Comments on: What’s More Important: What You Say Or Who Is Saying It?

By: Dr. Jim Anderson

Dr. Jim Anderson — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 04:35:37 +0000

Jeannette: bingo! You’ve hit the nail on the head. I can’t tell you how many speakers I’ve listened to and although I can remember enjoying hearing them speak, I’ll be darned if I can remember what they said shortly after their speech was over…!

By: Jeannette Paladino

Jeannette Paladino — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:37:23 +0000

Excellent post. When doing presentation training I’ve always said that form follows content — or, more accurately, content drives form. If the speaker is truly speaking with passion about a subject s/he knows inside out and believes in, the tone and gestures will come naturally. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t practice your presentation: there are few born Churchills or Norman Vincent Peale’s. But I have seen some trainers focus almost entirely on delivery. It may be entertaining, but when the audience leaves, they will wonder what they learned that will benefit them.

By: K8 Peters

K8 Peters — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:58:27 +0000

It is absolutely true that you can tell when a speaker is talking about something they don’t really believe in. Your comments about aligning your style with your speech are spot on. However, I also believe it is true that your flamboyant speaker friend could learn to deliver a speech on a somber topic too. He isn’t limited to only giving flamboyant speeches but he has to become more aware of things like intention, and how his style is perceived by others so that he can sincerely adjust his style to the situation. Actors, may be type cast because they fit a particular type of role, but the great actors are so aware of how intention must align with the script and how that alignment affects delivery that they seem to become a different person in each new role.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:32:31 +0000

Great perspective. I like the way you summarize into “power”.