Published in 2016, TED Talks is a nuts-and-bolts guide to public speaking that takes you from the initial idea to your final bow. A great speech has the power to inspire and change the world, but most people believe that public speaking is an innate talent. Chris Anderson wrote this book to derail that self-limiting belief.
Chris Anderson has been the TED Conference curator since 2002. One of his primary responsibilities in this role is to select speakers for the nonprofit’s premier medium: TED Talks. When Anderson’s company acquired TED in 2001, it was a struggling organization. He turned the nonprofit around and helped make it the international success that it is today. After watching hundreds of successful (and failed) talks, Anderson believes he knows the secrets to a spectacular speech.
In this guide, we’ll take you through Anderson’s advice piece by piece, from scripting to wardrobe and everything in between. We'll explain what works in public speaking and what doesn’t, while condensing his advice into thematic sections. In addition, we’ll compare his advice to that of other public speaking experts and supplement his ideas with actionable methods.
Anderson says the fear of public speaking is two-fold: There is the in-the-moment fear of temporary humiliation—stumbling over words, forgetting what to say, and so on. Then there is the long-term fear of a damaged reputation. Most people care deeply about what others think of them, and they worry that a public flop will change the way they’re viewed. While these fears are normal and common, Anderson stresses that they must be overcome. Why? Because you’ll likely have to speak publicly at some point, whether you fear it or not, so you might as well reap the rewards of good public speaking.
(Shortform note: If you have an intense fear of public speaking, psychologists recommend that you attack the speech and the fear separately. Attack the speech by preparing as much as you possibly can—practice the words and movements, and visualize yourself delivering the speech successfully. Attack the fear by learning how to manage your emotions—for example, if you tend to become overly energized with adrenaline, make a plan for how you will handle that excess energy before speaking.)
Anderson says the first step is to face your fear by debunking common misconceptions.
Misconception: Great public speakers are eloquent and perfectly polished.
Truth: Incredible speeches can be delivered in a conversational style.
(Shortform note: To avoid being overly formal, write your speech as if you’re talking with a friend or colleague whom you deeply respect—you won’t be too casual, but you also won’t be speaking as if you’re addressing the President.)
Misconception: You need to have a stage and an audience to be a public speaker.
Truth: The internet is available to anyone, and there’s always an audience waiting.
(Shortform note: Online public speaking is so common that it now has a name—digital oratory—and it’s being taught as a skill in all levels of education.)
Misconception: To be worthy of a public speech, your idea must be revolutionary.
Truth: Small but meaningful ideas and observations have value.
(Shortform note: People love to learn—in fact, neuroscientists have shown that humans receive a rush of dopamine (the feel-good hormone) in their brains when they learn something new. As Anderson says, this isn’t to say that the idea needs to be new to the world; it need only be new to your audience.)
Your idea is the topic you want to discuss. Some ideas are big—for example, an invention that will save lives—and some ideas are subtle, like an observation about human behavior. Both have the potential to influence or move an audience.
(Shortform note: In one of the most popular TED Talks of all time, “Looks Aren’t Everything,” model Cameron Russell illustrates an old idea in a novel way by detailing how a team of professionals manipulated her photo to make her look older, sexier, and more glamorous than she really was.)
After coming up with an idea, Anderson says the next step is to determine your throughline, the lesson you want your audience to take away. Think of it as the point of your speech. For example, if your idea is, “I want to talk about my trip to Alaska and how the Inuits live,” your throughline could be, “People who live in small, self-sufficient communities live more creatively than people in big cities.”
Avoid predictable throughlines and keep them to one sentence. Additionally, Anderson says an element of surprise ensures your audience’s curiosity from the beginning. For example, which speech sounds more interesting: The Dangers of Procrastination or The Benefits of Procrastination?
(Shortform note: In Talk Like TED, Carmine Gallo recommends incorporating a “shocking moment” into your presentation. This can include an unbelievable statistic, a startling photo, or a surprising story. He says that this shocking moment should drive home the message of your speech—or, in Anderson’s terms, your throughline.)
Developing a solid idea and strong throughline are the first steps to a successful speech, but they don’t guarantee you’ll make an impact. Anderson explains that you must connect with your audience in order to be effective and memorable. He provides strategies for engaging your audience based on the type of speech you’re giving.
When you’re trying to teach your audience something new, or explain a difficult concept, Anderson recommends the following strategies:
Tips for Explaining Complex Topics
Physicist and TEDx speaker Dominic Walliman gives four steps for explaining difficult concepts:
Meet the audience where they are. (This advice is the same as Anderson’s).
Stay on topic. Don’t get sidetracked by tangents or rabbit holes.
Favor clarity over accuracy. It’s okay to sacrifice complete accuracy as long as the audience understands the majority of what you’re saying. If they want more information afterward, you’ll have the opportunity to educate them further.
Tell them why this matters to you. Enthusiasm is contagious, and unless you care deeply about your topic, why should they?
To change someone’s opinion, Anderson says you must nudge them in your direction one small step at a time so that by the end, your argument is completely plausible in their minds.
Prime the audience: Expose them to a certain image or thought to influence how they react to the next image or thought. For example, if your speech is about the benefits of art in elementary education, showing a photograph of children happily painting primes your audience to think positive thoughts about creative activities.
(Shortform note: Priming is a manipulation of the subconscious often used by salespeople and advertisers. For example: If you own a restaurant and want your customers to order Italian wine, you can prime them to desire it by playing Italian music in the background. However, after several studies failed to replicate earlier findings about the impact of priming, some psychologists are now skeptical about its effects.)
Appeal to logic: Anderson says that appeals to logic are the most commonly used techniques in persuasive speaking, and they include: citing evidence and expert opinions, using “if, then” statements to show cause and effect, displaying statistics, and using anecdotes.
(Shortform note: Aristotle determined that effective persuasive speaking has three components: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker, pathos is the appeal to emotion, and logos is the appeal to reason. While many argue that appealing to emotion is more effective than appealing to reason, you should strive to do both.)
Discredit the opposite stance: Anderson says an effective persuasive technique is to display the opposite viewpoint and show your audience why it won’t work, why it’s an inferior choice, or why it’s dangerous or immoral.
(Shortform note: If you present your opponent’s viewpoint upfront and show why it’s not good, you leave little room for argument. However, rather than using the “straw man” technique (a fallacy in which you create a weakened version of someone’s argument and destroy it), it’s more effective to build a “steel man”—create the strongest version of your opponent’s argument that you can, and show why it wont’ work.)
Anderson provides five strategies to connect with your audience: Meet their eyes, drop your ego, be vulnerable, use humor, and tell them a story. You can use any or all of these strategies in your speech.
All speeches fall into one of four categories: Scripted and memorized, scripted and read, unscripted but planned out, and unscripted and given off the cuff. Anderson strongly discourages winging speeches, as he considers them disrespectful of the audience and their time. He explores the benefits, risks, and rehearsal strategies for the other three.
(Shortform note: Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh famously encouraged public speakers to “wing it” in his book, Delivering Happiness. He said that his own perfectionism and nerves couldn’t handle making mistakes during speeches, and the stress leaked into his performance; winging it took away that pressure. However, most experts vehemently disagree.)
Benefits: You can ensure that there’s time for everything you want to say; you can choose your words carefully; and you can practice your speech in front of other people, which allows for feedback and improvement. (Shortform note: For people who suffer from intense fear of public speaking (glossophobia), scripting and memorizing is the favored option because it gives a feeling of control and preparation.)
Risks: Memorized speeches can come across as dry and unengaging. Even though your audience knows that your thoughts are scripted in one way or another, they like to feel as if they’re part of the moment as it unfolds naturally. (Shortform note: While inspiring your audience is the ideal result, those with the most severe forms of glossophobia should prioritize making it through the speech over avoiding the risks Anderson mentions here.)
Rehearsal: If you memorize your speech, Anderson says you have to really commit. At the beginning of rehearsal, the speech will come out passionately but not super smooth. Once you achieve memorization, the speech will come out smoothly but without passion. Anderson says it’s key to push past this stage and continue to practice—you’ll eventually know the speech so well that you’re no longer concentrating on the words, and the passion will return to your voice.
(Shortform note: This method requires a lot of time: Jill Bolte Taylor says she rehearsed her TED talk over 200 times, and Amanda Palmer says she practiced over a period of four months.)
