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5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama’s Inaugural Speech

Andrew Dlugan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:30:04 +0000

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.

Speech Video: Barack Obama delivers Inauguration Speech

I encourage you to:

Watch the video below (or listen to the audio);
Read the analysis in this speech critique;
Study the speech text in the complete transcript; and
Share your thoughts on this presentation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Speech Analysis – Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Note that numbers in square brackets (e.g. [14]) refer to paragraph numbers in the speech text at the end of this article.

Speechwriting Lesson #1: Start with a Strong, Simple Speech Outline

Speech analysis by media pundits often focuses exclusively on the soundbites — a few phrases here and there hole-punched out of a 17-minute speech. It is easy to forget that other words were used to stitch together those soundbites into (hopefully) a cohesive whole.

So, it is worthwhile to study and analyze the speech outline of Obama’s inauguration speech, because all speechwriters can learn from the strong, simple structure which helped convey his message coherently.

My own wishlist for his speech was that he would accomplish five tasks:

Be frank and honest about the realities of the economy and wars
Address the sagging morale and lack of confidence
Appear strong
Offer an olive branch to the world
Make a call-to-action for personal contributions (along the lines of “Ask not what your country can do…”)

I think Obama achieved all of these aims in his inauguration speech using a simple six-part structure:

Thank you [paragraphs 1-2]
Some will point to Obama’s mention of Bush as mere formality, but it’s more significant than that. Obama is preaching respect for the individual regardless of whether you agree with them. Thus, it is important he follows his own advice. To do otherwise would damage his credibility.
Honestly acknowledge the economic crisis [paragraphs 3-7]
Obama was blunt and direct, using phrases like “the challenges … are real. They are serious and they are many.” He didn’t promise solutions in this year or the next. He didn’t sugarcoat it, and I applaud him for that. As the economic issue is #1 in the minds of Americans, he was wise to address this first in his speech. Equally important, he showed great resolve and leadership with his powerful “But know this, America — they will be met.“
Americans have always faced crises and overcome them [paragraphs 8-17]
In this section of the speech, Obama stays consistent with his message of hope that won him the election. He is speaking directly to millions of Americans who feel the “sapping of confidence across our land” [paragraph 6]. He cites scripture [10], refers to the Declaration of Independence [10], and then reminds his audience of the struggles of the past which were overcome [paragraphs 12-15]. He concludes this section by reminding everyone that the core American strength still persists [paragraph 16].
Address cynics [paragraphs 18-20]
This brief interlude seems to be aimed at Congress and other political forces. In an attempt to persuade those who are skeptical of his plans, the key phrase here is “Their memories are short.”
Speak about and to the World [paragraphs 21-26]
This section was very, very strong. His words are strong, yet friendly. He charts a new foreign policy which is anchored on common, human ideals. I expect that this part of the speech will be received quite favorably around the world.
The solution lies within the determination of the people [paragraphs 27-35]
Obama transitions back to the American people with remarkable skill. Drawing a parallel between the armed forces and normal citizens in terms of embodying a spirit of service was masterful. This is the call-to-action which I was particularly looking for, and he delivered beyond expectations. The concluding story taken from the Revolutionary war was a great metaphor, and a fine way to conclude.

Speechwriting Lesson #2: Craft Impactful Lines

The message and outline are more important, but the soundbites are important too.

If there’s one weakness in Obama’s speech, it’s that there’s no clear, unmistakable phrase which people will be quoting years from now (although only time holds the definitive judgment).

There was no “Ask not what your country can do for you”.
There was no “I have a dream”.
There was no “This was their finest hour.”
There was no “Yes we can.”

But that’s not to say that this speech was lacking in wonderfully crafted and impactful lines. As I listened, several of these resonated strongly with me and I found myself thinking “Oh, what a line!”

“… begin again the work of remaking America.” [paragraph 16]
“Their memories are short.” [18] (I particularly loved the brevity of this line)
“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works” [19] (He busts open the debate by reframing the question.)
“[W]e reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” [21] (A particularly sharp indictment of Bush’s policies.)
“[W]e are ready to lead once more.” [21] (Simply stated, but this is exactly what America’s allies wanted to hear.)
“For the world has changed, and we must change with it.” [26]
“What is required now is a new era of responsibility” [29]

Finally, although it wasn’t a single line, I loved everything about how paragraphs 27 and 28 were crafted (which included “a moment that will define a generation“, even though it is a somewhat cliche statement).

Will any of these be quoted decades from now? It’s impossible to tell, but my money is on “the work of remaking America” or “a new era of responsibility.”

Speechwriting Lesson #3: Employ the Magical Rule of Three

Finding examples of the Rule of Three in speeches by great speakers is like finding smiling kids in a candy store. Examples abound!

But this does not lessen the importance of this speechwriting tactic. Quite the opposite! If all the Presidential speechwriters wield the Rule of Three, why don’t you do it more often?

Here are just some of the examples in the inauguration speech of varying length:

“humbled by the task before us,
grateful for the trust you have bestowed,
mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.” [paragraph 2]
“Homes have been lost;
jobs shed;
businesses shuttered.” [5]
“Our health care is too costly;
our schools fail too many;
and [...] energy [...] threaten our planet.” [5]
“all are equal,
all are free,
and all deserve [...] pursue [...] happiness.” [10]
“struggled and sacrificed and worked” [15]
“birth or wealth or faction” [15]
“we must pick ourselves up,
dust ourselves off,
and begin again the work of remaking America” [16]
“to spend wisely,
reform bad habits,
and do our business in the light of day” [19]
“the justness of our cause,
the force of our example,
the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.” [22]

Speechwriting Lesson #4: Amplify Words by Drawing Contrasts

As pointed out in the speech analysis of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”, sometimes the best way to highlight and sharpen concepts is to introduce contrast.

Here are a few examples from Obama’s Inauguration speech:

“rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace” versus “gathering clouds and raging storms” [paragraph 3]
“know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.” [25]
“we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist” [25]
“a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.” [32]

Speechwriting Lesson #5: Thread Your Theme Throughout Your Speech

If the core message of your speech is the plot of the story, then the theme of your speech is the setting and mood.

Stated another way, your message is the what you say– your theme is the how you say it.

Inauguration speeches are very naturally set with themes that emphasize the continuity and progress of a nation. Whatever the concerns of the era, they can be expressed relative to the past.

The theme for Obama’s inauguration speech could be expressed as “drawing strength from our common past“. (This is consistent with Obama’s intellect — he is well versed in the nation’s history through his studies of Lincoln and others.) This speech repeatedly drew examples from the past and even urged the people to return to old values near the end of the speech:

But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.

All in all, there are numerous references to the past to set the theme for this speech:

“mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors” [paragraph 2]
“Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath” [3]
“faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents” [3]
“So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.” [4]
“passed on from generation to generation” [10]
“Our journey has never been …” [11]
“Concord and Gettysburg ; Normandy and Khe Sahn” [14] At seven words, this passage is wonderfully brief, yet manages to span four wars: Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam War, respectively.
“Their memories are short.” [18]
“Our Founding Fathers [...] expanded by the blood of generations.” [21]
“Recall that earlier generations…” [22]
“the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington” [27]
“But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.” [29]
“In the year of America’s birth…” [33]

Verbal snapshot: Barack Obama's Inauguation Speech (larger words used more often)

Barack Obama Inauguration Speech Prepared Text

[1] My fellow citizens:

[2] I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

[3] Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

[4] So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

[5] That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

[6] These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

[7] Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.

