
It’s always darkest before…Daylight Savings Time.
Never underestimate the power of…termites.
You can lead a horse to water but…How?
Don’t bite the hand that…looks dirty.
No news is…impossible.
A miss is as good as a…Mr.
You can’t teach an old dog new…math.
If you lie down with dogs, you’ll…stink in the morning.
Love all; trust…me.
The pen is mightier than the…pigs.
An idle mind is…the best way to relax.
Where there’s smoke there’s… pollution.
Happy the bride who…gets all the presents.
A penny saved is…not much.
Two’s company; threes…the Musketeers.
Don’t put off till tomorrow what…you put on to go to bed.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and…you have to blow your nose.
There are none so blind as…Stevie Wonder.
Children should be seen and not…spanked or grounded.
If at first you don’t succeed…get new batteries.
You get out of something only what you… see in the picture box.
When the blind lead the blind…get out of the way.
A bird in the hand…is going to poop on you.
Better late than…pregnant.

Lessons for the Public Speaker
So what can we, as public speakers, learn from these funny mixed-up proverbs? More than anything else, we can simply remember to use proverbs—edited or not—in our speeches.

Support evidence or “touch points” come in many forms: stories, analogies, facts, data, metaphors, quotations, definitions, questions, physical demonstrations, charts, graphs, humor…and yes, even proverbs.

When you want to add variety to your support evidence, and not just bore your audience with dry data and statistics, look for a proverb to help you convince and persuade. After all, there’s no time like the present…to try a proverb.

We’ve all heard it before: “Less is more.” It’s what the TV makeover professional tells the woman who’s stuck on busy, patterned clothes and too much jewelry. It’s what makes fine-dining portions feel so special. And in terms of presentations, the same concepts are true: Less has greater impact, and small portions make the audience feel special.
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I had a “business as usual” blog ready to post today, but I can’t in good conscience pretend that business is usual right now.

Today is day 50 of the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history. As I write this, 50,932,978 gallons and counting of crude oil are pouring into the Gulf of Mexico. The toxic substance is fouling the ocean, desecrating the gorgeous coastal beeches, destroying wildlife habitat and killing countless birds and sea life. Eleven men have lost their lives and thousands more will be sickened from toxic exposure.
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I watched with surprise as Lee Dewyze became the latest American Idol last Wednesday night. Clearly, he has a bigger fan base than Crystal Bowersox.

I like Lee. He’s cute and has a decent voice, and at times he worked hard to show us energy and passion. But as a presentation skills coach, I’m always looking for more from those in the spotlight, especially when it comes down to the finish line with so much at stake. So even though Lee was good, he was missing one key performance element, namely stage presence.
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Does your speech have a memorable close?

Recently, I did a half-day presentation skills training program for a corporate group of one hundred people. I asked three volunteers to prepare short talks ahead of time so they and the group could have a “before” and “after” experience of our Line by Line Coaching™ process. 

One presenter gave a talk on NASCAR. An enthusiastic NASCAR fan, she prepared and delivered a lively speech. She told great stories, used good delivery skills and created a PowerPoint presentation filled with colorful images and videos of NASCAR celebrities and exciting races.

Like a pro, she had the audience in the palm of her hand and finished her presentation on a high note. Her last slide showed an exuberant photo of her family cheering in the grandstand…. or so she thought.
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The DeFinis-Lydon first annual Easter Brunch and Talent Show was a huge success!  On Easter Sunday a family style version of American Idol (minus the crusty Simon Cowell) was served up by our guests who ranged in age from sixteen to eighty-five. Beat boxing, cowboy haiku poems, cowbells, a love letter from a 78 year old grandfather, guitar favorites, the ABC’s in sign language, show tunes, a Times Square story from a first time Fijian visitor, a contortionist, a golf lesson, a Sicilian author reading a travel article about a Sicilian passion play, and last but not least, my dear god-daughter stuffing her entire right fist into her large teenage mouth, a talent that none of us could match.

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Over the last few weeks I’ve been engaged in discussions with a number of talented and experienced sales professionals. Our conversations have focused on various aspects of the sales process including: establishing credibility, understanding customer needs, reviewing various options and recommending a solution. Everyone was in agreement about one thing. No matter where you are in the sales process, strong communication skills including exceptional presentation skills are critical for success.

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I had lunch with a colleague last week and we had a rousing discussion about two different approaches to teaching public speaking and presentation skills.

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One of the many reasons why I enjoy living in the Bay Area is the seemingly endless opportunities to hear good speakers. I am a member of Left Coast Writers (LCW), and recently attended our monthly Literary Salon held at Book Passage Independent bookstore in Corte Madera, CA. Under the direction of author and speaker, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, LCW provides the literary community with resources, readings, writing tips, networking, literary chat and generally great fun. If you’re a writer, you want to be there.

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For many, 2009 was a struggle. Fortunately, the worst of the economic downturn seems to have passed. In its wake, many people were left wondering what had just happened and what they could have done differently. But as we enter the new calendar year, most of us switch from reflection to resolution. Responding to adversity with hope is a beautiful element of humanity, and the inspiration behind dedicating this latest installment of my public speaking blog carnival to the New Year.

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