Benefits: Anderson says there are two occasions when reading your speech works well: First, if the speech is paired with gorgeous imagery and your audience’s eyes are on your images instead of you. Second, if you’re a gifted writer and the audience understands that they’re hearing a piece of written work. (Shortform note: With the right tools (such as a teleprompter) and lots of practice, you can master reading without drawing attention to yourself. We discuss these tools in the section on stage setup.)
Risks: There are three major risks if you choose to read your speech: First, your audience might not trust your authenticity. Second, they might perceive you to be unprepared. Third, they might become so bored that they tune you out or leave. (Shortform note: Despite these risks, reading a speech might be the better option if you don’t have time to memorize it, especially in situations where your authenticity isn’t going to be doubted—for example, eulogies at funerals are usually read, not memorized.)
Rehearsal: If you’re a writer reading a written work (such as a poem), Anderson recommends you still know your speech well enough that you can look up at your audience from time to time and so your voice will sound natural. He adds that with read speeches, it can be especially impactful if you stand up at the end and deliver your last paragraph without reading. (Shortform note: Amanda Gorman balanced reading and looking up at the audience—to great effect—while reading her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at President Biden’s inauguration ceremony.)
Benefits: The speech is passionate, fresh, and in the moment. Anderson says the audience feels your authenticity and wants to go on the journey with you.
Risks: With this much flexibility in your wording, you risk using too much jargon, not fully explaining difficult concepts, rambling, and running out of time.
How to prepare: Even with an unscripted speech, rehearsing is crucial. While you aren’t planning out exact words to use, you do need a structure in place to keep you on track. Start by identifying the point you’re trying to make (your “big idea”), then decide how you’ll get there. (Shortform note: Those who don’t want to write a script might prefer a “mind map,” which is a visual representation of where you’re starting, where you want to go, and the stops you’ll need to make along the way. Draw it out like a literal map with your opening and closing statements, your big idea, and the concepts that lead to your idea.)
Anderson says you only have about 60 seconds to keep your audience’s attention once you begin your speech. Your opening sets the tone for the rest of the talk, so even if you choose not to script your speech, you should carefully consider how you plan to open. Here are three ways that he says you can grab your audience from the beginning:
(Shortform note: Besides getting your audience’s attention, a strong opening should reveal your speech’s purpose (the “what”), explain why the audience should care (the “so what”), establish your credibility, and preview the major points.)
Anderson warns that a spectacular talk can be ruined by a bad ending. The way a talk ends is the way the audience will remember it. Avoid boring endings, asking for money, or alluding that there was more you couldn’t get to. Instead, use these strategies to end your talk on a high note:
To give your speech a rhythmic end, you can use any of the above strategies in combination with a pattern of three. Some of the most well-known examples of this are:
Julius Caesar: “Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered)
General Patton: “Blood, sweat, and tears”
Thomas Jefferson: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
Hearing information in threes is satisfying and feels like closure. Many TED speakers have employed the power of three in their final lines, including Brené Brown.
If you have your speech memorized and feel confident speaking without notes, setup isn’t important—it’s just you and the stage. However, most people feel more confident with a strategic setup in place. Anderson recommends choosing a setup early in your planning so that you can practice using the chosen tool many times.
Advantages: Anderson believes that this is the most invisible way to reference notes. A small card held in your hand is less obtrusive than a lectern, and it’s less off-putting to the audience than your eye-line moving to a teleprompter.
Disadvantages: If you have multiple notecards, there is the risk of dropping them or getting them mixed up. For this, Anderson recommends you keep them in order on a keyring.
(Shortform note: One expert suggests using just five cards—one for the introduction, three for your main points, and one for the conclusion. On each card, he details how to set up a keyword outline, which includes word prompts rather than full sentences.)
Advantages: If you need to have your full speech available to read, Anderson says the best option is a small, unnoticeable lectern. A podium with a thin or transparent stem with enough room for a few sheets of paper is all you need.
Disadvantages: Even with a small lectern, you have an object between you and the audience, which can affect the connection. If you choose this set-up, Anderson recommends you know your speech as well as possible so that you can connect with the audience through lots of eye contact.
(Shortform note: If you choose to use a music stand or small lectern, be sure to rehearse using the same stand. It’s not unusual for a speaker to rehearse using a sturdier piece of furniture, only to have a clumsy moment when they lean on a tinier one during the actual speech.)
Disadvantages: Anderson cautions against this setup, as he finds that speakers tend to rely on them and don’t connect with the audience as a result. Even if you use the right vocal inflections, the audience can tell by your eye-line that you’re reading, and this is off-putting.
(Shortform note: A common mistake is transfixing your eyes on the prompter, which leads to an unnaturally stoic facial expression and robotic vocals. One tip is to practice using the prompter while manipulating an object in your hands. By doing another action that pulls focus, you’ll learn to read without staring intently at the words.)
If you want to give a great speech, it isn’t enough to have the perfect words, strategies, and setup—you also need stage presence. Anderson explains that the way you present yourself makes the difference between a forgettable speech and one that leaves your audience inspired.
(Shortform note: In addition to this advice, there are a few actions you can take to prevent wardrobe malfunctions from occurring: Bring a back-up outfit in case something goes wrong with your first choice, keep a Tide instant stain removing pen in your bag to remove small stains, and carry a travel-size sewing kit to repair loose buttons.)
Anderson writes that the best speech in the world will fall flat if the speaker doesn’t appear genuine and passionate. He offers three techniques to ensure that you bring your best self to the stage.
1. Speak with inflection, but avoid orating. Anderson argues that a speech without emotion and inflection will accomplish the same (if not less) than if you emailed your words to the audience. To inspire your listeners, use your voice to show them which parts are important. When should they feel angry, or sympathetic? (Shortform note: One study supports this notion by showing that when it comes to communicating emotions, sound carries as much weight as words. If the sounds you make support your words, the audience will trust you.)
At the same time, if you orate—speaking slowly, loudly, and with many dramatic pauses—you can come across as arrogant or gimmicky. (Shortform note: Orating can cause the audience to miss or forget your message entirely. When done in excess, your displays of emotion can overshadow the content of your speech.)
2. Vary the speed of your voice. Rather than trying to slow down, focus on changing up the speed of your speech. The fluctuation will help keep your audience’s attention and will also help them comprehend the content.
(Shortform note: Anderson says that speaking too quickly is better than speaking too slowly, but it is possible to speak so quickly that you lose your audience. Extremely fast speech often sacrifices enunciation, so words can slur together in an incomprehensible jumble. In addition, if listeners have to concentrate to keep up, they are likely to miss information and be irritated at the same time.)
3. Move your body in a way that’s natural. If you prefer to walk, Anderson recommends you do so in a relaxed and natural way. When you make an important point, stop walking, face the audience, and pause for a moment before resuming. If you prefer to stand, keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet and avoid leaning, continually shifting your weight, or rocking forward and backward. If you prefer to sit (or need to because of a physical constraint), this is okay as well.
(Shortform note: With the recent increase in video conferencing, it’s more common than ever to sit while presenting. In this instance, focus on posture (sitting straight with shoulders back) to display confidence, and use hand gestures and facial expressions for emphasis and emotion.)
Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or not, Anderson says adrenaline comes with the territory. He explains that adrenaline gives you energy and animates your voice, which can be great for your speech. However, in large doses, it can also make you shaky, give you dry mouth, and cause anxiety. The following are ways that Anderson says you can manage your adrenaline and project confidence:
1) If your adrenaline is high enough to make you shaky, do something physical to get rid of the excess. (Shortform note: Anderson doesn’t say how far in advance you should do this, but we can infer that you should allow for enough cool-down time that you won’t be out of breath when you walk onto the stage.)
2) Five minutes before you speak, drink five or six ounces of water. This is enough to keep dry mouth at bay but not enough to fill your bladder. (Shortform note: Even if you’re hydrated, your mouth can still get dry because of nerves. For the stage, experts recommend that you stick to flat, room temperature water.)
3) In the minutes before speaking, focus on your breathing. Make sure the oxygen is going all the way down into your stomach (shallow breathing does more harm than good) and hold it for a moment or two before exhaling. (Shortform note: Too much oxygen in the blood raises its pH and leads to dizziness, tingling, anxiety, and chest pain. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, breathe into a paper bag or hold your breath for a few seconds before exhaling.)
