I get asked it all the time. “I’ve got a presentation coming up and I need help. How do I become a better public speaker… by like… today?”
Fortunately, this entire blog is dedicated to help teach people how to become better storytellers, presentation designers, and public speakers. However, most of the time people are under a tight deadline and don’t have time to read through our last 16 years of blog posts. So, what do I tell them?
Well, there’s one tip that I give to anyone that asks. It might sound silly or even too simple, but it works. Every time.
Want to know my big secret?
Listen to poetry. Or better yet, read poetry out loud.
I know what you’re thinking. That can’t possibly be it. Poetry is outdated, it’s not how people talk, it’s not how people write, and it’s nowhere NEAR what my content/speech is about, it’s not going to help my public speaking.
None of that matters. Poetry will help.
There’s a long list of reasons why poetry helps, but to name a few:
- It causes you to slow down
- It helps you with your inflection
- It forces you to read with emotion
- It causes you to think non-linearly
- It gives you a better sense of pace
- It expands your range
- It will improve your timing
Don’t believe me? Try reading this poem by Emily Dickinson out loud. You’ll notice that your whole body wants to slow down and sit on each line. Yes, you can speed read it, but it just feels wrong.
______
549
That I did always love
I bring thee Proof
That till I loved
I never lived – Enough –
That I shall love alway-
I argue thee
That love is life-
And life hath Immortality-
This – dost thou doubt – Sweet –
Then have I
Nothing to show
But Calvary –
______
Did you notice your body slowing down as you read it? Did you sense the emotion in each word?
That’s what poetry does for your public speaking! It helps transform dry content into a story that invites the audience in.
You’re probably wondering why this actually works, right?
Well, I could tell you all about the psychological and biological aspects of what’s going on, but my guess is you’re already googling, “Best poems to read out loud” so here’s the TL;DR:
We imitate what we surround ourselves with. As a matter of fact, there was a Swedish study that found that smiling is contagious. Seeing people smile literally makes you smile.
The same thing goes for listening and speaking. If you are constantly listening to dynamic speakers, your brain picks up on the subtleties of their pacing and tone and in turn, you become a more dynamic speaker.
At the core of who we are, you are physically and psychologically built to adapt and become more like the people you are surrounded by.
So, do you want to give this a try? Check out this post that’s my top ten list of poems to practice reading out loud.
If you’re on the go, check out this video to listen to how the pros do it.
And of course, if you’re really wanting to improve and invest in your public speaking abilities, reach out to our team to set up some time to chat today.