[8] On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

[9] On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

[10] We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

[11] In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

[12] For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

[13] For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

[14] For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

[15] Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

[16] This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

[17] For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

[18] Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

[19] What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

[20] Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

[21] As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

[22] Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

[23] We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

[24] For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

[25] To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

[26] To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

[27] As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

[28] For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

[29] Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

[30] This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

[31] This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

[32] This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

[33] So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

[34] “Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

[35] America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

[36] Thank you. God bless you.

[37] And God bless the United States of America.

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Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

Author of this article: Andrew Dlugan
Category: Speech Critiques, Speechwriting
Article tags: Barack Obama, political speeches, rule of three, speech examples, speech outline
© Six Minutes, 2009. | Permalink | 27 comments so far

Speech Analysis: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr.

Andrew Dlugan — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:50:23 +0000

“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.

Speech Video: Martin Luther King Jr. delivers “I Have a Dream”

I encourage you to:

Watch the video;
Read the analysis in this speech critique;
Study the speech text in the complete transcript; and
Share your thoughts on this presentation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Speech Critique – I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr.

Much of the greatness of this speech is tied to its historical context, a topic which goes beyond the scope of this article.

Instead, I’ll focus on five key lessons in speechwriting that we can extract from Martin Luther King’s most famous speech.

Emphasis phrases by repeating at the beginning of sentences
Repeat key “theme” words throughout your speech
Utilize appropriate quotations or allusions
Use specific examples to “ground” your arguments
Use metaphors to highlight contrasting concepts

Lesson #1: Emphasize Phrases by Repeating at the Beginning of Sentences

Anaphora (repeating words at the beginning of neighbouring clauses) is a commonly used rhetorical device. Repeating the words twice sets the pattern, and further repetitions emphasize the pattern and increase the rhetorical effect.

“I have a dream” is repeated in eight successive sentences, and is one of the most often cited examples of anaphora in modern rhetoric. But this is just one of eight occurrences of anaphora in this speech. By order of introduction, here are the key phrases:

“One hundred years later…” [paragraph 3]
“Now is the time…” [paragraph 6]
“We must…” [paragraph 8]
“We can never (cannot) be satisfied…” [paragraph 13]
“Go back to…” [paragraph 14]
“I Have a Dream…” [paragraphs 16 through 24]
“With this faith, …” [paragraph 26]
“Let freedom ring (from) …” [paragraphs 27 through 41]

Read those repeated phrases in sequence. Even in the absence of the remainder of the speech, these key phrases tell much of King’s story. Emphasis through repetition makes these phrases more memorable, and, by extension, make King’s story more memorable.

Lesson #2: Repeat Key “Theme” Words Throughout Your Speech

Repetition in forms like anaphora is quite obvious, but there are more subtle ways to use repetition as well. One way is to repeat key “theme” words throughout the body of your speech.

If you count the frequency of words used in King’s “I Have a Dream”, very interesting patterns emerge. The most commonly used noun is freedom, which is used twenty times in the speech. This makes sense, since freedom is one of the primary themes of the speech.

Other key themes? Consider these commonly repeated words:

freedom (20 times)
we (30 times), our (17 times), you (8 times)
nation (10 times), america (5 times), american (4 times)
justice (8 times) and injustice (3 times)
dream (11 times)

“I Have a Dream” can be summarized in the view below, which associates the size of the word with its frequency.

Lesson #3: Utilize Appropriate Quotations or Allusions

Evoking historic and literary references is a powerful speechwriting technique which can be executed explicitly (a direct quotation) or implicitly (allusion).

You can improve the credibility of your arguments by referring to the (appropriate) words of credible speakers/writers in your speech. Consider the allusions used by Martin Luther King Jr.:

“Five score years ago…” [paragraph 2] refers to Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address speech which began “Four score and seven years ago…” This allusion is particularly poignant given that King was speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” [and the rest of paragraph 4] is a reference to the United States Declaration of Independence.
Numerous Biblical allusions provide the moral basis for King’s arguments:
- “It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.” [paragraph 2] alludes to Psalms 30:5 “For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.“
- “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” [paragraph 8] evokes Jeremiah 2:13 “for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.“
- More biblical allusions from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech can be found here.

Lesson #4: Use specific examples to “ground” your arguments

Your speech is greatly improved when you provide specific examples which illustrate your logical (and perhaps theoretical) arguments.

One way that Martin Luther King Jr. accomplishes this is to make numerous geographic references throughout the speech:

Mississippi, New York [paragraph 13]
Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana [14]
Georgia [18]
Mississippi [19]
Alabama [22]
New Hampshire [32], New York [33], Pennsylvania [34], Colorado [35], California [36], Georgia [37], Tennessee [38], Mississippi [39]

Note that Mississippi is mentioned on four separate occasions. This is not accidental; mentioning Mississippi would evoke some of the strongest emotions and images for his audience.

Additionally, King uses relatively generic geographic references to make his message more inclusive:

“slums and ghettos of our northern cities” [paragraph 14]
“the South” [25]
“From every mountainside” [40]
“from every village and every hamlet” [41]

Lesson #5: Use Metaphors to Highlight Contrasting Concepts

Metaphors allow you to associate your speech concepts with concrete images and emotions.

To highlight the contrast between two abstract concepts, consider associating them with contrasting concrete metaphors. For example, to contrast segregation with racial justice, King evokes the contrasting metaphors of dark and desolate valley (of segregation) and sunlit path (of racial justice.)

“joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity” [paragraph 2]
“the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity” [3]
“rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice” [6]
“This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.” [7]
“sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.” [19]

How can you employ contrasting metaphors in your next speech?

Speech Transcript: I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr.

Note: The formatting has been added by me, not by MLK, to highlight words or phrases which are analyzed above.

[1] I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

[2] Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

[3] But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

[4] In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.”

[5] But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

[6] We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

[7] It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

[8] But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

[9] The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

[10] We cannot walk alone.

[11] And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

[12] We cannot turn back.

[13] There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: “For Whites Only.” We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

[14] I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

[15] Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

[16] And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

[17]I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

[18] I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

[19] I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

[20] I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

[21] I have a dream today!

[22] I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

[23] I have a dream today!

[24] I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

[25] This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

[26] With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

[27] And this will be the day — this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning:

[28] My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

[29] Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride,

[30] From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

[31] And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

[32] And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

[33] Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

[34] Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

[35] Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

[36] Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

[37] But not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

[38] Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

[39] Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

[40] From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

[41] And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

[42] Free at last! Free at last!

[43] Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

2008 Election Night Speech Analysis – Obama and McCain

Andrew Dlugan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:00:09 +0000

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.

Barack Obama’s Victory Speech

Read the full speech transcript

Click here to view the embedded video.

John McCain’s Concession Speech

Click here to view the embedded video.

Speaking Experts weigh in…

James Wood — in The New Yorker – offers a stirring analysis of Obama’s victory speech:

A movement in American politics hostile to the possession and the possibility of words-it had repeatedly disparaged Barack Obama as “just a person of words” — was not only defeated but embarrassed by a victory speech eloquent in echo, allusion, and counterpoint. No doubt many of us would have watched in tears if President-elect Obama had only thanked his campaign staff and shuffled off to bed; but his midnight address was written in a language with roots, and stirred in his audience a correspondingly deep emotion.

Nick Morgan praised the election night speeches from both John McCain and Barack Obama.

[W]e witnessed rhetorical history: two equally literate and gracious speeches from the candidates, Senators McCain and Obama. [...]

McCain’s concession speech, like Gore’s, was more appealing than many other speeches he’s given, because he relaxed, and the cranky grandpa persona was gone. [...] His best speech of the campaign. [...]

The best thing about Obama’s speeches so far is that they are not about him, but rather about the audience. That is almost unheard-of for a politician, and rare for any speaker. Therein lies his oratorical genius.