If all else fails (you begin stuttering or your mind goes blank), Anderson says to simply tell the audience you’re nervous. They want to root for you, and admitting that you’re experiencing nerves only makes you more relatable. (Shortform note: Mark Twain is famously quoted as saying, “There are two types of speakers: those who get nervous, and those who are liars.” Nobody in the audience is going to judge you for feeling nervous.)
A great speech has the power to inspire and change the world, but most people believe that public speaking is an innate talent. As curator for TED, Chris Anderson knows better—he has seen hundreds of speeches succeed and fail, and he has figured out the secret formula. Published in 2016, TED Talks is a nuts-and-bolts guide to public speaking that takes you from the initial idea to your final bow.
In this guide, we go through Anderson’s advice piece by piece, explaining what works in public speaking and what doesn’t. From scripting to wardrobe, and everything in between, we compare his advice to that of other public speaking experts and supplement his ideas with actionable methods.
Anderson has been the TED Conference curator since 2002. One of his primary responsibilities in this role is to select speakers for the nonprofit’s premier medium: TED Talks. Anderson was born in a remote village in Pakistan in 1957 and traveled throughout his childhood with his missionary parents. He grew up in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and England, before attending Oxford University and obtaining a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics.
He began his career as a magazine editor and went on to found two publishing companies and a media nonprofit—the Sapling Foundation. In 2001, Sapling acquired the struggling TED Conference, and Anderson turned the nonprofit around and helped make it an international success.
Anderson has authored two books: TED Talks and its teen version: Thank You for Coming to My TED Talk.
Connect with Chris Anderson:
TED Talks was published in 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. The eBook version of TED Talks is available here.
TED provides a list of websites where you can purchase paperback and hardcover versions of TED Talks. They note that all proceeds are donated to TED’s nonprofit mission.
TED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading knowledge, innovation, and ways of thinking. Its primary medium is TED Talks, which are short talks (18 minutes or less) that pack a punch with insightful ideas and engaging deliveries. TED was founded in 1984 as a conference focused on technology, entertainment, and design (hence the acronym), but it has expanded since then to include all topics worth exploring.
Anderson took over TED in 2002 and began sharing the talks online in 2006—when YouTube was still a young company and video streaming wasn’t quick or easy. Despite the uphill battle, TED Talks were so captivating that they reached one million views in less than three months. In 2012, they surpassed one billion views. Today, TED Talks are considered the gold standard of public speaking.
In this book, Anderson describes in-person speaking, but because TED Talks are recorded and put online, he frequently touches on how his advice translates to video format. At the time this guide is being published (2022), his advice is more relevant than ever, as more presentations are happening via teleconferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2014, two years before TED Talks was published, Talk Like TED was released. The author of this book is Carmine Gallo, a communications coach who is not affiliated with TED but who watched hundreds of TED Talks and interviewed TED speakers. His book claims to have identified the nine secrets that all great TED Talks share. Other books also discuss the secrets to a great TED Talk, but Anderson’s is the only one to date written by someone affiliated with the nonprofit.
TED Talks is a New York Times best seller, and Publisher’s Weekly dubbed it an “invaluable guide.” The book has enjoyed highly positive reviews by readers, with many praising it for advice that’s easy to understand and apply. Common praise mentions the abundance of practical tips, the organized structure, and the easy-to-read format. Many online reviewers state that they read the book in anticipation of giving a speech, and they found it to be a valuable tool in their preparation.
Critics of TED Talks are few and far between, but a common complaint among detractors is that the book is too heavy on anecdotes and too light on principles. Some felt that it was difficult to find the messages among all of the stories.
TED Talks is made up of 21 short chapters that cover all the aspects of public speaking: idea development, connection with your audience, the physical setup of your stage, visual aids, wardrobe, voice and body language, and so on. Anderson uses personal anecdotes from his work as a curator and examples from previous TED speeches to illustrate his principles.
In this guide, we’ve grouped Anderson’s advice into thematic sections and discussed the principles while omitting his personal anecdotes:
Additionally, we’ve supplemented Anderson’s ideas with advice from several other public speaking experts.
Published in 2016, TED Talks is a nuts-and-bolts guide to public speaking that takes you from the initial idea to your final bow. A great speech has the power to inspire and change the world, but most people believe that public speaking is an innate talent. Chris Anderson wrote this book to derail that self-limiting belief.
Anderson has been the TED Conference Curator since 2002. One of his primary responsibilities in this role is to select speakers for the nonprofit’s premier medium: TED Talks. Prior to TED, Anderson studied at Oxford and began his career as a magazine editor. He went on to found two publishing companies and a media nonprofit—the Sapling Foundation. In 2001, Sapling acquired the struggling TED Conference, and Anderson turned the nonprofit around and helped make it the international success that it is today. After watching hundreds of successful (and failed) talks, Anderson believes he knows the secrets to a spectacular speech.
In this guide, we’ll take you through Anderson’s advice piece by piece, from scripting to wardrobe and everything in between. We’ll explain what works in public speaking and what doesn’t, while grouping his advice into thematic sections. In addition, we’ll compare his advice to that of other public speaking experts and supplement his ideas with actionable methods.
Before giving any advice, Anderson begins by acknowledging that almost everyone fears public speaking. In fact, multiple surveys list it as people’s number one fear—more common than a fear of heights, snakes, and even death. There are some misconceptions about public speaking that feed into this fear, which we’ll cover in this section.
Anderson says the fear of public speaking is two-fold: There is the in-the-moment fear of temporary humiliation—stumbling over words, forgetting what to say, and so on. Then there is the long-term fear of a damaged reputation. Most people care deeply about what others think of them, and they worry that a public flop will change the way they’re viewed. While these fears are normal and common, Anderson stresses that they must be overcome. Why? Because you’ll likely have to speak publicly at some point, whether you fear it or not, so you might as well reap the rewards of doing it well.
Public speaking used to be reserved for politicians, activists, and academics. But today, Anderson says, almost everyone has to speak publicly on occasion. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be on a stage in front of a crowd (although that might happen too). Rather, public speaking might look like addressing your company at an all-hands meeting, presenting your expertise at a conference, or speaking on an online platform. Anderson describes public speaking as any situation where you’re formally addressing others—and in a world that’s becoming increasingly collaborative, there’s no escaping it.
Fight the Fear on Two Fronts
If you have an intense fear of public speaking, psychologists recommend that you attack the speech and the fear separately. Attack the speech by preparing as much as you possibly can—practice the words and movements, and visualize yourself delivering the speech successfully. This is not enough in itself, however: Thorough preparation won’t eliminate the fear of speaking.
For this reason, you must attack the fear by learning how to manage your emotions—for example, if you tend to become overly energized with adrenaline, make a plan for how you’ll handle that excess energy before speaking. If you tend to get light-headed, practice breathing exercises and make sure you eat beforehand.
If you try to suppress your fear, your anxiety is likely to increase. Accepting that you will feel fear allows you to manage it.
Anderson asserts that by learning to speak effectively, you’ll experience greater confidence and success—particularly in your professional life. Great public speaking has the power to influence. With the right presentation, your ideas can spread like wildfire and inspire positive change.
In addition, when you share your expertise and unique way of thinking, Anderson says new opportunities will find their way to you. The ability to influence others combined with a constant flow of opportunities is a recipe for professional and personal success.
(Shortform note: Communication is one of the most sought-after skills in the workforce. In addition to the benefits that Anderson lists here, it’s also valuable because effective speaking results in fewer misunderstandings and better outcomes. If, at the end of your presentation, your colleagues or employees know exactly what to do and are fired up, they’re likely to complete their assigned task with quality and enthusiasm.)
So how do you master the art of public speaking? Anderson says the first step is to face your fear by demystifying common misconceptions.
Misconception: Great public speakers are eloquent and perfectly polished.
Truth: Incredible speeches can be delivered in a conversational style.
Anderson says if you can talk to your friends at a dinner party, you can speak publicly. He stresses that being yourself is crucial if you want people to listen. The second an audience senses inauthenticity, you’ve lost them. This is good news—it means you can unburden yourself of the expectation that every word must be powerful and perfect.
(Shortform note: Being overly formal in a speech is generally frowned upon, which is why there are resources to help speakers develop a more conversational style. One tip this video offers is to write your speech as if you’re talking with a friend or colleague whom you deeply respect—you won’t be too casual, but you also won’t speak as if you’re addressing the President.)
