Comments on: Speech Preparation #9: Prepare Now for Your Next Speech http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/ A Public Speaking and Presentations blog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:52:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Andrew Dlugan http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-652 Andrew Dlugan Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:19:52 +0000 http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/2008/03/10/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-652 Thanks very much, Jason. I appreciate your detailed and specific speech critique. It is very helpful, and also a great example of the type of evaluation I discuss in the <a href="http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/2008/01/18/speech-evaluation-1-how-to-study-critique-speech/" rel="nofollow">Speech Analysis Series</a>. Thanks very much, Jason. I appreciate your detailed and specific speech critique. It is very helpful, and also a great example of the type of evaluation I discuss in the Speech Analysis Series.

]]> By: Jason Black http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-651 Jason Black Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:14:33 +0000 http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/2008/03/10/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-651 Two hopefully helpful critiques: First, while your gestures were overall really excellent--evocative and well delivered--there were a few that I felt were overdone. Gestures which hit the audience over the head a bit too much, as it were. Two that come to mind: when you went down on your knees in the tree story, that felt over-done and somewhat un-natural. And in the Maximus story when you made the baby-cradling gesture, it felt almost hyperbolic--we get that it's an emotional story, and I don't feel that the words actually needed a gesture to underscore them. To me, the best gestures have an "organic" feel to them, they seem wholly natural in the context of the words that surround them. But those two gestures struck me as having been added solely to "punch up" your speech, and not because they were natural. Thus they ring false and detract from your overall message and the audience's perception of it. Second, on the speech content itself: As you moved from story to story, I had trouble understanding the connection between them. Part of this was because such a large part of the first story was taken up with talking about yardwork, which was only peripheral to your real message. I'd have spent less (or no) time talking about moving your maple tree and more time talking about the threat posed by the neighbor's tree. So as the speech moved from yardwork to the neighbor's tree to miscarriage, my concept of the speech's theme had to keep shifting from "work" to "risk" to "challenge". That, too, undermined your message. Taking each story within the speech, paring it to the essentials that focus on your real message, and briefly stating the message at the end of each story would have helped enormously. They say that if you want people to remember anything, you have to say it three times. So with two stories, each one concluding with the message, and an overall speech conclusion that really lays out the message for all to see, you've got your three times. Two hopefully helpful critiques:
First, while your gestures were overall really excellent–evocative and well delivered–there were a few that I felt were overdone. Gestures which hit the audience over the head a bit too much, as it were. Two that come to mind: when you went down on your knees in the tree story, that felt over-done and somewhat un-natural. And in the Maximus story when you made the baby-cradling gesture, it felt almost hyperbolic–we get that it’s an emotional story, and I don’t feel that the words actually needed a gesture to underscore them.
To me, the best gestures have an “organic” feel to them, they seem wholly natural in the context of the words that surround them. But those two gestures struck me as having been added solely to “punch up” your speech, and not because they were natural. Thus they ring false and detract from your overall message and the audience’s perception of it.

Second, on the speech content itself: As you moved from story to story, I had trouble understanding the connection between them. Part of this was because such a large part of the first story was taken up with talking about yardwork, which was only peripheral to your real message. I’d have spent less (or no) time talking about moving your maple tree and more time talking about the threat posed by the neighbor’s tree. So as the speech moved from yardwork to the neighbor’s tree to miscarriage, my concept of the speech’s theme had to keep shifting from “work” to “risk” to “challenge”. That, too, undermined your message. Taking each story within the speech, paring it to the essentials that focus on your real message, and briefly stating the message at the end of each story would have helped enormously. They say that if you want people to remember anything, you have to say it three times. So with two stories, each one concluding with the message, and an overall speech conclusion that really lays out the message for all to see, you’ve got your three times.

]]> By: Andrew Dlugan http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-650 Andrew Dlugan Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:44:26 +0000 http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/2008/03/10/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-650 I like the idea of a post-presentation checklist, Simon. That may help to form the speech self-critique habit. I like the idea of a post-presentation checklist, Simon. That may help to form the speech self-critique habit.

]]> By: Simon http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-604 Simon Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:31:15 +0000 http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/2008/03/10/speech-preparation-9-self-critique/#comment-604 Great point to critique yourself and I'm constantly amazed at how many people don't. Actually, I'm not - because in the relief of having finished and not dieing of fright during their presentation they are on such a high they just don't think. One way I've encouraged myself to do it is to put it on my checklist of things to do - which obviously covers the things before I go on stage but also includes the things to do afterwards: thank X, speak to the sound person, check my kit etc.... Great point to critique yourself and I’m constantly amazed at how many people don’t. Actually, I’m not – because in the relief of having finished and not dieing of fright during their presentation they are on such a high they just don’t think.

One way I’ve encouraged myself to do it is to put it on my checklist of things to do – which obviously covers the things before I go on stage but also includes the things to do afterwards: thank X, speak to the sound person, check my kit etc….

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