Lisa Braithwaite concentrated mostly on Barack Obama’s speech:

Obama gave a powerful and presidential speech that had many of the elements we look for in a successful and engaging presentation. [...]

This is the kind of speech that will be memorized in classrooms: powerful, positive, honest, direct, persuasive and emotionally engaging.

Bert Decker called Obama’s victory speech a transformational speech:

Barack Obama gave a once in a decade speech in accepting the Presidency. He has an incredible ability to move people with oratory in both his behavior and content – and he took advantage of that when he had his most important audience of perhaps hundreds of millions of people across the world.

John Watkis praises John McCain’s performance:

John McCain gave his best speech. McCain seemed more relaxed and more in tune with his speech last night. He seemed more comfortable with the words and rarely struggled with the teleprompter. Although he did lose his rhythm a few times, the timing of his words was far better than it has been in the past.

Ian Griffin draws a stark contrast between speech skills of Obama and McCain:

Obama’s speech [...] moved through time and biography to the present day. His speech has echo’s of Lincoln and Martin Luther King. A lesser speaker (say, oh I don’t know, the current President and Republican nominees for President and Vice-President) would not have been able to carry this off.

Olivia Mitchell extracts six lessons in public speaking from Barack Obama.

Know your audience.

Envelop your point in a story.

Paint pictures on the canvas of your audience’s mind.

Get personal.

Wait for weight.

Light and shade.

TJ Walker takes a broad view in examining communications lessons from the 2008 campaigns:

Over the entire campaign, there were six main communications categories both candidates had to deal with.

Positive message about their own candidacy.

Contrast/negative message about their opponent.

Defending negative messages from their opponents.

Quick reaction to opponent’s blunders.

Adaptation of messages to shifting macro-political climate.

Visual/stylistic communication.

What did You Think?

How about you? What were your impressions of the speeches from President-Elect Obama and Senator McCain?

How can you inspire your audience? Ask 10-year-old Dalton Sherman.

Andrew Dlugan — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:53:49 +0000

Is fifth grader Dalton Sherman the next Barack Obama?

Of course, it’s far too early to tell, but that’s how he refers to himself in an interview on the Ellen show, where my wife first saw this extraordinary young man who can teach us all something about inspirational speaking.

This article reviews the keynote address at the Dallas Independent School District (D.I.S.D.) Teachers’ Conference delivered by a 5th grade student: 10-year-old Dalton Sherman from Charles Rice Learning Center.

This article is the latest in a series of video speech critiques which help you analyze and learn from excellent speeches.

View Dalton Sherman Speech Video

I encourage you to:

Watch the video;
Read the analysis in this speech critique; and
Share your thoughts on this presentation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Speech Critique — Dalton Sherman

This speech is remarkable for many reasons, including:

Repetition of signature phrases
Connecting personally with audience members
Vocal variety which signals key statements
Humor throughout
The rule of three

These areas are discussed in the speech critique below.

Repetitive Refrain – “Do You Believe…”

Dalton repeats the signature phrase 11 times during his keynote speech. [Note that numbers in brackets refer to the time in the speech.] These lines emphasize the central theme that teachers and students need to believe in each other.

“Do you believe in me?” [0:43]
“Do you believe that I can stand up here fearless and talk to over 20,000 of you?” [0:51]
“Do you believe in me?” [1:12]
“Do you believe in my classmates?” [2:05]
“Do you believe that every single one of us can graduate ready for college or the workplace?” [2:15]
“Do you believe in your colleagues?” [4:32]
“Do you believe in yourself?” [5:50]
“Do you believe that what you’re doing is shaping not just my generation, but that of my children and my children’s children?” [6:01]
“Do you believe that every child in Dallas needs to be ready for college or the workplace?” [6:40]
“Do you believe that Dallas students can achieve?” [6:50]
“Do you believe in me?” [7:45]

On many occasions, this phrase follows a pause in delivery. By doing this, the repeated refrain also bookmarks the major divisions of the speech (the students, your colleagues, yourself, then back to students). This 4-part structure is highlighted in one of the lines near the end of the speech:

“We need you to believe (1) in us, (2) in your colleagues, (3) in yourselves, and (4) in our goals.” [7:10]

More and More Repetition

Sherman uses other repetitive figures of speech. Among these, here are two of the most powerful:

“I can do anything…
be anything …
create anything …
dream anything …
become anything …
because you believe in me.” [1:28]

“We need you” is repeated five separate times in the speech, making this a secondary theme (along with “Do you believe?”). [5:47, 6:34, 6:58, 7:02, 7:10]

Make it Personal

Sherman makes the speech personal by calling out specific groups within the massive audience. On every instance, his reference draws applause from that segment of the audience.

Early in the speech, Dalton calls out personnel from his own school, Charles Rice Learning Center. [1:10]
“Let me ask you a question, Dallas I.S.D.” (Dallas Independent School District) [1:55]
He refers to several large geographic regions: Sunnyside Dallas [3:10], Pleasant Grove [3:20], Oak Cliff [3:25], North Dallas [3:35], West Dallas [3:38]
Finally, he refers to the different educational roles in sequence. Nearly everyone in his audience should fall into one of these groups; the effect is that his message seems personal for everyone.
“So whether you’re a councilor, or a librarian, a teacher’s assistant, or work in the front office, whether you serve up meals in the cafeteria, or help keep the halls clean, or whether you’re a teacher or a principal… we need you.” [5:15]

Lower and Slower Voice to Emphasize Key Points

Dalton Sherman delivers most of his speech with a loud and energetic voice. However, on four different occasions, he slows down and lowers his voice to deliver key points. This vocal variety is a signal to the audience that important words are coming, and the lines become more memorable as a result.

“… is to believe that we can reach our highest potential.” [2:55]
“As you know, in some cases, you’re all we’ve got.” [3:50]
“… who love us when sometimes it feels like noone else does.” [4:10]
“If you don’t believe — well, I’m not going there.” [7:22]

Humor Both Implicit and Explicit

The premise of this speech — a 10-year-old fifth grader giving the keynote address at a teachers conference — seems wonderfully absurd, and this fact alone provides much implicit humor in the speech. Numerous audience outbursts testify to their enjoyment.

In addition, Dalton’s speech includes a couple explicitly humorous lines:

“You better, because next week, we’re all showing up in your schools — all 157,000 of us.” [2:32]
“We all know, that sometimes, we kids can make it tough.” [5:00]

Rule of Three

The classic speechwriting Rule of Three technique is present a couple times in this speech:

“You’re the ones who feed us,
who wipe our tears,
who hold our hands or hug us when we need it.” [4:00]
“Believe in them.
Trust them.
And lean on them when times get tough.” [4:50] (refers to colleagues)

Did Dalton Sherman write this? Was he coached?

The speechwriter? As pointed out by this Dallas Morning News article, school district officials wrote the speech. The full speech text is also available here.

The coach? The article also reveals that Dalton was coached by his parents and an oratory coach from his school for several months. His preparations involved delivering the speech three times a week at his family’s church.

For these reasons, some Internet critics attack Dalton Sherman, suggesting that he’s a puppet reciting someone else’s words.

What do you think? I think this underscores how good you can be if you devote yourself to consistent practice and obtain speech coaching.

Although the delivery of some lines is choppy (which indicates memorized, but unnatural text), the majority of the speech is wonderfully delivered. As the video demonstrates, Dalton nails most of the choreographed body language, and he receives loud applause from his audience.

