In this article, we will learn how the rule of three improves speeches at the macro-speech level when applied to speech stories or to entire speech outlines.

Storytelling and the Rule of Three

Last week, my daughter and I visited our local library to fetch another bounty of  children’s books. We returned with a diverse collection that included:

• the educational Sesame Subjects: My First Book About Fish,
• the hilarious Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business; and
• the classic The Golden Goose from the Brothers Grimm.

(Note to parents: All highly recommended!)

The Golden Goose is the story of three brothers who attempt to chop down the thickest tree in the forest. First, the oldest brother fails; then, the middle brother fails; finally, the youngest brother succeeds — a three-part plot structure.

The three-part story outline is a common structure in folk tales, Biblical tales, and Hollywood plots:

• Three Little Pigs — The first two pigs get eaten because their houses are weak; the third pig’s house of bricks is strong.
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears — The porridge was too hot; the porridge was too cold; the porridge was just right.
• The Three Billy Goats Gruff — The first two goats sneak past the troll, while the third goat defeats the troll.
• The Good Samaritan [New Testament, Bible] — The first traveller passes. The second traveller passes. The third (the Samaritan) helps the injured man.
• Boy meets girl; boy loses girl; boy gets girl in the end.

The Three Act Structure

These fall under a general pattern known as a Three Act Structure. It is widely used in storytelling and screenwriting because it is a proven formula. Stephen J. Cannell claims that “Every great movie, book or play that has stood the test of time has a solid Three-Act structure.”

Syd Field (author of The Screen Writer’s Workbook and other instructive screenwriting guides) asserts that most successful screenplays follow a structure like this:

• Act I: Setup (approximately 30 minutes of a 2-hour movie)
• Act II: Confrontation (approximately 60 minutes)
• Act III: Resolution (approximately 30 minutes)

He further asserts that these acts are separated by two plot points: events that thrust the plot in a new direction. For example, plot point #1 might be the pivotal moment when the reluctant hero is convinced to join the crusade for justice (after spending most of Act One refusing to do so). Plot point #2 might be the moment when the momentum swings from the villain to the hero, eventually leading to a triumphant climax.

This three-part structure is so pervasive in movies, books, and other storytelling forms that audiences feel naturally comfortable when it is used. This comfort can be leveraged by a skillful public speaker.

Three-Part Speech Outlines

When you apply the rule of three to your speech outline, you gain all the benefits of the three-part structure. Your presentation gains warmth, familiarity, and understandability. With the three-part outline framing your ideas, your speech will be easier to follow and remember.

Let’s examine a variety of three-part speech outlines, beginning with the most basic.

Speech Outline #1A: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

It doesn’t get any simpler than this. Even if you don’t read the rest of this article, you will improve as a speaker if you consistently apply this generic speech outline.

It seems obvious. Almost too obvious. Yet two of the most common speaking blunders are:

1. Omit the introduction: The speaker launches directly into the meat of the content without providing a roadmap or context.
   • Result: The audience wonders “How did we get here?“
2. Omit the conclusion: The presentation ends abruptly immediately after the last statistic or slide with “So… any questions?” Perhaps this is the result of poor time management and a novice speaker who decides “I’m running short on time. I’ll skip the conclusion.”
   • Result: The audience feels stranded, far from the point of origin, wondering “That’s it? What does it mean?“

Speech Outline #1B: Tell them what you’re going to say, Say it, Tell them what you said

This isn’t a new speech outline, but a slight elaboration of the first:

1. Tell them what you’re going to say (Introduction)
2. Say it (Body)
3. Tell them what you said (Conclusion)

Some may say that this speech structure is almost too simplistic. If it is accompanied by boring content and lifeless delivery, that’s a fair critique.

However, repetition is a powerful speechwriting technique, and you can do much worse than repeating your key points three times during a speech to persuade your audience. Take inspiration from Lewis Carroll in The Hunting of the Snark:

I have said it thrice: What i tell you three times is true.

Speech Outline #2: Past, Present, Future

This speech outline can either stand on its own:

• Past, Present, Future

or take the place of “Body” in the pattern above to make:

• Introduction, Body [= Past, Present, Future], Conclusion

A common application is a persuasive speech where you pitch a solution to a business problem:

• Past – You set the context by identifying a problem facing your company, and describing how it came to be.
• Present – You lay out the decision to be made now, and the alternatives to choose from.
• Future – You paint a picture of prosperity that will be realized if the right choice is made (perhaps you use a successful case study).