Misconception: You need to have a stage and an audience to be a public speaker.
Truth: The internet is a universal stage available to anyone, and there’s always an audience waiting.
You don’t have to be a keynote speaker at a large event to make an impact. Anderson says that the internet is the largest stage there is, and with it come infinite platforms and diverse audiences. Whatever you’d like to speak about, you can.
(Shortform note: Most of the advice in this book is directed toward in-person speaking (and digital recordings of those speeches) although Anderson does acknowledge online platforms. Online public speaking is so common that it now has a name—digital oratory—and it’s being taught as a skill in all levels of education. Synchronous speaking refers to streaming live to an audience, while asynchronous speaking is recording, editing, and uploading your speech to the internet.)
Misconception: To be worthy of a public speech, your idea must be revolutionary.
Truth: Small but meaningful ideas and observations have value.
You don’t need to have the vision of Steve Jobs or the experiences of Nelson Mandela to be worthy of public speaking. Anderson says the most impactful talks are often ones that tweak the way we view the world, or simply highlight its beauty. Planting curiosity is just as valuable as upending someone’s worldview—so don’t use the excuse of being ordinary as a reason not to speak.
(Shortform note: People love to learn—in fact, neuroscientists have shown that humans receive a rush of dopamine (the feel-good hormone) in their brains when they learn something new. In Talk Like TED, communications coach Carmine Gallo says that if you can teach your audience something new, they’ll link what you say to their positive emotions and be more receptive to your ideas. As Anderson notes, this doesn’t mean the idea needs to be new to the world; it need only be new to your audience.)
Tackle your misconceptions about public speaking to release your fears.
What is one misconception that you’ve held about public speaking? Why did (or do) you believe it?
How has this misconception affected your public speaking in the past?
Has your mindset changed regarding this misconception, or do you still believe it? Why or why not?
If you still believe this misconception, what can you do this week to challenge yourself to let it go?
Once you’ve decided to face your fear of public speaking, it’s time to start planning your speech. Anderson says that all speeches begin with an idea, and they come alive with a throughline. So first, you’ll need to determine what your speech will be about—your idea. Then you’ll need to decide what message you want your audience to take with them—your throughline.
Anderson says that too often, people believe their idea must be “big” to be worthy of a speech, and this simply isn’t true. Some ideas are big—for example, an invention that will save lives, or a civil rights issue that will affect future generations. But other ideas are subtle, like an observation about human behavior or a juxtaposition of landscapes.
For example, remember a time when your thinking was shifted, or you were delighted and entertained. Often, subtle ideas spark these life-changing moments. Both big and subtle ideas have the potential to influence or move an audience.
How to Make a Subtle Idea Impactful
In one of the most popular TED Talks of all time, “Looks Aren’t Everything,” model Cameron Russell shares her photos and personal experiences to present an old notion in a novel way. The point that looks aren’t important isn’t a new or big one—but Russell illustrates it effectively. She shows the audience side-by-side photos of when she was a young teen, juxtaposing shots from her modeling jobs with candid shots of her with family and friends.
In one professional photo, she was scantily clad with the body, pose, and facial expression of a grown woman. Next to it was a photo of her with her grandmother, in which she looks like a typical middle schooler. She explained that these photos were taken a week apart, at an age when she was yet to even have her period. She detailed the team of people that worked on her look and manipulated the modeling photo to make her look older, sexier, and more glamorous than she really was.
Russell’s subtle way of tweaking the assumption that models naturally look perfect demystified that perfection and added depth to the common idea that “looks aren’t everything.”
Once you have an idea, Anderson says the next step is to determine your throughline, or the point of your speech. So if your idea is, “I want to talk about my trip to Alaska and how the Inuits live,” an example of a throughline would be, “People who live in small, self-sufficient communities live more creatively than people in big cities.”
Anderson says you should be able to express your throughline in one sentence. By thinking of it in such concise terms, you’re more likely to stay on track. Imagine this throughline as a connecting thread that’s woven in and out of your speech from beginning to end. When this is done well, the audience remains engaged.
Avoid predictable throughlines. Anderson says an element of surprise ensures your audience’s curiosity from the beginning. For example, which speech sounds more interesting: The Dangers of Procrastination or The Benefits of Procrastination?
Some examples of effective throughlines include:
Note that each of these is one sentence, contains a lesson, and has a surprising approach.
Keep Your Audience on Track
Anderson says that a throughline ensures your audience will stay with you from start to finish. Additional strategies to keep your listeners’ attention include:
Use transition words and phrases to let them know where in the speech you are. “It began with…” “After that, I…” and “Finally, I learned…” all help your listeners follow the rhythm of your talk.
Avoid jargon. A sentence or two of incomprehensible language is enough to lose your audience’s attention. Use words that everyone can understand.
Use analogies and stories to explain the more complicated parts of your speech. They give your audience a break from concentrating and are enjoyable.
Make the conclusion clear and connect it back to your main point (throughline). An abrupt end is jarring to the audience, so design your last handful of sentences to signal that the speech is coming to a close.
Anderson makes a clear distinction between topics and throughlines. A topic is what your speech is about, but the throughline is the lesson. A topic is also circumstantial, while the throughline is universal. Think of the topic as the tool you use to illustrate your throughline.
Whoever asks you to speak might assign the topic or the throughline, but Anderson says it’s rare to be given both. For example, you might be asked to speak at a conference on the topic of your new invention, but the throughline is yours to develop. Or, you might be asked to speak to your company about the benefits of collaboration, but how you illustrate that message (your topic) is your choice.
(Shortform note: In Talk Like TED, Carmine Gallo recommends incorporating a “shocking moment” into your presentation. This can include an unbelievable statistic, a startling photo, a surprising story, and so on. He says that this shocking moment should drive home the message of your speech—or, in Anderson’s terms, your throughline.)
Now that you have an idea and throughline, you’re almost ready to start planning your speech. Before you do, however, Anderson warns of four ineffective speech styles to steer clear of, which we have titled: The Advertisement, The Never-Ending Ramble, The Pat on the Back, and The Performance.
What it is: In this kind of speech, the speaker isn’t aiming to give something to the audience (for example, an insight, invention, or new knowledge). Rather, Anderson says the speaker is seeking to take. He’s either trying to sell a product, his own services, or convince the audience to take an action that benefits him.
Why it doesn’t work: Anderson warns that when an audience senses that they’re the targets of an advertisement, they instantly become wary. The speaker is unlikely to yield sales this way, and he also risks damaging his reputation.
The remedy: Anderson says even if your goal is to sell something, you should always seek to give. Instead of plugging yourself, focus on communicating your ideas. For example, if you’re a life coach and you’re hoping to secure new clients, don’t center your speech around your services or achievements. Instead, show the audience an important way they can improve their lives and let them come to you for more.
(Shortform note: To avoid sounding like a salesperson when you really are trying to sell something, one strategy is to focus on problems and solutions rather than products. Think of three distinct problems that your company solved for clients recently. How can you tell these as entertaining stories? Is there a connecting theme to tie them all together? You now have a sales pitch that doesn’t feel like a sales pitch.)
What it is: In this type of speech, the speaker doesn’t have a plan and tries to wing it. Anderson says this method is fairly common among confident speakers, but often results in a rambling, incoherent speech. At worst, the speech flops. At best, it isn’t as effective as it could be.
Why it doesn’t work: Anderson says that showing up to a speaking engagement unprepared is insulting to the audience. If the audience knows you haven’t put any time or thought into what you’re presenting, you come across as arrogant, and they’re unlikely to take away anything of value.
The remedy: If you prefer to speak in the moment, Anderson says you don’t have to script your speech. However, you should know what your throughline is, all of the major points you want to cover, and how to execute the speech within a given time limit. (Shortform note: Part 5 of this guide discusses how to successfully deliver an unscripted speech.)
The Importance of Flexibility in Public Speaking
While the vast majority of experts agree with Anderson that you should not ad-lib your speeches, some say that flexibility is the real key to a great speech.
As a speaker, your platform, audience, and time allotment may change at the last minute. If you hold tightly to your rehearsed speech, you won’t be able to adapt to the changes, and this can be disastrous. Instead, develop flexibility by practicing the following:
Know what is crucial to your speech and what can be cut if necessary.
Read the room and adjust your jokes if you don’t think they will be understood or well-received.