As just one example of this young man’s personal speaking strength, consider the opening to his speech. Despite standing before 20,000 while delivering this keynote address, Dalton Sherman still has the presence to wait for applause to die down before beginning [0:30 - 0:39]. Many adults have the tendency to talk over the audience applause, but he avoids this temptation. This a testament to the courage of this remarkable young man, and demonstrates that he has considerable talent.

Dalton Sherman on Ellen: “… the next Obama”

Here’s the appearance of Dalton Sherman on the Ellen show.

When asked what he wants to do when he grows up, Dalton responds that he wants to be a news reporter and “the next Obama.” Aim high, young man!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dalton Sherman on Oprah

Update — After this Six Minutes article was originally published, Dalton Sherman appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in an episode seeking to highlight some of the world’s smartest and most talented kids.

What did you think?

I’d love to hear your opinion on Dalton Sherman’s keynote speech.

If you are a teacher or have a career working with youth, does this speech inspire you? Does the speech achieve its goal as the keynote address at a school district conference to start the year?

Speech Critiques – McCain, Palin, Republican Convention 2008

Andrew Dlugan — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:36:25 +0000

Last week, we examined speech critiques of Barack Obama and others at the Democratic Convention 2008.

This week, it was the Republicans’ turn at the microphone with the whole world watching.

One by one, they spoke — John McCain, Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Lieberman, Fred Thompson, Tom Ridge, and Cindy McCain.

One by one, they were critiqued — by Nick Morgan, John Watkis, Garr Reynolds, Bert Decker, and Denise Graveline.

This article is a collection of speech videos and numerous speech critiques from public speaking experts.

Watch, listen, and learn from their strengths and weaknesses. Enjoy!

John McCain

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nick Morgan on John McCain:

Overall, the speech was mediocre. It was too long, McCain was frequently out of synch with his audience, he’s a wooden presenter, and there was absolutely nothing new in it. …

McCain’s speech was full of fight. Almost literally; he repeated the word “fight’ obsessively and absurdly at the end in a weird attempt at creating a final frenzy of enthusiasm with the audience.

John Watkis on John McCain:

McCain was average tonight. The speech was well written, but McCain lacked the ability to deliver it the way it was written. His timing and rhythm were non existent.

Still, McCain did have his moments. When he told the story of his capture, McCain was most comfortable. At that point, it became less about the speech and more about sharing his story with the audience. When that happened, he connected. His final rally cry to fight was quite a surprise. I was actually moved.

Garr Reynolds on John McCain:

It was not a disaster for Senator McCain, at least not for the supportive live audience in the hall, but I was really surprised by the lack of energy, emotion, and clear structure in his address to the Republican National Convention.

Sarah Palin

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bert Decker on Sarah Palin:

The speech was well written and outstandingly delivered. Together it was a very rare communication experience. Power under pressure! … There was not a vocal hesitation, not a non-word, not a shaking hand at the start as she handled her speech papers.

Denise Graveline on Sarah Palin:

Her rhetoric defines her as a “hockey mom” to evoke a decidedly feminine image. … But Palin’s speaking style last night was decidedly old-school, aggressive and more traditionally masculine in tone–at a time when her own credibility and suitability for the role is widely debated.

John Watkis on Sarah Palin:

Palin’s best moments came when she used her sense of humor and when she connected emotionally to her message. The emotional moments came when she spoke about children with special needs and when she took swipes at Barack Obama.

The one area Palin needs to work on is her voice. There are times when she speaks in a high pitch that grates on the ears. When she got down to business, the high pitch was replaced with a lower, stronger, more pleasant tone that made you want to listen.

Rudy Giuliani

Click here to view the embedded video.

Joe Lieberman

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fred Thompson

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tom Ridge

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cindy McCain

Click here to view the embedded video.

What did You Think?

Unfortunately, not as many bloggers reviewed the Republican convention speakers from a public speaking perspective. Why is that? What are your thoughts? What are the strengths and weaknesses demonstrated by the Republican convention speakers?

Speech Critiques – Obama, Democratic Convention 2008

Andrew Dlugan — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:28:32 +0000

The 2008 Democratic Convention was an oratory feast.

One by one, they spoke — Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Maya Soetero-Ng, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Ted Kennedy.

One by one, they were critiqued — by Nick Morgan, John Watkis, Bert Decker, Denise Graveline, Terry Gault.

This article is a collection of speech videos and numerous speech critiques from public speaking experts.

Watch, listen, and learn from their strengths and weaknesses. Enjoy!

Republicans? John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the 2008 Republican convention speakers are critiqued here.

Barack Obama

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nick Morgan on Barack Obama:

He also showed us real rhetorical skill by varying the heat of his delivery. Too many politicians make the mistake of shouting all their lines as if everything were equally important. Obama has different pitches and passion for different issues and subjects. The speech had highs and lows, and that’s what a good orator does to hold our interest.

John Watkis on Barack Obama:

Obama’s speech at the 2008 convention was simply a reminder that he stands alone when it comes to captivating an audience, giving them hope and inspiring them to believe in their dreams. The tears and the cheers in the packed stadium were evidence of the power and charisma in his words.

Bert Decker on Barack Obama:

We can all learn from Barack Obama’s acceptance speech:

The effectiveness of our communications determines the effectiveness of our lives.

Create the moment.

Use the skills of communicating.

Hillary Clinton

Click here to view the embedded video.

Denise Graveline on Hillary Clinton:

Clinton, benefiting from years of practice, took control of the room, gesturing easily and only occasionally stepping on her own good lines by moving too fast past them.

Bert Decker on Hillary Clinton:

Rule of three with, “Keep going… keep going…keep going.” And “There is no chasm too deep, no barrier to great, no ceiling too high…” moving to a great crescendo of an ending.

Bill Clinton

Click here to view the embedded video.

Michelle Obama

Click here to view the embedded video.

Denise Graveline on Michelle Obama:

Aside from the typical factors–audiences want to like potential First Ladies–I think Michelle Obama succeeded on night one of this convention for an apparently unusual skill among the evening’s speakers: The ability to avoid getting glued to the teleprompter, looking like a deer in headlights, frozen and unable to gesture with hands or facial expression.

John Watkis on Michelle Obama:

Michelle Obama’s speech was written well. For those who are critics of scripting your speech because it doesn’t sound natural, take a good hard look at the video. Every word of that speech — every word — was crafted carefully to fit Michelle Obama’s speaking style.

Bert Decker on Michelle Obama:

This was unlike any other potential First Lady speech ever given. She did an amazing job, hitting the right notes for the family image…

Maya Soetero-Ng

Click here to view the embedded video.

Terry Gault on Maya Soetero-Ng (Obama’s half sister):

Maya Soetero-Ng seemed very relaxed and expressive, which was remarkable from a Honolulu high school history teacher speaking on a national stage with millions of people watching. Her deep, strong voice projected well without her having to shout, as many speakers had to do to be heard over the noise of the crowd.

Jesse Jackson Jr.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Terry Gault on Jesse Jackson Jr.:

Though less showy than his father’s rhyming Southern Preacher style, he clearly learned the lessons of driving rhythms and cadence. He reminded me more of Muhammed Ali than his father, in terms of rhythm and emphasis. His pace of delivery was a major strong point in his style. He used silence and pause to great effect.

Ted Kennedy

Click here to view the embedded video.

Terry Gault on Ted Kennedy:

Ted Kennedy’s feisty and warm speech added even more emotional impact thinking of his long service as a Senator and a leader in the senate and ESPECIALLY in light of his recent surgery for brain cancer.

John Kerry

Click here to view the embedded video.

Mark Warner

Click here to view the embedded video.

What did You Think?

What are your thoughts?

What strengths and weaknesses did you see and hear demonstrated by the Democratic convention speakers?