If you apply this speech outline well, your audience will more easily understand your message. On the other hand, your audience is more likely to be confused if you jump forward and backward in time repeatedly (talk about the decision first, then the future prosperity, then the root cause of the past problem, then another alternative, then…)

Speech Outline #3: Complication, Resolution, Example

Another three part speech outline for persuasive speeches is the S.Co.R.E. method offered by Andrew Abela in Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action (read the Six Minutes book review).

Abela recommends starting your speech (Introduction) by establishing the Situation, and then iterating through a three-element series of Complication, Resolution, Example. In a sequence form, your speech might look like:

• Introduction – Situation
• Body
  • Complication, Resolution, Example
  • Complication, Resolution, Example
  • Complication, Resolution, Example
  • …, …, …
• Conclusion

The three-part Complication-Resolution-Example structure can be repeated once (e.g. a five-minute speech) or many times (e.g. a one-hour seminar).

Speech Outline #4A: Three Main Points

A basic three-part informative speech outline is as follows:

1. Introduction — Establish topic and core message; list supporting points
2. Body
   1. Supporting Point One
   2. Supporting Point Two
   3. Supporting Point Three
3. Conclusion — Recap main points; summarize core message; call-to-action

In this case, the rule of three magic lies in limiting yourself to your best three points. Any fewer, and your message won’t be compelling. Any more, and your message risks becoming tedious. Brainstorm many, but select your best three.

The Decker Grid System (from You’ve Got to Be Believed to Be Heard – reviewed here) is built on this foundation. Bert Decker goes on to say that, for longer speeches, each of your three supporting points can be reinforced with (no surprise) three sub-points each.

Speech Outline #4B: Three Stories

Stories can strengthen any type of speech, but are especially powerful in motivational speeches where making an emotional connection with your audience is required. When you tell stories, pattern them on the three-act structure for maximum impact.

The Three Main Points speech outline can be given a storytelling slant with the following:

1. Attention grabbing opening which introduces the topic and core message
2. Tell story #1.
   • Make point #1.
3. Tell story #2.
   • Make point #2.
4. Tell story #3.
   • Make point #3.
5. Memorable conclusion which ties together all three stories to support the core message.

Speech Outline #5: Pros, Cons, Recommendation

We’ll conclude with a common speech outline used for persuasive speeches where you are recommending a course of action.

1. Introduction – Brief setup of problem and proposal
2. Body
   1. Pros – What are the benefits of this proposal?
   2. Cons – What are the drawbacks of this proposal?
   3. Recommendation – Why do the pros outweigh the cons?
3. Conclusion – Restate the pros and repeat the recommendation

Other Three-Part Speech Outlines?

Do you use other speech outlines that follow the rule of three? Please share in the comments.

Conclusion of the Rule of Three Article Series

The final article addresses how the rule of three applies to speech humor.

Similar Articles You May Like... How to Add Power or Humor with the Rule of Three How to Use the Rule of Three in Your Speeches 5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama’s Inaugural Speech Toastmasters Speech 4: How to Say It Book Review: Thank You For Arguing (Jay Heinrichs) Book Review: Made to Stick

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.

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:

1. Watch the video below (or listen to the audio);
2. Read the analysis in this speech critique;
3. Study the speech text in the complete transcript; and
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.“
3. 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].
4. 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.”
5. 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.
6. 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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Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.

An open letter to the PowerPoint programming team with public speaking inspired ideas for future PowerPoint features…

Dear PowerPoint Programmers:

Thank you for creating such a wonderful presentation aid. PowerPoint is like a Swiss Army knife in a presenter’s visual aid toolbox. It is a tool with tremendous power.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people cannot control this power. Hour after hour, dreaded presentation after dreaded presentation, I continue to be amazed at the horrible presentations that speakers are able to create with PowerPoint at the core.

I teach a course titled Powerful PowerPoint Presentations. You’ll be happy to know that this course is always oversubscribed. Everyone is eager to tap into the power of PowerPoint.

I wish these people were motivated to become great PowerPoint artisans because their peers were giving fantastic PowerPoint presentations. Unfortunately, they are quite happy to become “adequate” users, because they know that any skill at all will put them in the top echelon.

