Studying speech examples is a great way to enhance your own speaking skills.
From great speech examples, you can learn techniques and styles to emulate.
From lousy speech examples, you can view evidence that provides you with the motivation to eliminate negative tendencies from your own speeches.
The articles below all refer to full examples of speeches, whether in text, audio, or video form:
This article reviews the 2015 TED talk by Suki Kim about her experience living undercover as a teacher for six months in North Korea.
Aside from the powerful core message, Kim’s talk also has several speaking lessons for us, including:
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
On December 7th, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese forces.
The next day, Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the United States Congress with his memorable “a date which will live in infamy” speech.
This speech had two purposes:
In this speech analysis article, we focus on Roosevelt’s choice of words to see how they helped communicate his message. Then, from these choices, we extract 5 key speech writing lessons for you.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
[…] an iron curtain has descended across the continent.
On March 5, 1946, at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill delivered one of his most famous speeches. Though he was not the first to use the phrase “iron curtain”, this speech brought the phrase into common usage and is thought by some to mark the beginning of the Cold War.
In Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History, William Safire writes:
This is a Beethoven symphony of a speech. […] this is the most Churchillian of Churchill’s speeches.
This speech analysis article examines how to use charisma tactics in speech writing. It is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
This article reviews the 2006 TED talk by Ken Robinson about whether our education system kills creativity. As I write this speech analysis, his talk is the most-viewed TED talk in history. Not surprisingly, it is rich with lessons for speakers.
Robinson’s talk demonstrates many lessons, including:
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
This article reviews a thought-provoking speech by Dan Pink about the surprising science of motivation, which was delivered at TED in 2009.
Pink delivers a masterful speech which demonstrates many strong speech techniques, including:
The strength of this speech isn’t surprising at all, given Pink’s former role as chief speechwriter for Al Gore.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous, most quoted, and most recited speeches of all time. It is also one of the shortest among its peers at just 10 sentences.
In this article, we examine five key lessons which you can learn from Lincoln’s speech and apply to your own speeches.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
One of my favorite TED Talks is that by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the international bestseller Eat, Pray, Love. In her talk, Gilbert speaks about the fears and frustrations of those who pursue a creative life, especially during those moments of angst when the creative juices are not flowing, and offers some advice and encouragement.
It is a touching performance. Even though I have seen it numerous times – I use it as part of one of the courses that I teach on public speaking – I never tire of it. Although there is room for improvement, the positive aspects of Gilbert’s talk make it moving and memorable.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
I encourage you to:
This article reviews a wonderful speech by Jacqueline Novogratz about escaping poverty, which was delivered at TED in 2009.
In this speech, Novogratz demonstrates several strong speech techniques, including:
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
I encourage you to:
Some will argue that Barack Obama’s Inauguration speech was not his most electric speech, or that it failed to deliver on unreasonably high expectations.
Nonetheless, studying the speech provides five key speechwriting lessons that can help us all be better communicators.
This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most memorable speeches of all time.
It is worthy of lengthy study as we can all learn speechwriting skills from King’s historic masterpiece.
This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008. History was made.
The immediate impact is tremendous, etched on the faces of millions as they watched the results and listened to the speeches. The longer-term impact has yet to be written.
While we can’t accurately predict the next four years, we can assess the speeches from election night. Both Barack Obama and John McCain received praise for their performances.
Watch the speeches, and then read the analysis from many sources.
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