Toastmasters Speech 4: How to Say It

Andrew Dlugan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:00:24 +0000

Does your audience need a dictionary to decipher your speeches?

Do you write your speeches with encyclopedic diction?

Do you draw your speechwriting inspiration from legal documents?

Technical writing, essays, financial reports, and legal writings all have their place — but none of them belong in your speechwriting.

Speeches which use simple, conversational language are more enjoyable to listen to, easier to follow, and more likely to be remembered.

The fourth Toastmasters speech project guides you to use simple, but descriptive language in your speeches. This article of the Toastmasters Speech Series examines the primary goals of this project, provides tips and techniques, and links to numerous sample speeches.

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Why is This Speech Important?

The stated objectives for this speech project focus on your selection of words and phrases:

Select the right words and sentence structure to communicate your ideas clearly, accurately, and vividly.
Use rhetorical devices to enhance and emphasize ideas.
Eliminate jargon and unnecessary words. Use correct grammar.

Tips and Techniques

1. Choose Descriptive or Story-based Topics

Any topic can work, but to flex your speechwriting muscles, choose a topic which lends itself to vivid descriptions. Speeches based around stories or experiences will challenge you to select words and phrases to transport your audience from their chairs to the setting where your speech takes place.

2. Use Sensory Language

Make your audience see what you see, feel what you feel, taste what you taste, smell what you smell, and hear what you hear. In short, draw upon all five senses to create a completely immersive description. Transport your audience to a movie theatre by describing:

Sight: the dizzying special effects of the martial arts scene
Smell: the wafting aroma of buttered popcorn
Sound: the booming surround-sound effects which made you jump from your seat
Taste: the sweet licorice Twizzlers which melt in your mouth
Touch: the claustrophobic squeeze of your knees pressed into the seatback in front of you

3. Use Repetition Wisely

Repetition of phrases throughout a paragraph, and repetition of sentences throughout your speech make your speech memorable. Wrap your speech around a signature phrase.

4. Avoid Topics About Words or Language

I often see Toastmasters choosing topics for project 4 which are about words or some other aspect of language, like poetry or figures of speech. For example, both Barren Words and Metaphors (by Oleg) and Swearing (by Andrew E. Scott) are very interesting speeches with language themes.

However, I recommend against choosing this type of topic. Rather than talking about words, let the focus be on your use of words, phrases, and grammar. Similarly, for project 5 (your body speaks), you should choose a topic that allows you to use your body, not a topic that is about body language. Further, in project 8 (get comfortable with visual aids), you will learn more by using visual aids to enhance your message rather than talking about projectors or flip charts.

What I Did for Speech 4

I wanted to choose a topic that would allow me to employ sensory words, so I elected to speak about my recipe for barbecued hamburgers.

The title of my speech was Recipe for Love, although it came to be known by its signature phrase (”the Meat, the Method, and the Merge”).

Speech Organization

The speech was organized quite simply around the burger preparation process:

Introduction — I introduced the topic by placing it in the context of things which had been said the previous week and were thus familiar to the audience.
The Meat — Preparation of the burger patties
The Method — Cooking the patties
The Merge — Combining the patties with the bun, “fixings”, and condiments
Conclusion — Quick summary which restated the signature phrase in the speech.

Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices employed in this speech:

Alliteration: “tasty tips”, “brilliant barbecued burgers”, “the meat, the method, and the merge”, “personally prepared patties”, “manufacturing a mouthwatering masterpiece for your mate”
Repetition: “the meat, the method, the merge” was used throughout the speech

Sensory words and phrases

I deliberately crafted the speech so that it would appeal to all five senses:

Sight — “could cause flames to shoot up, enveloping your burgers”, “pleasing cross-hatch pattern”, “feast for the eyes as well as the palette”
Smell — “The spiced butter will start to percolate through the meat and will release aromas that will make you the envy of the neighborhood”
Sound — “you’ll hear the pleasing crackle of the barbecue”
Taste — “spicy butter mixture”, “crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, onions with pop, sweet pickles, chili peppers, smoky bacon”
Touch — “take each patty in the palm of your hand, and press down forming a valley”, “massage the patty into a pleasing thickness and shape”

Topic Ideas for Toastmasters Speech 4

Example #1

The Impossible Task by Sara Piaskowy (written)

Alliteration: “The task seems impossible, insurmountable, the idea is incomprehensible!”, “Sometimes it is staccato, sometimes smooth”
Repetition: “smell” repeatedly (see below), “Now I LOVE mangos. Love in capital letters L.O.V.E. mangos.”; “I have learned how…” used in three consecutive sentences; “Burkina Faso has…” in four consecutive sentences near the conclusion.
Simile: “the time like sand slipping through the hour glass”, “hit you like a brick wall”, “the strength and intensity of the heat makes you feel like the sun has come unhinged and is on a trajectory path headed straight towards you”
Metaphor: “colors that can lift even the saddest of moods”
Sensory phrases
- Sight — “a river of motos zooming past”, “Ruffles and feathers and zigzag hem lines”
- Sound — descriptions of music, “when there is no music… the sound of the language is what is entrancing”, “sing song, up and down, loud and soft quality to what I hear”
- Touch — descriptions of dry, reddish dust everywhere; extreme heat
- Smell — “there are several types of smells; there are rancid smells, urine smells, the smell of garbage, a body odor smell, dried fish smells, and don’t forget the smell of exhaust or the unpleasant odor of burning plastic which somehow wafts through your house unannounced.”
- Taste — mangoes and other fruits, rice with red sauce, etc.

Example #2

1, 2, 3… Full stop! by Shrilatha Putthi (written)

Repetition — “3-speech Toastmaster” is repeated many times in the speech; “nightmarish nightmare”
Similes — too many to list (how many did you find?). Many go culturally beyond my North American roots, but one must remember that Shrilatha’s audience would be quite familiar with these cultural references.
Alliteration — “tormenting truth”; “fun and frolic”; “gloriously grand gold”
Triad (several are alliterative too) — “dejected, disgusted, and devastated”; “enjoyment, excitement, entertainment”; “I was, I am, and I will be…”

Example #3

Get Your Motor Running by Karen Woodson (video)

Simile: “hit me like a ton of bricks” [0:57]
Sound: “and then the powerful statement ‘Gentlemen, Start your engines’ is announced over the loud roar of the audience” [1:25]
Sight: “a night race when the lights reflect off the shiny paint” [2:25]; numerous references to flags of different colors flying
Triad: “bone-jarring, teeth-gnashing, wheel-spinning crash” [4:05]
Alliteration and Triad: “covered in confetti and either champagne, coca-cola, or gatorade” [5:55]
Another descriptive phrase: “as the rubber burns… roar of the engines… only during ‘cautions’ do the crowds relax enough to sit down” [3:35];

Example #4

The House on Silver Spring Lake by Leena Oh (video)

The opening paragraph embodies the goals of this project wonderfully. Fifty-nine words, and Leena uses sensory phrases which draw upon all five senses:

Imagine waking up in the morning, the sun streaming through the pine branches into your bedroom window (sight). You hear birds chirping (sound), and woodpeckers tapping for their breakfasts (sound). It’s chilly, so you try to stay in the warmth of your covers (touch) as long as possible, but you can’t resist the smell of breakfast and coffee (smell) drifting up from the kitchen.

Further, note that of those 59 words, only three have more than two syllables: imagine, woodpeckers, and possible.

More Examples of How to Say It

Here are a few more sample written and video speeches which may provide inspiration for you.