Are PowerPoint users all morons? No, I don’t think so.

Is the tool itself crappy? Certainly not!

Perhaps the power of PowerPoint is just too great for the majority of users to handle by themselves. Like a jackhammer in the hands of a child, perhaps.

So, please consider the following suggestions to help tame the power of future PowerPoint versions.

1. Eliminate Slide Transitions

The verdict is in… users cannot handle the responsibility. If I had a dime for every random gratuitous slide transition that I’ve seen, I would have been grossly underpaid for suffering through these presentations.

Speaking of dimes, if you cannot eliminate the slide transition feature, consider making a user pay 10 cents for every slide transition used beyond 2 (a clear sign they are being overused). Donate the money to kiva.org. Here’s your ad slogan:

Microtaxing for Microlending… by Microsoft

2. Rewrite Your Documentation

From PowerPoint 2007, I searched for help to change the font. To my horror, I was presented with instructions to change the font in Access, InfoPath, OneNote, Outlook, Project, Publisher, and (hurray!) PowerPoint.

Why am I bombarded with all these non-relevant details? If this were a speech critique, I would be pointing out how reams of irrelevant details makes it more difficult for your message to reach your audience. But, I digress…

Instead of just spewing mechanical details, (e.g. “On the Home tab, in the Font box group, type or click a font in the Font group“), why not provide them with a virtual speech coach with useful advice like:

• Using fonts consistently makes your slides look more professional.
• When using different fonts on a slide, do so with purpose (e.g. one font for titles, one for labels), not to make things “look interesting”.

3. Partner with the Best

If you cannot rewrite your documentation, consider a marketing deal with Nancy Duarte to bundle a copy of Slide:ology with every license of PowerPoint. Seriously.

4. Prevent Suicide by PowerPoint

Atrocities are committed hourly with bullets, font choices, and colors, but you can’t exactly eliminate bullets, fonts, and colors from PowerPoint.

However, you can perform up-to-the-second analysis of the slide deck, and put up warnings when the user is making bad design decisions.

Some of these are trivial to implement:

• Count the number of words on a slide, and display it in the status bar. As the count rises, put up progressively stern warnings. (“Red alert: 100 words is a great start to a novel, but a lousy visual aid”)
• If the slide deck consists entirely of text, suggest that the user create a report in Word instead. (Better yet, just automatically launch Word after the 13th text-only slide.)
• Count the number of font variants in use in a slide deck. Caution users that their colleagues will laugh at them if every slide is something new. Better yet, give us an automatic way to apply a consistent font face throughout an entire slide deck. This would be especially helpful when cobbling together a presentation from multiple sources using cut-and-paste.
• Compute contrast ratios for all adjacent colors, and warn the user when something is hard to read. (“Pink text on yellow background may be hard for your audience to read.“)

5. Provide Better Support for Outlines

Presentations need to have a clear speech outline.

PowerPoint’s outlining support is awful. Both Outline Mode and Slide Sorter Mode give presenters only a one-dimensional stream view of their slides. The resulting slide deck is too often a sequence of individually designed slides that have no flow or macro-organization.

Make it possible to arrange groups of slides into units (e.g. these four slides are “background”, these eight are the “technical summary”).

• Let us apply formatting to entire units (e.g. a different background color to each section of the presentation as a visual cue to the audience).
• Let us create hierarchies among groups.
• Provide support for doing more presentation-level design.

6. Remember the Room

Some PowerPoint slides are designed entirely to be viewed at a computer where 10 point font is acceptable, even if not recommended. However, presenters are often oblivious to how their slides will look in a larger room. This isn’t your fault, but…

When a new slide deck is created, ask the user to specify the presentation setting, in general terms (e.g. small meeting room, lecture hall, etc.) or approximate dimensions. Use this to provide guidance on readable font sizes, diagram detail, etc. For example, I recently took an audience survey in a room with only six rows of chairs. Users at the back could not comfortably read fonts below 28 point font.

7. Enable Users to Insert Good Visuals

Please, end the clip art insanity.

Instead, allow us to search through stock photography website catalogues from within PowerPoint. (You can even take a cut of any purchased photos!) Once images are selected, make it easy for us to crop, resize, and optimize these photos (within PowerPoint) for embedding into slides. Why do I need yet another application open to do this?