Raise your energy if the audience seems sleepy or disinterested. Lower your energy if they seem agitated.
Look for signs of understanding, and provide more explanation if people appear confused.
This strategy supports Anderson’s method. The more preparation you do, the more flexibility you have. If you know your speech inside and out, making a change won’t fluster you—as long as you have an open mind.
What it is: In this speech style, Anderson says the speaker spends her time talking about her company, her colleagues, and their accomplishments. This can take the form of bragging, or as a long list of “thank yous.” In both cases, it bores the audience.
Why it doesn’t work: The audience gains nothing from listening to the details of your organization or the names of those who contributed. Anderson sympathizes with the desire to recognize your hard-working team, but speeches should be in service of the audience.
The remedy: Anderson advises focusing on the work you’re doing, not on who is doing the work. If you must thank someone in your speech, do it succinctly and get back to the big idea.
(Shortform note: One way to acknowledge your team without drawing attention away from your ideas is to show photos of them working on the project as slides in the background of your presentation. In Part 5 of this guide, we discuss the book’s recommendations for visual aids, such as using photos that show action, rather than portraits.)
What it is: In this style, the speaker goes on stage with the goal of a standing ovation or moment in the spotlight. Anderson says this speaker will milk the audience for applause by pausing dramatically or gesturing with outstretched arms.
Why it doesn’t work: Anderson says if you’re desperate to be inspirational, the audience can sense it and will pull back. You can’t be inspirational just because you want to be; it’s a badge of honor earned through intense dedication and legitimate passion.
The remedy: Anderson says to opt for substance over style. Wait until you have something worthwhile to say before stepping on the stage—even if you’re a born speaker.
(Shortform note: Joel Schwartzberg, a professional presentation coach, says that writing a script in itself sets you up for this performance scenario. Rather than focusing on the ideas we want to communicate, when we write a speech we often focus instead on the words we’re choosing, and whether they’re impressive or eloquent enough. He believes that by writing notes instead of a script, the words you say will be more appropriate and less pretentious.)
Developing a solid idea and strong throughline are essential, but they don’t guarantee you’ll make an impact. Anderson explains that you must connect with your audience in order to be effective and memorable.
In this section, we’ll look at Anderson’s recommended strategies for engaging your audience. We’ll also explore how some strategies differ depending on the type of speech: explanatory (when you teach your audience something new), persuasive (when you try to change your audience’s mind), or “revelatory” or imaginative (when you aim to delight or inspire).”
To change a person’s mind about anything, you first need to get them to drop their protective walls. Anderson explains that people hesitate to open their minds to strangers because their mind is the most personal and important thing they own. He advises you to gain your listener’s trust by connecting to them on a human level.
Anderson provides five strategies to connect with your audience: Meet their eyes, drop your ego, be vulnerable, use humor, and tell them a story. You can use any or all of these strategies in your speech.
Anderson explains why eye contact is so important in public speaking: Neuroscientists have proven that when you look into someone’s eyes, your emotions naturally sync up. For example, if you look into the eyes of a nervous person, you’ll start to feel nervous; look into the eyes of someone who is sad, and you’ll feel sad. Eye contact with an occasional, genuine smile will make your audience feel relaxed and trust you.
Anderson’s advice: Greet your audience, choose a few people to make eye contact with, nod hello, smile, then begin.
(Shortform note: According to speech analysts, three seconds is the ideal amount of time to hold eye contact, and 10 seconds makes the other person uncomfortable. There are cultural differences to consider, however, and this is the recommendation for public speaking in America. If you’re speaking in another country, it’s a good idea to research what is customary there.)
If the audience senses that you’re egotistical, they’ll immediately dislike you and tune you out. Anderson says to avoid the following behaviors because they signal to the audience that you’re full of yourself: name dropping, sharing stories only to show off achievements, and making your speech about yourself rather than your ideas. Anderson adds that a bit of self-deprecation can go a long way.
(Shortform note: All speeches have three components: the speaker, the audience, and the message. Of these three, the speaker is the least important. Keep this in mind as you write your speech (pay attention to how much you talk about yourself versus your ideas) and also let it take the pressure off as you’re speaking. Use this mantra: “message over messenger.”)
Being vulnerable with your audience is a symbolic way of showing that you’re not armed or dangerous. Anderson says that when you’re vulnerable, you show your human side and invite connection. To do this, share a time when you experienced failure or embarrassed yourself, and explain what you learned from it. Or express a deep fear and reveal how it influences your behavior.
While Anderson encourages vulnerability, he strongly warns against faking it, as this will cause your audience to feel manipulated and angry. Ask yourself if what you’re sharing is helpful to the audience, or if your goal is to elicit a response. The former is genuine vulnerability, and the latter is manipulation.
(Shortform note: In The Power of Vulnerability, Brené Brown makes a distinction between vulnerability and oversharing. Vulnerability is appropriate to the conversation and relationship, and oversharing isn’t—rather than feeling compassion, the recipient of oversharing feels uncomfortable. If you’re unsure whether your vulnerable moment is actually an overshare, ask yourself two questions: 1) Is this share in service to the audience, or is it in service to me?, and 2) Is this share appropriate for strangers to hear, or is it best saved for a close relationship?)
Humor is a great tool for connection. We naturally like people who make us laugh because when you’re in on the same joke, you feel like you’re on the same team. If humor is one of your strengths, Anderson recommends you use it. Even if your speech is about a serious topic, he says you can use humor in the beginning to connect with your audience before transitioning into the serious stuff. (Shortform note: In dramatic films, humor is often used as a way to approach uncomfortable topics. Audiences also appreciate that humor gives them the opportunity to exhale and release tension during long periods of seriousness.)
Funny stories and anecdotes work well, but stay away from scripted jokes, puns, and sarcasm. Additionally, jokes that are at the expense of another person make the audience cringe. He advises that you never joke about gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, or politics—it’s too easy to offend or upset people in these realms. Finally, Anderson says if you know you aren’t funny, don’t try to be. A failed attempt at humor is worse than no humor at all. If this is you, he says to use another strategy for connection instead.
(Shortform note: If you include a funny story in your speech, don’t announce it to your audience. For some inexplicable reason, the simple act of starting with, “Here’s a funny story,” almost always ensures that the story won’t receive laughs. Instead, tell the story with no setup; if it is funny, the surprise will make the story even funnier. If it’s not funny, then there’s no expectation to meet or disappointment to navigate.)
Anderson says one of the easiest ways to connect with an audience is to tell a story. Everyone loves stories—they inspire curiosity, encourage empathy, and induce relaxation. When an audience recognizes that a story is being told, they immediately relax because it doesn’t take mental effort to listen to a story. Anderson recommends using stories at any time during your speech: Use them in the beginning to introduce your topic, in the middle to illustrate a point, or as an ending to pack a final punch.
Stories that are about you or someone close to you are the most authentic, but make sure they aren’t designed to make you look brilliant or heroic. Self-deprecating humor, or stories where you learned a valuable lesson, will be received much better.
(Shortform note: According to Carmine Gallo in Talk Like TED, storytelling serves an additional purpose: It provides “proof” that your claims are legitimate. For example, if you’re trying to convince your audience that walking every day will lead to longevity, telling a story about your 105-year-old grandmother walking to a job every day supports your thesis.)
Anderson says that tribal thinking (discriminatory thinking against other groups as loyalty to your own) is the single greatest barrier to connection. Politics and religion are the two biggest tribes, and if you say something to misalign yourself with the audience, they’ll dismiss the rest of what you say. Anderson says to imagine the world through their eyes, and unless it’s the point of your speech, steer clear of inflammatory language that makes your political or religious views known.
Approaching Controversial Topics
Anderson doesn’t provide guidance on how to approach a speech on a sensitive topic, such as politics or religion. While you can assume that most of your audience is already part of your “tribe” and shares your views, the purpose of public speaking is often to change hearts and minds. So how can you connect with audience members who don’t already agree with you?
The authors of Public Speaking: Finding Your Voice recommend you take a “co-active” approach, which consists of six steps:
Establish goodwill: Introduce yourself and assure the audience of your positive intentions.
Find common ground: Present and discuss values and goals that both sides share.
Explain your position: You’re not trying to persuade the other side yet; rather, you are giving reasons for why you believe what you do. This is a good opportunity for storytelling.
Cite authority figures that the other side respects: The source is often as important as the information. Discuss where the other side has agreed with your view.