Written Speech Examples

The Brain is Our Universe by Edwin Vinas
Edwin provides a detailed analysis of his goals for the speech, and the audience reactions he hoped to provoke. This analysis includes a review of the rhetorical devices he employs.
My Uncle Dinny by Séamus McInerney
Filled with sensory phrases. e.g. “We would have tea stretched out before the cream coloured range. I can still smell the turf fire and hear the big clock ticking as it always did.“
The Greatest Thing I’ve Done by Noryfel Bien
The opening is especially strong for two reasons: 1) It darts through a series of descriptive experiences that are easily visualized. 2) It uses repetition effectively. “I haven’t” and “I’m not” are used multiple times before the key transition phrase “I am a teacher” which leads into the body of the speech.
Are you getting the most out of your chocolate by Lu
The choice of topic allows numerous taste, smell, and touch sensory phrases.
Fueling the Cooking by Les Aquino
Apocalypse Now by Nitesh Luthra
You’re What You Eat for Your Breakfast by Amit Bhatnagar
The Key to Understanding Me by comment dit-on

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Video Speech Examples

How to Keep a Conversation Going by Jason McGarva
People Who Have Inspired Me by Pa Toastmasters member
Why Skill Based Play is Good by Paul Miller
Unknown by Capital Communicators member
Kindergarten by Michelle Cohen
Say Cheese by Sherry Lu
Our Motivations by Eric Brown
Unknown by Deepak Mittal
Unknown by Daniel Habedank
China is My Future by Beau
The Decline of the U.S. Dollar by Elie Ishag
Goodbye by Zeki Yimdirim
How to eat during the holidays by Mary Ann
The Art of Communication by Shenequa Mitchell
The Language of Play by Emilie Staryak
Profits of the Journey by Rosetta Ishag
So Many Topics, So Little Time by John Armstrong
The Endangered Species Act by Elizabeth Guzman
Where Words Can Lead You by Arnie Buss
Unknown by Tom Wilson

Next in the Toastmasters Speech Series

The next article in this series examines Toastmasters Speech 5: Your Body Speaks.

Toastmasters Speech 3: Get to the Point

Andrew Dlugan — Tue, 27 May 2008 04:15:48 +0000

Have you ever been to a painfully bad seminar with audience members murmuring to each other…?

“What was that about?“
“He was all over the place today.“
“What was her point?“

These are symptoms of a speech that had no clear objective and was not focused on achieving that objective.

The third Toastmasters speech project stresses the importance of clearly identifying your target objective, and then maintaining precise focus to achieve it. This article of the Toastmasters Speech Series examines the primary goals of this project, provides tips and techniques, and links to numerous sample speeches.

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Why is This Speech Important?

The stated objectives for this speech project revolve around being focused and precise:

Select a speech topic and determine its general and specific purposes.
Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes.
Ensure the beginning, body, and conclusion reinforce the purposes.
Project sincerity and conviction and control any nervousness you may feel.
Strive not to use notes.

The Easy Part: Get to the Point

Your first task is to get to the point. Before you generate an outline or your first draft, be sure you know your purpose precisely. Make sure you can state it in a single simple sentence.

A common pitfall is to choose topics which are too broad; remember that your time is limited. This can be challenging, but if you adopt the practice of determining your purpose before writing anything else, you will find this to be the easy part. (Read an earlier article about selecting a speech topic.)

The Harder Part: Stay Focused On the Point

The much harder part — and the part that many speakers struggle badly with — is staying focused on the point.

No speaker intends to stray from their purpose; rather, it happens quite accidentally. Somewhere between getting to the point and writing the first draft, a collection of off topic elements are inserted into the speech.

It might be an off-topic opening anecdote which is “too good not to share”.
It might be some jaw-dropping statistics that are only remotely related to the topic.
It might be the latest whiz-bang effect in PowerPoint that is glitzy, but content-empty.

Find these extraneous elements, and eliminate them while editing your speech. Every element of your speech must reinforce your purpose. Each time you edit your speech, your goal should be to sharpen the focus. (Read a previous article with six power principles for speech editing.)

What I Did for Speech 3

My speech topic was Raising a Reader. (I had just finished reading the excellent book from Jim Trelease titled The Read-Aloud Handbook. I highly recommend it for parents.)

My original purpose was going to be to encourage the audience to be lifelong readers. I discovered a wealth of supporting evidence. However, I felt this topic was too broad.

Instead, I wrote my specific purpose: “After hearing this speech, the audience will be able to identify three reasons why reading aloud to a child is the best way to encourage them to be a lifelong reader.”

To support this purpose, my speech was organized as follows:

Opening hook which illustrated the strong correlation between life success and a love of reading.
Body of speech gave three benefits of reading aloud to children. Each was supported with simple facts and stories.
- Reason 1 – Increase the child’s listening vocabulary.
- Reason 2 – Gives the child a reading role model.
- Reason 3 – Associates reading with pleasure.
Conclusion repeated the three benefits and emphasized that these benefits were easy to achieve.

Other Ideas for Toastmasters Speech 3

Below are three sample speeches delivered to satisfy Toastmasters speech project 3. All three are excellent examples which have a very clear purpose and strong focus on that purpose.

For each of these three example speeches:

What are the general and specific speech purposes?
(Do you agree with those that I have listed?)
What techniques were used to reinforce on these purposes?
Was the speech focussed, or were there elements that did not belong?

Example #1

Lessons Learned in Napa by Emilie Staryak (video)

General purpose: To persuade.
Specific purpose: To convince the audience to be open to new experiences by sharing lessons learned on a winetasting weekend.
The speech opening was strong. It identified the four lessons:
1. You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to enjoy Napa.
2. Wine tasters are not as hoity-toity as you might think.
3. Your tastes can grow if you allow them to.
4. Don’t just stop to taste the grapes.
Focus: The lessons were supported with a series of personal stories. Every story related to these lessons. For example, the first lesson is supported by sharing that she and her husband were beer drinkers, but are now planning a second trip.
Conclusion: The concluding sentence (”Who would have thought that two beer drinkers would be planning a second trip to Napa valley?“) reinforces the speech purpose.

Example #2

You’re Going to Wear THAT?!? by Arnie Buss (video)

General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: To provide advice in handing questions in a problem area.
Introduction:
- Opens with a problematic question (the speech title) that many in the audience have probably experienced.
- Outlines 3 frameworks from which we answer questions
  1. our child self (the victim; taking blame)
  2. our parent self (passing judgment)
  3. our aware self.
Demonstration #1: “Why do you only ever think of yourself?”
Excellent demonstration which gives three possible responses which correspond to the three frameworks.
Demonstration #2: “Does this dress make me look fat?”
This question generates humor (particularly since asked by a male audience member). However, it isn’t focused because the speaker has no “good” answer.
Demonstration #3: “Why don’t you ever take me anywhere?”
Another excellent demonstration applying the three frameworks.
Conclusion: A very solid conclusion which focuses on the specific purpose. He advises against using the first two frameworks, and then suggests using the third.
“It doesn’t enhance the relationship to make yourself wrong [1 is bad]. It doesn’t help enhance the relationship to make the other person wrong [2 is bad]. So, whenever you’re asked an entrapping question, never answer it until you find out why its being asked. Track the intent of the question. [3 is good] Don’t take the blame, track the pain. [memorable closing line]“

Example #3

Value Generated vs. Mark-Up Fund Raising by Paul Miller (video)

General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: Contrast two philosophies of fundraising, and suggest tools to evaluate fundraising strategies.
Introduction: Clearly identified the specific purpose of the talk.
Story #1 (Boy Scouts & popcorn): Excellent example of mark-up fund raising.
Story #2 (Balloon dog): Excellent example of value generated fund raising.
Numbers and Statistics: all focused on speech purpose e.g. “10 dollars leaves community versus 5 cents leaves community”
Transition to the second half of the speech: Identifies 3 criteria for evaluating fund raising: (1) effect on individual (2) effect on community (3) effect on environment.
More Stories: illustrate each of the three criteria

More Examples of Get to the Point

Here are a few more sample written and video speeches which may provide inspiration for you. For each speech, you might read (or watch) it first, and then check to see whether you agree with the general and specific purposes that I have listed for each speech. If you agree with me, then perhaps the speaker has achieved their purpose.

