Smashing Speaking for Success

Speaking confidently without notes is the key to engaging with your audience and establishing your credence as a thought leader. It is only possible with appropriate applied memory techniques.

Monetising the Meeting of Minds

Public speaking training typically covers things like tone, pace and volume, body language, imposter syndrome, etc. This is all fine and useful but doesn’t tackle the key issue of connecting at a deep level. My approach to public speaking starts from the way the brain works. Once you understand what makes things memorable you can craft and deliver a message which stands out

Being able to consistently deliver great content which engages audiences, presented confidently without notes sets you apart from your peers. In time it positions you as the go-to thought leader in your field of expertise. Thought leaders become the trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas and show how to replicate their success. Established thought leaders can ask $50,000 for a keynote address. At the ultimate level, Tony Robbins' speaking fee is estimated to be between $300,000 and $1 million per engagement.

Many successful entrepreneurs forge a name for themselves in the world of speaking, initially earning them a healthy side income. Often, they eventually choose to step down as CEO of their business, taking on an advisory role and attending conferences and events. Even if you don’t want to speak full time, you can gain respect in your industry and attract more and higher paying customers.

Winning through in Winter  

It’s not all glamour. I remember braving blizzard conditions and motorway tailbacks driving down to Hertfordshire. I arrived very late at the hotel but got a good night’s sleep. The next day I worked with senior staff at Smiths Detection. This is the company that makes airport scanners and security screening equipment. I talked about Accelerated Learning and Communication. It was a good atmosphere and went down well so it was worth the journey.

"Enjoyable, clever and beneficial. I would willingly recommend Phil and the course to anyone looking to improve their understanding of people development and communication. The course embodied the concept being presented such that the knowledge imparted became firmly fixed in memory for one and all.” ~ David Bovis, Smiths Detection, UK 

If you’ve attended Public speaking training in the past but not got the breakthrough that you were promised you’re not alone. Until you understand the science it is tough. The good news is that it only takes a small switch. You need to challenge what they might have told you at school.

What Your School Teachers Didn’t Know

At school, I’m sure like me, you were drilled into writing proper sentences. Of course, this was well-meaning and there is a time and place for proper grammar, punctuation and polished prose. In the real-world this holds you back. The education system is based on the outdated premise that a large proportion of students need to fail to fill menial, low skill jobs. However, that’s a debate for another day! The issue is that forcing you to think in sentences leads to two major problems.

Firstly, the brain does not work on the basis of sentences. You think primarily in pictures these are subsequently described as words and eventually sentences. By trying to start so far ‘downstream’ in the thinking process it is much harder to create, manage and retain ideas. This is why people struggle to write books and construct compelling content when public speaking. Trying to think in sentences is like a ‘prison sentence’ for the brain. Keywords unlock the prison and pictures ignite creative thinking.

Secondly, written English is very different to spoken English. ‘Grammatically correct’ written language is inappropriate for speaking and is likely to induce boredom. Reading a script comes across as stilted, false and artificial. When you’re talking to a friend you don’t need a script. When you’re speaking to an audience, assuming they want to be there, they will be rooting for you. They don’t want to see you fail. Treat them like a big group of friends. They’re paying you a massive compliment by listening to what you have to say so you owe it to them to engage them and repay their attention with interest.

In “The Mind Map Book” Tony Buzan recounts the following true stories, “Our first presenter had to make a speech at a three-day design conference in Washington DC, USA. The conference was attended by 2,300 delegates and our man was number 72 out of 75 speakers. He had to give his prepared speech from behind a podium and he was allotted the 'graveyard shift' - the slot that starts immediately after lunch. He was not a trained speaker, and as he approached the end of his 45-minute presentation most of the audience were dozing off. They all awoke at the screamed conclusion of his speech, which was, `Oh my God! The last page has gone' The last page had indeed disappeared. And in that moment of sheer terror he had not the faintest idea what was on it! Our second presenter was an admiral who was known for his ability to make even the most boring prepared speeches sound interesting. He could read a speech in much the same way as an audio-typist transcribes it - perfectly but without any knowledge of its content. This admiral was asked to give a speech to some senior naval officials and, as he was short of time, he asked his aide to prepare a 1-hour speech for him. He gave his presentation but began to suspect that something was amiss when, after an hour, he found that he still had about the same number of pages to go. Finally the truth dawned - he had been given two copies of the same speech. But the real horror was that the copies were ordered page 1, page 1, page 2, page 2, page 3, page 3, and so on. Because of his senior rank, no one had dared point out that perhaps this was carrying the mnemonic value of repetition a bit too far!”