Set small, reasonable goals: Major change rarely happens overnight; it usually happens in increments. Aim to convince the other side to take one step in your direction.
Acknowledge the validity of their viewpoint: Discuss a few contentions that the other side has with your view and why they are valid. You should still maintain your position, but don’t dismiss their concerns.
The most common types of speeches are explanatory, when you’re teaching your audience something new or explaining a difficult concept. To connect with your audience in an explanatory speech, Anderson recommends the following strategies:
Tips for Explaining Complex Topics
Physicist and TEDx speaker Dominic Walliman is an expert at explaining difficult concepts in a simple way. The proof: He writes children’s books and creates YouTube videos for kids to explain quantum mechanics and nanotechnology. In a 2016 TEDx talk titled “Quantum Physics for 7 Year Olds,” Walliman gives four steps for explaining difficult concepts:
Meet the audience where they are. (This advice is the same as Anderson’s).
Stay on topic. Don’t allow yourself to get sidetracked by tangents or rabbit holes. Think about the one focus of your speech and always move in that direction.
Favor clarity over accuracy. When you’re explaining a complex concept, 100% accuracy requires deep dives into mundane details, which can confuse your audience or lose their interest entirely. Walliman says it’s okay to sacrifice complete accuracy as long as the audience understands the majority of what you’re saying. If they want more information afterward, you’ll have the opportunity to educate them further.
Tell them why this matters to you. Enthusiasm is contagious, and unless you care deeply about your topic, why should they?
Beware the curse of knowledge: The better you know something, the harder it is to imagine not knowing it. This is why so many experts give dry, incomprehensible explanations. Anderson recommends you practice your speech on a private audience and ask them afterward if anything was confusing. (Shortform note: Try using the kindergarten test: If you’re able to explain the concept to a 5-year-old, then you’ll be able to explain it to any group of adults. This isn’t to say that you should use the same explanation as you would with a kindergartener, but it shows that you understand how to break a concept down into its most elementary parts and relate them to the world.)
To change someone’s opinion, Anderson says you must nudge them in your direction one small step at a time so that by the end, your argument is completely plausible in their minds. He says that you should start by priming your audience, and by the end they should be motivated to make a change. In the middle, you can employ strategies such as appealing to logic, discrediting the opposite stance, or guiding them to the conclusion through process of elimination.
Anderson says that a good persuasive speech begins with priming. To prime someone is to expose them to a certain image or thought to influence how they react to the next image or thought. For example, if your speech is about the benefits of art in elementary education, showing a photograph of children happily painting primes your audience to think positive thoughts about creative activities.
(Shortform note: Priming is a manipulation of the subconscious often used by salespeople and advertisers. For example: If you own a restaurant and want your customers to order Italian wine, you can prime them to desire it by playing Italian music in the background. According to the theory, the customer isn’t consciously thinking that they want Italian wine to go with the music, but their eye will go to that part of the menu because of it. However, after several studies failed to replicate earlier findings about the impact of priming, some psychologists believe that its effects are more limited than previously thought or altogether nonexistent.)
Anderson says that appeals to logic are the most commonly used techniques in persuasive speaking, and they include: citing evidence and expert opinions, using “if, then” statements to show cause and effect, displaying statistics, and using anecdotes. While these aren’t the most groundbreaking techniques, he says that every persuasive speech should employ at least some of these strategies.
(Shortform note: About 2,300 years ago, Aristotle determined that effective persuasive speaking has three components: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker, pathos is the appeal to emotion, and logos is the appeal to reason. While many argue that appealing to emotion is more effective than appealing to reason, you should strive to do both.)
Anderson says an effective persuasive technique is to display the opposite viewpoint and show your audience why it won’t work, why it’s an inferior choice, or why it’s dangerous or immoral. For example, proponents of electric vehicles could show how fossil fuel pollution is damaging animal and human habitats (dangerous and immoral), discuss the rising cost of gasoline (an inferior choice), or present statistics that show why gasoline isn’t a sustainable resource (won’t work).
(Shortform note: This is a strategy often used in political debates. If you present your opponent’s viewpoint upfront and show why it’s not good, you leave little room for argument. However, rather than using the “straw man” technique (a fallacy in which you create a weakened version of someone’s argument and destroy it), it’s more effective to build a “steel man”—create the strongest version of your opponent’s argument that you can, and show why it won’t work.)
Anderson says one of the most entertaining ways to engage your audience is to present a big question at the beginning of your talk that sparks curiosity. Then, take your audience through all of the possible answers, eliminating them as you go and arriving at the conclusion. People love to feel like they’re solving a mystery. (This is one reason why true crime documentaries are so popular.)
(Shortform note: When the audience “solves the mystery” themselves, they also have ownership of the conclusion. You’re more likely to persuade someone if they believe they arrived at the decision on their own.)
Effective persuasive speeches leave the audience energized and motivated to make a change. Even if the audience agrees with you by the end of the speech, if they aren’t left motivated, they’ll quickly forget the whole experience. If this happens, you can’t say that you have actually changed this person’s view of the world. Anderson says that telling a personal and memorable story that humanizes the issue will move your audience and imprint your speech into their memory.
(Shortform note: Experts say that persuasive speeches should end with “attitude not platitude,” meaning that the finale of your talk should be exciting and not a lecturing statement. One suggestion for how to do this is to give your speech a provocative title, and then use that title in your final sentence. It provides lyrical symmetry to the speech, closes the loop, and helps your audience remember and reference your performance.)
Unlike explanatory or persuasive speeches, the purpose of imaginative speeches is to delight or inspire. Anderson offers one strategy for artists, and another for inventors.
Most often used by artists, designers, architects, and photographers, “the tour” is a talk that walks the audience through a series of images. Displayed one after another, each image inspires a bit more wonder than the last. Anderson explains that in this speech, the purpose is to inform or inspire, and it’s meant to be an enjoyable experience. The subject can be serious, funny, or even provocative.
This type of talk has a simple structure (going from one image to the next), but to be effective, each image needs to build on the one before it, or they need to have a throughline that links them all together. He adds that if you’re showing something you created, show your process (including mistakes) to add interest. Although you can explain each image as it comes, you should also feel free to embrace silence as the audience takes in each image.
(Shortform note: Chicago artist and curator Sergio Gomez says that the best art talks follow a storyline—similar to how Anderson says a series of images should have a connecting throughline or build off one another. Gomez uses a formula when presenting his artwork: He begins with the story, then discusses his process, influences, and concerns. Next, he shows a series of works from the collection, and he finishes with a few final thoughts.)
If your presentation is about a new invention or process, images and words won’t be enough—a demonstration is ideal. These talks are exciting because they give the audience a glimpse of the future. Anderson advises against beginning your presentation with detailed context and terminology. Instead, he says to tease and intrigue the audience: Give them only as much information as they need while you reveal more and more, building to a climax where you demonstrate the full technology. End your talk with how this new technology or invention will impact the world, and leave the audience feeling inspired and hopeful about the future.
(Shortform note: Steve Jobs was known for presenting Apple’s new products using live demos, and his demonstration of GarageBand is considered by some to be a masterpiece. Jobs employed several techniques to keep his audience engaged, beginning with the declaration that this invention is not just for pro musicians, but for everyone. If your product, invention, or process appears on the surface to be niche, make the wider value known from the beginning.)
If you want your speech to stand out, incorporate “out of the box” methods to elevate it and leave a memorable impression. However, Anderson warns that if not done correctly, these strategies can come across as gimmicky.
Here are the five unconventional strategies that Anderson believes can be carefully employed:
1) Use props: Dramatic or unexpected props can ignite an audience’s curiosity and deepen their understanding. If you use a prop, Anderson says to make sure it’s serving one of those two purposes—if it isn’t, then it’s a distraction.
(Shortform note: Consider the size of your audience when deciding whether to use a prop. If you’re speaking in front of a large group, will you be displayed on a large screen? If not, a prop might not be visible beyond the first few rows. If you’re speaking to a small group, a prop can be displayed or passed around.)
2) Stimulate the senses: During most speeches, the audience sees and hears you. Multisense stimulation is the act of involving the audience’s other senses—smell, taste, or touch. For certain subjects, this can work well. For example, if you’re discussing cooking, a taste for the audience will elevate the experience.
