Over the last couple of months, I have been inspired by some amazing speakers. It wasn’t necessarily their topics that have captivated me, but rather how they engrossed their audience. This has happened mostly in professional settings such as conferences and workshops, but also from a rabbi as part of some religious exploration that JB and I have recently embarked upon (more on that in a future blog — talk about balance!).
Anyway, I want to be like these speakers. I want to capture an audience’s attention and not lose it. I want there to be a topic that I am so informed and comfortable with, while also possessing genuine emotion for, that I don’t need a PowerPoint or an activity to keep listeners engaged. Basically, I started thinking, “For what type of conference or event would I like to be a keynote speaker?” In what would I like to be a “perceived expert?”
One of the speakers who inspired me last month was Marlee Matlin. If you are not familiar with her and don’t want to click on the link, she is an actress who won an Oscar in 1987 for Children of a Lesser God. She’s also deaf and a recovering drug addict.
As the keynote speaker at a workshop for those who work in addictions counseling, Matlin signed her entire speech, while her interpreter spoke her words from the audience. She was so engaging, after about three minutes, I completely forgot that the person I was staring at was not the voice (and a male one at that) I was hearing. I was also trying to not hate her for looking so absolutely incredible in skinny jeans and stilettos after four kids, but mostly it was the speech. Being able to communicate a message like that, much like looking good in skinny jeans, is a gift.
It’s more than just knowledge. Yes, you have to be competent in your subject, but you could tell me you want me to present on the 10 ways that cloud computing will change the world and I could dutifully research the topic and put a presentation together. Maybe even a good one, though doubtful, seeing as I have yet to understand a definition of “the cloud.” I mean, how is it different from a server? Sorry, topic for another day. But I would want my keynote to also be about something I have experienced and lived. Something I truly believe in and would authentically and enthusiastically want to share with others.
I might not ever become a keynote speaker for anything other than something I organize (but of course!), but thinking about it in these terms helps me gain a better grasp of what is important to me and where I would like to focus my professional and personal goals. I haven’t figured it out completely yet, but I have a few ideas. I’ll let you know when you can book me 🙂
Have you ever thought about what event you would like to keynote? What speakers have you seen live who have just captivated you?
Balance Overload 
I can’t remember the man’s name anymore, but he was briefly the head of the anthropology department at UNT. He was so passionate about anthropology, and he inspired that passion in others. I still have a love for him because I recognized the same passion for the field in myself. I still love anthropology from linguistics to cultural to physical, and I do tend to get excited and talk about it with other people. Some of them even seem to like listening. I think the best part about it is seeing something you feel so deeply take root in another person.
So true Kimmy — when you can invoke even just a curiosity in someone to learn more about something you are passionate about, it’s pretty cool! My struggle is just finding what I would want that topic to be! Thanks for reading 🙂
Probably I would like to keynote at a Tea Party convention. Wouldn’t it be fun to have the entire crowd in an uproar?
You do know the old saying “I wax most eloquently about that which I know the least.”
Lots of good speech making is acting and learning the skills of projection, timing, body moves, etc. etc. A learned skill. I have heard many wonderful speakers who have said absolutely nothing, but got the crowed going. If you observe Obama you will see certain techniques which he always uses. Very skilled. Of course, he is very intelligent so is able to field questions and draw from his knowledge instantly. Nancy Pelosi, as an example, never says “uuh”. There are literally dozens on tv who cannot
speak, particularly the interviewees. You would think they would take a course in speech. They cannot gather their thoughts without about 5 “uuhs”; makes them look like idiots.
I used to be terrified of public speaking; but now I am totally relaxed. Why? Because I think the audience can be manipulated and most are pretty stupid out there. Teaching for many years did help a lot. I am always ready to commence, just ask. 🙂
Another great quote.
“If you wish me to speak for 15 minutes, I will need 3 weeks to prepare.
If you wish me to speak for 3 hours, I can begin now.”
-Winston Churchill
Oh I love those quotes! Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
I would have to agree; most of the keynote speakers at big events, i.e. college and grad school commencements were totally lackluster! There we were, waiting for great advice as we stepped out, timidly, into the real world. And: nothing. I can’t even remember who talked or what they talked about! I really enjoyed watching Ellen DeGeneres speak at Tulane University, you should watch the clip of it online, she’s hilarious! 🙂
On a religious note, my Rabbi told our congregation something really moving in his Rosh Hashanah sermon this year. He was talking about how we need to support Israel more and embrace our Jewish identity, because Israel was the only country in the world that you can say these two sentences about:
1) In 50 years, this country may exist.
2) In 50 years, this country may not exist.
It really hit me how he said it like that! And made me more proud (prouder? can’t remember the grammar….) to be moving here! It really gave my move some meaning, to be helping out in some small way.
p.s. Jean Kilbourne’s “Killing Me Softly” speaker series about women and the effects of advertising is the best presentation, by far, I have ever seen! Saw her live during my years at UCLA. She moved us all to tears.
Erin, I think you mentioned three things in your comment that are so important for a good speech — humor, emotion (when you mentioned tears), and as your rabbi did, looking at something from a new perspective. I think I am just struggling to find what I could talk about where I could do all those things! Thanks for reading and commenting.
What would I say? How would I say it? I haven’t given it much thought until I read your post and I’m now thinking so much about this idea to think of my own keynote speech. I don’t remember many speeches I hear. But interestingly enough, the one I remember the most was from more than 10 years ago. It was someone who spoke at my very old work about the power to quit. Meaning that most people think of quitting or leaving something as the cowardly thing. But honestly, it could very well be the bravest thing you do. That always stuck with me. And I think my life experiences over the last year really brought that speech for me.
It’s interesting the things that stay with us — almost as if we know, deep down somewhere, that this is going to be relevant to us at some point! Thanks for reading and commenting!
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