8. Help Users Manage Slide Libraries

Don’t make us use third-party tools to organize, catalog, and search through slide libraries built up over time (particularly in corporate contexts). Provide this functionality in PowerPoint itself.

• Let me easily find all slides I’ve created with the words “Web 2.0″ in them, and then choose among them to insert into a new presentation.
• Create a Super Slide Sorter that provides a slide desktop where I can sift through slides from dozens of presentations at a time, selecting what I need, and then easily combining them into a new presentation.

Sincerely,

Andrew Dlugan
Six Minutes Public Speaking and Presentation Skills

p.s. Contact me if you’d like to discuss more ideas.

Your Wish List?

What features do you want the PowerPoint team to add/delete/change in future versions? Let me know in the comments.

Similar Articles You May Like... Book Review: Multimedia Learning by Richard E. Mayer Book Review: Universal Principles of Design 32 Reasons a PowerPoint Slide Deck is Nothing Like a Bra How to Improve Your PowerPoint Slides with the Rule of Thirds Interview with Nancy Duarte, Author of slide:ology Presentation Skills Book Review – slide:ology by Nancy Duarte

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.

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.

Why is This Speech Important?

There are four aims for this speech:

• Use an outline which aids understanding.
  I previously discussed several speech outline examples in detail.
• Transition smoothly from one point to the next.
• Craft an effective speech opening.
• Craft an effective speech 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:

1. Opening – State topic: the what, who, and why of ODP.
2. 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”)
3. 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”)
4. Why is ODP important?
   1. Anyone can join
   2. Data is free
   3. Data complements results of Google and other search engines
5. 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:

1. The Classic “Three Supporting Points”
2. Chronological
3. 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

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.

Similar Articles You May Like... 5 Presentation Lessons from Randy Pausch in The Last Lecture How to Speak: 7 Speaking Tips from Patrick Henry Winston Video Critique: J.A. Gamache (Toastmasters, 2007) 5 Speechwriting Lessons from Obama’s Inaugural Speech Toastmasters Speech 4: How to Say It Toastmasters Speech 3: Get to the Point

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.

This article describes how to support your core message with a speech outline, and provides numerous examples. This is the second step in the six-step speech preparation process.

Writing an outline is, unfortunately, a step that many skip. The most common excuse is simply “No time.” This is unfortunate because time spent on an outline is time well spent. It is necessary to ensure that you craft a coherent and focussed presentation.

Contents

• Writing a Speech Outline
• Basic Speech Outline
• Speech Outline Variants
• Outline Writing Tips
• Speech Outline Extended Example

Writing a Speech Outline

An outline is a blueprint for your presentation.

• It highlights the key logical elements. i.e. what points are being made to logically support the core message?
• It highlights the key structural elements. e.g. introduction, body, conclusion, stories, high-level concepts
• It links these elements together in a sequence, perhaps allocating very rough timings.
• It can also map out the transitions between elements, although this may be deferred to a later stage of preparation.

Basic Speech Outlines

The basic speech outline template for structural elements is:

1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion

Similarly, the basic speech outline template for logical elements is the familiar advice:

1. Tell them what you’re going to say
2. Tell them
3. Tell them what you’ve said

Put these together, and you have the start of a generic speech outline:

1. Introduction — Establish topic and core message; list supporting points
2. Body
   1. Supporting Point One
   2. Supporting Point Two
   3. Supporting Point Three
3. Conclusion — Recap main points; summarize core message; call-to-action

It is surprising how well this simple 3-part outline template works for a wide range of speech topics. Incidentally, this same basic formula can be seen in novels, short stories, movies, plays, reports, business briefings, emails, memos, and many other forms of communication.

For many more examples, check out Why Successful Speech Outlines follow the Rule of Three.

Variants or Examples of Speech Outlines

Example: Story-based Outline

Some people believe that stories are the best building blocks for speeches. For example, in The Story Factor (Annette Simmons), the author claims that storytelling is the key to business communications.

1. Attention grabbing opening which introduces the topic and core message
2. Tell a story.
   • Make a point
3. Tell another story.
   • Make another point.
4. Tell another story.
   • Make another point
5. Memorable conclusion which ties together all three stories to support the core message.