Written Speech Examples

The Devil’s Gardens by Les Aquino
General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: To describe the relationship between the Schumanni ants and Hirsuta trees in the Amazon rain forest.
Channelled Authorship by Seamus McInerney
General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: To describe the concept of channelled authorship.
(The last line of this speech is priceless.)
To Live Once by Edwin Vinas
I will not give general or specific purposes for this speech because the speaker has specified his purpose along with the speech text.
Break the Chain by Amit Bhatnagar
General purpose: To persuade
Specific purpose: To encourage the audience to stop forwarding chain email.
Blushful Moments by Felicity
General purpose: To persuade
Specific purpose: To encourage the audience to celebrate embarrassing moments.
You Put Your Left Arm In by Kane Baltetsch
General purpose: To entertain
Specific purpose: To share the history of the “Hokey Pokey” dance.

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Video Speech Examples

The Fair Tax by Alex Bein
General purpose: To persuade
Specific purpose: To convince the audience that a 23% national sales tax should replace individual income tax and several other taxes.
A Mystery of Matter by Chance Litton
General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: To introduce the audience to the wave-particle phenomenon.
Have a Little Faith in Yourself by Karen Woodson
General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: To highlight sources of low self-esteem and methods to improve self-esteem.
Double Your Happiness By Doing This by Vince
General purpose: To persuade
Specific purpose: To persuade the audience to overlook the temptation to pass judgment.
Appreciation by Heather
General purpose: To persuade
Specific purpose: To encourage the audience to appreciate life.
Dyslexics are Anything But Dumb! by Rosetta Ishag
General purpose: To inform
Specific purpose: To talk about the characteristics of dyslexia.

Next in the Toastmasters Speech Series

The next article in this series examines Toastmasters Speech 4: How to Say It.

Toastmasters Speech 2: Organize Your Speech

Andrew Dlugan — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:59:29 +0000

When you speak, does your audience get it?

If your audience doesn’t grasp your message (even though your topic is one you know they are interested in), you need to rethink the way you present it. You need to organize your ideas to promote understanding.

The second Toastmasters speech project addresses organizing your speech. This article of the Toastmasters Speech Series examines the primary goals of this project, provides tips and techniques, and links to numerous sample speeches.

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Why is This Speech Important?

The stated objectives for this speech project center around organizing your ideas to promote audience understanding:

Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech.
I previously discussed several speech outline examples in detail.
Make your message clear with supporting material directly contributing to that message.
Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another.
Create a strong opening and conclusion.

These are fundamental skills that you apply to every speech you’ll ever deliver, whether it is a 2 minute off-the-cuff speech, a 15 minute business proposal, or a 60 minute keynote.

Transitions are the Key

Of the four elements, appropriate transitions are most lacking in the majority of presentations that I have seen. Most speakers have an introduction and conclusion, with supporting material arranged in some form of outline. But, there is often little in the way of transition phrases that link the speech together in a cohesive unit.

In a written piece (like this article), headings, bullets, and punctuation provide cues to the reader that help them understand the macro-organization.
In a verbal speech, use pauses and transition phrases to achieve this effect so that the audience knows when one point ends, and the next begins.

What I Did for Speech 2

For my second speech topic, I chose The Open Directory Project (ODP). Here’s a brief outline and the key transitions I used:

Opening – State topic: the what, who, and why of ODP.
What is ODP?
1. Large – 4.5 million sites
2. Internet Directory (compared to a telephone book to aid understanding)
3. Transition: “Something this large doesn’t just spring out of the earth. Someone has to build it.” (this leads naturally into the “who”)
Who builds ODP? 67,000 volunteers!
1. Volunteer demographics
2. Volunteer roles
3. Transition: “What inspires 67,000 people to volunteer their time?” (this leads naturally into the “why”)
Why is ODP important?
1. Anyone can join
2. Data is free
3. Data complements results of Google and other search engines
Conclusion – Summary of 3 main points, and a call-to-action to check it out.
1. “I hope this talk has whet your appetite to find out more.” This was a reference back to the speech title: A Taste of ODP.

Topic Ideas for Toastmasters Speech 2

Select a straightforward outline to organize your speech:

The Classic “Three Supporting Points”
Chronological
Geographical

Idea #1: The Classic “Three Supporting Points”

In this outline, you begin by stating a premise in your introduction, support it with three reasons or three supporting points in your body, and then summarize in your conclusion. It doesn’t need to be 3 points, but this is a convenient number that fits well with a five to seven minute speech.

Example: Maile provides an excellent example of clear and parallel structure for a speech with How Dance has Helped Me In the Real Estate Business (video). Her basic structure is:

Opening: “20 pounds and nine years ago, I was a dancer…” which leads into stating 3 dance principles which help in real estate.
Principle 1: Practice Perfect Performance
Principle 2: Visualize the Result You Desire
Principle 3: Get Out and See the People
Conclusion: restate three principles

This speech was especially strong because of a consistent pattern that was used for each of the three points, along with a parallel structure. The pattern applied was:

Transition: “the second principle I’d like to share…[name principle]“
Lesson from dance: “… as a dancer… [explain principle in dancing context]“
Relate to real estate: “… this technique has also served me well in the real estate arena… [explain principle in real estate context]“

Maile used this parallel pattern for all three points, and the speech is very easy to understand. The Toastmaster evaluation of this speech (video) is also available.

Example: Tanya Huang also demonstrates this classic method in a speech titled Cougarlicious (written). Her basic structure is:

Open with a surprising revelation: she wants to be a “cougar” when she grows up.
Definition of a cougar.
Reason 1: Fashion.
- Transition: “So, why do I want to be a cougar when I grow old? My first reason is…”
Reason 2: Confidence
- Transition: “Confidence is another quality …”
Reason 3: Aggression
- Transition: “Aggression is another cougar characteristic…”
Conclusion: Sums up speech by reiterating the three reasons, and explicitly saying “These are the cougar qualities and the reason I want to be a cougar.”

Idea #2: Chronological

A chronological outline is appropriate for many speeches that describe a sequence of events. It is also appropriate for describing a process or a step-by-step technique.

Example: Brian demonstrates this technique with a speech about Six Sigma (video).

Introduction to Jack Welch and origins of Six Sigma
Definition: What is six sigma?
List the 5 Stages: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (and then stepped through each stage with explanation)
Conclusion to reinforce importance of Six Sigma

Note his transition phrases which give a direction or imply a sequence (”… from there, we…” or “… after analyzing, we…”).

Idea #3: Geographical

A geographical outline is a convenient method to organize a speech about travels, or where you are contrasting your topic (e.g. pastries) across many locations (e.g. French pastries vs. German pastries vs. Dutch pastries).

Example: Elizabeth Mitchell uses this method in Seven Lessons from Seven Continents.

Of note, the introductory words for each segment (”My first continent…”, “My second continent…”) clearly mark the boundaries for each of the seven segments of the speech.

More Examples of Organize Your Speech

Here are a few more sample written and video speeches which may provide inspiration for you.

Written Speech Examples

Scotch by Chris Lee
Democracy! God help us by Seamus McInerney
What’s in a Name? by Amit Bhatnagar

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Video Speech Examples

Videoblogging by Stephanie Bryant
37.5 Hours by an unknown speaker

Next in the Toastmasters Speech Series

The next article in this series examines Speech 3: Get to the Point.

