Check out Part One, where we cover the importance of telling stories, leveraging the rule of three, and infusing figurative language in public speaking. Part Two covers the surprising effects of dissing yourself, the power of callbacks and repetitions, and the Bookend Technique. Here are three more tools good public speakers use to reduce stage fright, increase confidence, and improve delivery with more examples from Hasan Minhaj's Homecoming King.
[Warning: Spoilers alert]
7) Stage Time - No overnight success
2017 has been the year of Hasan Minhaj. From a prominent role on the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, to the White House Correspondents Dinner, to the Homecoming King special on Netflix, it seems like Minhaj came out of nowhere. Overnight success, as they say.
As we’ve learned with most overnight successes, there is no such thing as an overnight success story. While he may have reached a tipping point this year, he’s struggled in the standup comedy and entertainment game for at least seven years, as he notes in the special.
The takeaway here for the rest of us: talent, particularly for all public speakers, isn’t born–it’s developed through practice and stage time. One line, one story, one performance at a time. Try taking part in a local Toastmasters club.
8) Narrate in Present Tense
To give the audience a front seat view of the unfolding action of the story, use the present tense in your narration. Even if the story happened years ago, using the present tense to narrate it transports the audience into it.
“...We sit down. I hear ‘thud, thud, thud’ outside. Me and Dad run outside and all the windows on the Camry are smashed in. My backpack’s open. ‘F*ck, they stole my stuff.’ I reach and I pull out my backpack. Pieces of glass get caught in my arm. Now blood is gushing down my arm...”
Side note: If you've considered professional public speaking lessons, I recommend TakeLessons' speech teachers.
9) Reference Pop Culture & Current Events
Every one of us in the audience is a nerd at heart in one way or another, and we easily connect with people who share common interests, related to movies, shows, sports, or politics. So when a speaker makes one of these references, and we’re one of the few in the audience that got it, we feel gratified, like, thanks for the shoutout.
Minhaj does not discriminate. Here are just some of the pop culture and current event subjects he hits:
- House of Cards
- Heisenberg Blue (Breaking Bad)
- Lord of the Rings
- Tinder, AIM, and Facebook
- Romeo and Juliet
- Ryan Lochte
- Michael Jordan / Phil Jackson
- X-Men
- Racial Issues (Trayvon Martin, Ahmed the Clock Kid)
- Eight Mile
In covering diverse topics, you’re able to tailor your talk around a single, specific persona while giving yourself a chance to appeal to a broad audience.
Check back for Part Four, where we'll cover using what you know, stage presence, and call to actions.