Example: Scientific Conference Talk Outline

The outline for many scientific talks mirrors the scientific method:

1. Define the problem needing a solution
2. Describe the hypothesis which will explore one aspect of the problem
3. Describe the experiment performed to test the hypothesis
   1. Detail 1 — schematic
   2. Detail 2 — photograph
   3. Detail 3 — description
4. Show the data collected and subsequent data analysis
   1. Data analysis 1 — chart
   2. Data analysis 2 — chart
   3. Data analysis 3 — table
5. Draw conclusions relating back to the hypothesis
6. Suggest future actions

Example: Community Association Meeting Speech Outline

1. Story to introduce the symptom (e.g. vandalism)
2. Use facts and evidence to trace back to the core problem (e.g. lack of “safe” activities for youth)
   1. Statistics
   2. Reports
   3. Interviews
3. Suggest a solution
   1. Budget
   2. Volunteers
   3. Stakeholders
4. A strong call-to-action motivating the audience to join the cause

Example: Business Proposal to Investors

1. Be direct: “Invest $___ for %___ of the shares”
2. Story to illustrate the need for the product XYZ
3. Story to describe the vision of how product XYZ improves lives
4. Demo of product XYZ
   1. Benefit #1 (focus on benefits, not features)
   2. Benefit #2
   3. Benefit #3
5. Invest now and make product XYZ possible
   1. Story illustrating strength of the team
   2. Market analysis
   3. Financial projections
6. Repeat call-to-action: “Invest $___ for %___ of the shares”

Other Speech Outline Writing Tips

Note that all of these speech outline examples are appropriate for a short six to ten minute speech. Longer time windows will obviously allow for more detailed outlines.

You may be able to customize one of the generic speech outline formats for your speech; more likely, you will need to craft your own to fit your situation. A few other things to consider:

• The granularity of your outline should be roughly one outline point per minute of speaking time, perhaps less for lengthy presentations.
• For presentations which are complemented with slides, your outline might include slide concepts, but no finer details.
  • Remember that your presentation is much more than your set of slides. Your outline should reflect your speaking elements which the slides complement.
• When sequencing your outline points, try to avoid random order. Seek and extract the meaningful relationship.
  • Chronological – e.g. a biographical speech
  • Spatial – e.g. an entertaining travel speech
  • Cause-effect – e.g. speech relating crime rate to drug use
  • Low to high importance – e.g. reasons to exercise
  • Broad vision to specific details – e.g. a management speech outlining new company direction
• Your outline is not the same as cue cards, but they are related (if you use cue cards). An outline contains high-level speech elements; cue cards might additionally contain selected speech details e.g. transition phrases, key words/phrases, key numbers, or punch lines.

Speech Outline Example — Face the Wind

Here is the original outline that I put together for the Face the Wind speech. Comments follow which represent my thinking at the time of writing the outline.

1. Opening humor – connect with audience as typical home owner
2. Story #1 – Backyard tree battle
   • “Strong roots… strong tree”
   • Foreshadow: neighbour’s monster tree falling
3. Story #2 – Winter storms knock over many trees
   • National news (trees falling on houses), but our house okay
   • Arborists: “Wind came from a different direction”
   • Establish key analogy – Trees cannot face the wind.
4. Story #3 – Baby Maximus
   • Michelle and Lance have strong roots
   • Maximus is born
5. Conclusion
   • Call-to-action: “We must face our problems”

Comments on Face the Wind Outline

At the outline stage, I set up many key elements of the speech. I determined the three main stories, planned humorous opening, identified a few key phrases to incorporate, established contrast (tree/people), used a metaphor (roots of people), and concluded with a call-to-action.

Opening – I wanted to open with humor to offset the drama later in the speech. Also, I wanted to connect with the audience as a homeowner as many in the audience are also homeowners.

Story #1 – I wanted the first story to establish the “strong roots… strong tree” connection. By establishing that trees have strong roots, it makes the fact that they were toppled in the storm (story #2) more dramatic.

Story #2 – This story was essentially an expansion of the “wind came from a different direction” theory of arborists that I picked up several months prior from my friend. The fact that trees cannot face the wind is the key analogy in this speech, although the audience doesn’t know it yet.

Story #3 – This story tells about the struggles which eventually led to the birth of Maximus. The key element here is the contrast between trees and people (who can face the wind).

Next in the Speech Preparation Series

The next article in this series discusses the causes of writer’s block and writing the first draft of your speech.

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Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

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.