(Shortform note: Some people use scented oil diffusers to set a mood in the room. Scents like peppermint, citrus, and eucalyptus are said to awaken your audience, while lavender and sandalwood induce relaxation.)
3) Interview the subject: This format is half speech, half interview. The speaker is interviewed by another person, which gives the talk a more “in the moment,” conversational feel. The speaker has an idea of the topics ahead of time, however, and relevant images are queued up throughout to keep the talk visually interesting and on track.
(Shortform note: Oprah Winfrey is known for delivering powerful messages through the use of interviews. Her interviews are compelling to the audience because of the way she connects with her guests. She uses physical touch, eye contact, active listening, empathy, and energy matching—all of which enable her guests to vulnerably share stories and meaningful life lessons.)
4) Hold a faux debate: If you are delivering a talk with another person or within a group, present the information in a debate format. Both sides of the issue are presented one at a time, and each side presents a short closing argument at the end. You can even have the audience vote on a winner. Because the presentation is a group effort and not a true debate, you can lead the audience to the conclusion you want.
(Shortform note: Debate and discussion formats are similar in that two presenters go back and forth arguing their position on a topic. There is one striking difference, however: In a debate, the participants’ goal is to win. In a discussion, the goal is to understand. Both of these can work well as a presentation style, as long as it’s clear which one you’re using.)
5) Feature a surprise guest: If your talk is about a specific person, usher that person onto the stage near the end as a surprise for the audience. Anderson makes it clear that the purpose shouldn’t be for them to simply say “hello” to the audience. Rather, it should be to perform in a way that amplifies the speech. For example, if your speech is about the process of writing a hit song, bringing an artist on stage to sing one of your #1 songs would be a valuable addition.
(Shortform note: If you choose to include a surprise guest, you risk pulling the focus away from you and your thesis. Once the guest comes out, the energy of the room will elevate and it will be difficult to regain your audience’s attention. Save your guest for the end of your speech after you’ve delivered all of the crucial information. Then have the last word in your speech by thanking the guest and the audience.)
At this point, you should have an idea and throughline for your speech, and you know what type of speech you’re giving. You’ve explored strategies to engage your audience based on that type of speech, and you might be considering an unconventional method. Now it’s time to decide whether or not you want to script your speech.
All speeches fall into one of four categories:
Anderson defines an unscripted speech as one where you’re not trying to remember a prewritten sentence word for word. However, he makes an important distinction between the words unscripted and unprepared: He says there is no excuse for not preparing, and that you should never “wing” a speech (especially an important one). It runs the risk of not being high quality—and even if it is, your lack of preparation is disrespectful to the audience’s time and attention.
(Shortform note: Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh encouraged public speakers to “wing it” in his book, Delivering Happiness. He used himself as an example: He said that his own perfectionism and nerves couldn’t handle making mistakes during speeches, and the stress leaked into his performance; winging it took away that pressure. However, most experts vehemently disagree with this advice.)
While Anderson doesn’t support winging it, he says the other three approaches can be used effectively or ineffectively. In this section, we’ll discuss what makes each style work, the pitfalls you should avoid, and the best way to rehearse. We’ll also cover Anderson’s advice for how to open and close your speech.
Benefits: You can ensure that there’s time for everything you want to say; you can choose your words carefully; and you can practice your speech on other people, which allows for feedback and improvement. (Shortform note: For people who suffer from intense fear of public speaking (glossophobia), scripting and memorizing is the favored option because it gives a feeling of control and preparation.)
Risks: Memorized speeches can come across as dry and unengaging. Even though your audience knows that your thoughts are scripted in one way or another, they like to feel as if they’re part of the moment as it unfolds naturally. Anderson explains that this is similar to how people prefer to watch sports live rather than recorded—they want to believe that they’re part of the action. (Shortform note: While inspiring your audience is the ideal result, those with the most severe forms of glossophobia might be trying to just make it through the speech without panicking or feeling humiliated. If this is you, getting through the speech is more important than avoiding the risks Anderson mentions here.)
Rehearsal: If you decide to memorize your speech, Anderson says you have to really commit. In the beginning of rehearsal, the speech will come out passionately but not super smooth. Once you reach the memorization point, the speech will come out smoothly—so smoothly in fact, that it will lack character. It will be flat and without passion. This is where most people stop practicing, which Anderson says is a mistake. If you push past this stage of memorization and continue to practice, you’ll eventually get to a point where you know the speech so well that you’re no longer concentrating on the words and the passion will return to your voice.
Bottom line: Don’t stop practicing your speech once you’ve memorized it—keep going until you have fully embodied it. Anderson says you’ll know you’re ready when you can recite your entire speech while doing another cognitively demanding task (solving math problems, for example).
(Shortform note: Proponents of this method include Jill Bolte Taylor, Brené Brown, and Amanda Palmer. Bolte Taylor says she rehearsed her TED talk over 200 times, and Palmer says she practiced over a period of four months.)
Benefits: Anderson says there are two occasions when reading your speech works well: First, if the speech is paired with gorgeous imagery and your audience’s eyes are on your images instead of you. Second, if you’re a gifted writer and the audience understands that they’re hearing a piece of written work. (Shortform note: With the right tools (such as a teleprompter) and lots of practice, you can master reading without drawing attention to yourself. We discuss these tools in Part 5.)
Risks: There are three major risks if you choose to read your speech: First, your audience might not trust your authenticity. Second, they might perceive you to be unprepared. Third, your audience might become so bored that they tune you out or leave. (Shortform note: Despite these risks, reading a speech might be the better option if you don’t have time to memorize it, especially in situations where your authenticity isn’t going to be doubted—for example, eulogies at funerals are usually read, not memorized.)
Rehearsal: If you’re a writer reading a written work (such as a poem), Anderson recommends you still know your speech well enough that you can look up at your audience from time to time and so your voice will sound natural. He adds that with read speeches, it can be especially impactful if you stand up at the end and deliver your last paragraph without reading. (Shortform note: Amanda Gorman balanced reading and looking up at the audience—to great effect—while reading her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at President Biden’s inauguration ceremony.)
Benefits: The speech is passionate, fresh, and in the moment. Anderson says the audience feels your authenticity and wants to go on the journey with you.
Risks: With this much flexibility in your wording, you risk using too much jargon, not fully explaining difficult concepts, rambling, and running out of time.
How to prepare: Even with an unscripted speech, rehearsing is crucial. While you aren’t planning out exact words to use, you do need a structure to keep you on track. Start by identifying the point you’re trying to make (your “big idea”), then decide how you’ll get there. (Shortform note: Those who don’t want to write a script might prefer a graphic organizer instead. A “mind map” is a visual representation of where you’re starting, where you want to go, and the stops you’ll need to make along the way. Draw it out like a literal map with your opening and closing statements, your big idea, and the concepts that lead to your idea.)
To keep your words spontaneous but still be fully prepared, Anderson recommends you do the following:
Answer Key Questions
Try writing out all of the key questions that your speech will answer and then verbally answering them in several different ways. Make sure the questions are open-ended.
For example, if you’re giving a congratulatory toast at a wedding, your questions might look something like this:
How do I know the groom? How do I know the bride?
What do I love about the two of them together?
Why do I know their marriage will be successful?
Who is the stubborn one? Who is sentimental?
What should they each remember about the other?
Practice answering these questions in several different ways. When you go to deliver your speech, there will be no surprise answers coming out of your mouth.
Anderson says you only have about 60 seconds to keep your audience’s attention once you begin your speech. Your opening sets the tone for the rest of the talk, so even if you choose not to script your speech, you should carefully consider how you plan to open. Here are three ways that he says you can grab your audience from the beginning:
1) Say something dramatic: Anderson says you can never go wrong with a powerful opening line—or at the very least, a powerful line within your first paragraph. Don’t think of your speech as having to be sequential. He recommends you take the heart of what you’re going to talk about and come up with one statement to use as a teaser to the audience.
(Shortform note: The opposite of saying something dramatic is to say something humorous—something that many TED speakers do to open their speeches. The most famous TED talk of all time is by Sir Ken Robinson, and he makes his audience laugh 10 seconds into his speech, “Do schools kill creativity?”)
2) Show a fascinating image (or object): Sometimes, the best way to get an audience’s attention is to show them something stunning, confusing (in an intriguing way), or hilarious. Once you delight the audience, you have their attention.