Toastmasters Speech 1: The Ice Breaker

Andrew Dlugan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:34:39 +0000

Ice breaker (or Icebreaker) is a term which describes an activity which reduces tension and anxiety in a group.

Thus, it is fitting that the first Toastmaster speech project is titled The Ice Breaker.

This article of the Toastmasters Speech Series examines the primary goals of this project, provides tips and techniques, and links to numerous sample speeches.

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Why is This Speech Important?

The Ice Breaker speech has three aims:

Introduce yourself.
Your ice breaker speech topic is you – something about your life, your job, your hobbies, your unique interests, your family, or any combination of these. You are an absolute authority on this topic, and everyone in the audience will learn something about you.
Begin to conquer the fear of speaking in front of a group.
It is nervewracking when speaking in front of a new group. If you feel this nervousness, remember that a Toastmaster audience is always supportive and understanding. Nobody is grading you, and nobody will mind if you stumble through 99 “Um”s and “Ah”s. If you get up, say something, and sit down, you have succeeded in this project.
Provide a “base line” of your current strengths and weaknesses.
Some new members have no public speaking experience, while others have years of presentations behind them. No matter where you fit into this spectrum, your goal is to improve from your starting point. This first speech helps club members gauge your current strengths so that they can make specific recommendations to help you improve.

Tips and Techniques

The Competent Communicator manual has a wealth of helpful advice. You can download a PDF version here: Toastmasters Speech 1 – Ice Breaker (PDF).

Here are a few other things which may help you:

“Nobody expects you to be a world-class orator. Just do your best.”

Ask for Help
If you have a mentor, don’t hesitate to ask them for help. If you don’t, feel free to ask any other club member. Perhaps they can share what they spoke about for their Icebreaker. Perhaps they can help you select a topic. Perhaps you can practice it privately before the meeting. All other members have gone through the Ice Breaker before, and can provide words of encouragement.
Practice Helps
You don’t need to practice the speech 35 times, and you don’t need to have it memorized. However, your nervousness will be reduced considerably if you give it a couple of practice runs out loud (even if your only audience is you).
Timing
The recommended time for the Ice Breaker speech is four to six minutes. It may seem like a long time, but in later projects, you’ll start wishing you had much more time to deliver your message. Don’t worry too much about going under or over time. Just aim for somewhere in that range.
Notes
There are no rules on the use of notes. If you need notes, use them. If you don’t need notes, don’t. Either way, don’t worry about it. It’s okay if you read your ice breaker from a script (just try to look up once in a while), if you refer to cue cards, or if you talk without notes.
Don’t Expect to be Winston Churchill
This is your first challenge. Nobody expects you to be a world-class orator. Just do your best. Once you have established your “base line”, then you can aim to raise your skill level in future projects.
Speak Up and Slow Down
Two common effects of nervousness are mumbling words and racing through the speech. Try to avoid these, but don’t worry if you can’t help it.
Humour Reduces Your Nervousness
If you are comfortable incorporating humour into your ice breaker, go for it. The laughs from the audience will reduce your nervousness. An easy way to do this is to make a self-depracating joke at the start. (If nobody laughs, don’t worry about that either… it’s something to work on later.)
Apologizing
You may feel an urge to apologize to your audience (e.g. for uttering too many “Um”s, for losing your place, etc.). There is no need to do so! Often, the audience doesn’t notice the little glitches, and it is much better for you to ignore them too.

Topic Ideas for Your Ice Breaker Speech

Although your broad topic is yourself, there are numerous angles to take, and several ways to organize your speech.

Don’t worry too much about the organization of the speech; later speech projects (especially #2 and #3) encourage you to focus more on that. However, having said that, one of these ideas may help you overcome writer’s block.

Idea #1: Chronological

For many people, a series of chronological snapshots of their life is the easiest to write and deliver.

Example: Ravi Singal takes this approach with his Ice Breaker: Why Me? Try Me!

Example: Oleg Kagan starts at birth in his Ice Breaker speech.

Idea #2: Topical

Discuss a series of elements of your life to provide a “sampling” of your life. For example, you could open up by talking about your family, then discuss your career, and conclude with your hobbies.

Example: Bob Cain addresses his love of travel, then photography, and then his career/education in his Ice Breaker speech. (video)

Idea #3: Common Thread

Select a common thread that runs through your life, and share brief stories where this common element appears. It might be a signature phrase, a philosophy that guides you, or even something obscure like peanut butter. (i.e. imagine stories through your life where peanut butter played a role)

My own Ice Breaker speech followed this general structure. It was titled “Andrew of All Trades – Master of None” and touched on several examples where I have breadth, but not depth of knowledge.

Example: Steph Corwin provides a great example with her Ice Breaker titled Swimming Through Life.

Idea #4: One Key Event

Focus on one critical event which took your life in a completely different direction.

Example: Tanya Huang talks about moving continents in Made in Taiwan, Calibrated in Canada.

Idea #5: How I Got Here…

A combination of #1 and #4, explain the series of decisions or events that brought you “here”, where “here” might be the place you currently live, the job you currently have, the life you lead, or the decision to join Toastmasters.

Example: Tracy Buxton does this wonderfully in her Ice Breaker titled I used to be June Cleaver, but I’m not sure who I am now.

Example: Jill Williamson also demonstrates this approach in the aptly titled How I Came To Be Here. (video)

More Examples of The Ice Breaker

Here are a few more sample written and video speeches which may provide inspiration for you.

Written Speech Examples

Words Have Power by Monkey Sri
My Enduring Purpose by Benjamin
Life is Like a Box of Chocolates by Kevin Chester Kuo
Interest-aholic by Didier Thizy
When I close my eyes by Shalabieh
My Name is Shay by Seamus McInerney
End Quote by Anna Min
I am Not Who I Thought I Was by Michael Harris

The Toastmasters Speech Series

The Ice Breaker
Organize Your Speech
Get to the Point
How To Say It
Your Body Speaks
Vocal Variety
Research Your Topic (coming next)
Get Comfortable With Visual Aids
Persuade With Power
Inspire Your Audience

Video Speech Examples

5 Years by Betsy Dewey
No, I was Not Named After a Charlie’s Angel by Farah Ulat
Life is a Beautiful Dance by Sharon Burt
Loves to Hear Herself Talk by Stephanie Bryant
Inspiration of My 9-11 Inspiration Video by Alex Johnson
Who Am I? The Reluctant Speaker by Paul Clausell

Next in the Toastmasters Speech Series

The next article in this series examines Speech 2: Organize Your Speech.

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5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama’s Inaugural Speech

Speech Video: Barack Obama delivers Inauguration Speech

Speech Analysis – Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

Speechwriting Lesson #1: Start with a Strong, Simple Speech Outline

Speechwriting Lesson #2: Craft Impactful Lines

Speechwriting Lesson #3: Employ the Magical Rule of Three

Speechwriting Lesson #4: Amplify Words by Drawing Contrasts

Speechwriting Lesson #5: Thread Your Theme Throughout Your Speech

Barack Obama Inauguration Speech Prepared Text

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Toastmasters Speech 4: How to Say It

Why is This Speech Important?

Tips and Techniques

1. Choose Descriptive or Story-based Topics

2. Use Sensory Language

3. Use Repetition Wisely

4. Avoid Topics About Words or Language

What I Did for Speech 4

Speech Organization

Rhetorical Devices

Sensory words and phrases

Topic Ideas for Toastmasters Speech 4

Example #1

Example #2

Example #3

Example #4