(Shortform example: About 30 seconds into her TED talk, “10 things you didn’t know about orgasm,” author Mary Roach shows an ultrasound image of a male baby masturbating in the womb.)
3) Pique their curiosity: Sparking curiosity is the easiest way to grab and hold a listener’s attention. Anderson says you can ask a question explicitly, or you can make a counterintuitive statement. If what you say challenges the audience’s prior knowledge, it will intrigue them even more.
(Shortform example: Apollo Robbins, said to be the greatest pickpocket in the world, opens his TED talk, “The art of misdirection,” with the question: “Do you think it’s possible to control someone’s attention?” Ironically, by asking this question, he instantly has his audience’s attention.)
(Shortform note: Besides getting your audience’s attention, a strong opening should reveal your speech’s purpose (the “what”), explain why the audience should care (the “so what”), establish your credibility, and preview the major points.)
Anderson warns that a spectacular talk can be ruined by a bad ending. The way a talk ends is the way the audience will remember it. Avoid boring endings, asking for money, or alluding that there was more you couldn’t get to.
Instead, Anderson offers these five strategies for ending your talk on a high note:
Anderson says whichever way you choose to end your talk, a short and simple “thank you” (followed by a pause for applause) before walking offstage is always successful.
Use the Power of Three
To give your speech a rhythmic end, you can use any of the above strategies in combination with a pattern of three. Some of the most well-known examples of this are:
Julius Caesar: “Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered)
General Patton: “Blood, sweat, and tears”
Thomas Jefferson: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
Hearing information in threes is satisfying and feels like closure. Many speakers that have delivered TED Talks have employed the power of three in their final lines, including Brené Brown. In her talk, “The power of vulnerability,” she ends by saying that when we believe we’re enough, “then we stop screaming and start listening, we’re kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we’re kinder and gentler to ourselves.”
Anderson has three script styles that he recommends (and one that he doesn’t). Think about which one works best for you.
Which script style are you drawn to (Scripted and memorized, scripted and read, unscripted but planned out, or unscripted with no plan)? Why?
How does this differ from script styles you’ve used in the past?
Were your previous methods successful or unsuccessful? Why?
What are three ways that you can prepare or rehearse this new script style?
You have your idea and a script (or an unscripted plan) and have considered your strategies. Before committing to all of your methods, Anderson says to consider the stage setup and visual aids that are available.
If you have your speech memorized and feel confident speaking without notes, setup isn’t important—it’s just you and the stage. Anderson says this method is the gold standard because it allows for the greatest connection with the audience. However, he concedes that not everyone is able to do this, and most people feel more confident with a strategic setup in place.
In this section, we look at Anderson’s setup suggestions and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages: Anderson believes that this is the most invisible way to reference notes. A small card held in your hand is less obtrusive than a lectern, and it’s less off-putting to the audience than your eye-line moving to a teleprompter.
Disadvantages: If you have multiple notecards, there is the risk of dropping them or getting them mixed up. For this, Anderson recommends you keep them in order on a keyring.
(Shortform note: How much information should you include on your note cards? One expert suggests using just five cards—one for the introduction, three for your main points, and one for the conclusion. On each card, he details how to set up a keyword outline, which includes word prompts rather than full sentences. He also recommends writing on only one side of the cards; if you write on both, it’s easy to get confused about which side you should be looking at.)
Advantages: Having a large lectern might give you more confidence because it provides a large physical barrier between you and the audience. There is enough space for you to spread out your notes and have a glass of water.
Disadvantages: Large podiums, or lecterns, do two things that damage the connection between you and your audience. First, by separating you from the audience, a podium reduces your vulnerability—and vulnerability is the key to connection. Second, when your audience sees you behind a lectern as a professor or preacher might be, they feel you’re preaching to rather than speaking with them.
(Shortform note: Oprah Winfrey is known for sitting within arm’s reach of her guests and having no physical objects (like tables) between them. She uses this method because she’s found that it allows her guest to readily connect with her.)
Advantages: If you need to have your full speech available to read, Anderson says the best option is a small, unnoticeable lectern. A podium with a thin or transparent stem with enough room for a few sheets of paper is all you need.
Disadvantages: Even with a small lectern, you have an object between you and the audience, which can affect the connection. If you choose this set-up, Anderson recommends you know your speech as well as possible so that you can connect with the audience through lots of eye contact.
(Shortform note: If you choose to use a music stand or small lectern, be sure to rehearse using the same stand. It’s not unusual for a speaker to rehearse using a sturdier piece of furniture, only to have a clumsy moment when they lean on a tinier one during the actual speech.)
Anderson defines a comfort backup as placing your notes and a bottle of water on a lectern to the side or back of the stage. The idea is to deliver your speech without notes if possible, but to have them as a last resort.
Advantages: The notes are away from the audience’s view, so there’s no severed connection between you and the audience. You’ll feel less nervous knowing that you can use your notes if you freeze up, or take a sip of water if your mouth gets dry.
Disadvantages: Anderson says the only disadvantage to this method is if you have to return to your notes several times (whereas once is okay).
(Shortform note: If you’re nervous about needing water during inopportune times, strategically build “water breaks” into your speech. A great time to take a sip of water is during a pause. Often this will happen after you make a joke and the audience is laughing, or after you reveal an important statistic or revelation that you want your audience to consider seriously. During this time, plan to drink some water even if you don’t feel like you need it.)
Advantages: You can have your entire speech or a few notes on a phone or tablet, easily accessible.
Disadvantages: Even if you’re using your phone as a tool, your audience is conditioned to think that you’re instead distracted by it. One accidental tap can close your app, and an incoming call or text (even if silenced) can pop up on your screen and distract you. Though popular these days, Anderson strongly advises against using a smart device as a tool.
(Shortform note: Most experts agree with Anderson that using a smart device for notes isn’t a great idea. If you must use your phone, however, they say you should do two crucial things: Announce to your audience that you will be using your phone for notes, and put your phone in airplane mode.)
Disadvantages: Anderson cautions against this set-up, as he finds that speakers tend to rely on them and don’t connect with the audience as a result. Even if you use the right vocal inflections, the audience can tell by your eye-line that you’re reading, and this is off-putting.
(Shortform note: If you’re being offered one of these tools for a one-time speech, it might not be worth trying to learn; however, if you’ll be speaking often and these tools are always available, they’re worth mastering. A common mistake is transfixing your eyes on the prompter, which leads to an unnaturally stoic facial expression and robotic vocals. One tip is to practice using the prompter while manipulating an object in your hands. By doing another action that pulls focus, you’ll learn to read without staring intently at the words.)
Anderson says that not all talks require slides—particularly if your story is already punctuated with humor or emotional storytelling. Some talks, however, are enhanced by the use of beautiful or informative images. Slide images are helpful if you are trying to explain something that is easier to show, or if your talk is about a visual topic (such as art, architecture, or photography).
In this section, Anderson hands the “mic” to TED Community Director, Tom Rielly. If you choose to use visuals in your presentation, Rielly advises you to keep the following dos and don’ts in mind.
| Do | Don’t | |
| Font Type | Use a medium-weight sans-serif font like Helvetica or Arial.
Use bolded words to show emphasis. |
Use excessively thin fonts (hard to read) or fancy fonts (unprofessional).
Use italics or underlining—they are too subtle from the audience’s perspective. |
| Font Size | Use 24-point or larger for ease of reading. | Use more than three sizes in your entire presentation. |
| Font Color & Background | Contrast light and dark (light font on dark background or vice versa). | Use more than one color throughout your presentation, unless to show emphasis or surprise. |
| Photos | Credit all photos in a subtle and consistent way (same font, size, color and positioning in all photos).
Use high-quality images at the highest resolution possible. Expand your photo to fill the entire slide. |
Include more than one photo of yourself, unless it’s necessary for understanding.
Include photos of your team for the sole purpose of giving credit (instead, show them in action). Display multiple photos on the same slide. |
| Videos | Keep them under 30 seconds. | Use a poorly produced video. No video is better than a video that distracts the audience. |
| Slide Transitions | Use “cuts” to go to a new concept, and a quick “dissolve” when continuing with the same concept. | Use any other types of transitions. They’ll be perceived as gimmicky and unprofessional. |
| Explanatory Slides | Use words only when necessary. Show, don’t tell.
Present a series of slides to explain a complicated concept step by step. |
Use bullet points or include text that you’ll be saying out loud.
Include more than one concept per slide. |