Many speakers tightly grip pages of notes like a security blanket. It provides a feeling of safety and comfort when they feel nervous. Standing up in front of a room full of strangers is scary. I understand the fear, but there are mental strategies that can control the nerves much better than reading notes.

The one thing worse than reading notes is reading PowerPoint slides. PowerPoint is a visual aid, not a substitute for your memory. It is sometimes necessary to include words, quotes and very occasionally lists. If you’re using PowerPoint or other presentation software you should make liberal use of pictures and minimal use of words. Steer clear of bullet points.

Human intelligence is what makes a difference

The world has changed. In 2023 Hollywood writers and actors took industrial action over fears about Artificial Intelligence. Studios can use generative AI to create the first draft of TV or film scripts. This requires far fewer writers whose job is to just polish and edit those AI-generated drafts. Eventually, as technology is refined they may not even be needed. AI can replicate performers' voices, appearances and movements raising critical concerns about individuals' control over their own likenesses.

With the ability for anyone to broadcast and publish online, influencers can build phenomenal followings without actually having earned any deep knowledge and understanding. It’s all fluff and glitter without foundation.

Don’t let yourself be replaced by a robot or outshone by a Bro marketer’s manipulative sales tactics. You need an edge. It's the confident speakers who truly stand out and make a breakthrough in business. Their ability to connect, persuade, and inspire sets them apart in any industry.

My Story

I was one of the lucky few who did well at school. After good A-Level results in maths and science, I ended up studying Physics and Chemistry at Durham University. It is known worldwide for its high-quality education and ranked 7th in the United Kingdom according to the Guardian University Guide 2024. Being a trained scientist has certainly shaped my view of the world and mistrust of unsubstantiated conjecture. I always try to seek the latest objective research.

It’s remarkable how things that seemed pure chance and inconsequential at the time can dramatically shape your life. Whilst at Durham, I was lucky enough to see a guest lecture by Tony Buzan and was inspired. In my final year, I was the ‘speakers secretary’ for the ‘Use Your Head Society’. It was my job to find interesting people to give presentations. We had some fascinating characters including World Memory Champion, now friend and colleague, Dominic O’Brien. I bought his book with society funds and made sure I was the first to read it. Memory techniques significantly helped me through exams.

Despite studying in North East England, outside term time I lived with my parents not far from Heathrow airport. This meant that it was easy to attend the ‘Second World Memory Championship’ at Simpsons-in-the-Strand in central London during the summer vacation. There I met Vanda North, who headed up the training arm of the Buzan business. After graduating, I qualified as an instructor in 1995. I was a regular attendee at the Thames Valley and London Brain Clubs including a short stint co-running the London club. In 1999 I setup my training company, this year celebrating its silver anniversary. In the last decade or so of Tony Buzan’s life I worked with him teaching and certifying new instructors as well as collaborating on books. Following on from my early association with memory, I became chief arbiter of the World Memory Championship and headed up the ‘Guild of Mind Sports Arbiters’. This took me to four continents and involved me meeting almost everyone on the planet involved in memory Sports. I learned first-hand, memory techniques and speaking from world-class individuals.

How Does It Work?

If you learn some basic psychology and neuroscience about how memory works you can apply it to speaking. When you know how to create memories you will know how to create amazingly memorable presentations! It’s that simple and will set you apart from your peers!

What’s really cool is that the same underlying principles which help you craft memorable presentations for your audience, can be used to memorise the content yourself. Thus, being able to speak without notes.

Memory inspires confidence. You can be absolutely sure that you know your content and can quickly run through everything in your imagination. This means when you step out you can be sure that you stay on track.

Everyone feels some nerves before speaking. There are some tried and tested strategies to tackle these based on visualisation and a technique called anchoring from ‘Neuro-Linguistic-Programming'. This allows you to access a calm but energised state of mind.

Another application of the same memory principles which can set your apart is to learn individuals’ names. Many people struggle in this respect. Contacts feel flattered that you’ve taken the time and energy to know their name. If you can remember some personal details as well, then you make a very powerful connection and good impression. People buy from people so if you’re in sales it can make a massive difference.

I was speaking at an Opinion Poll company in London to a large audience. I memorised about 80% of their names. This was enough to be able to address by name, almost anyone in the audience who asked a question. Of course, for ones I didn’t recall, I didn’t use their name but my hit rate was sufficient to give me instant credibility as I was talking about memory. Anyone can learn to memorise names with a bit of practise. It is a case of observation, association and focus. It helps dramatically if you learn the origins and meanings of names. This gives you a head start. You also need to be able to think on your feet when confronted with an unusual name though in most cases a complex name can be broken down into components you can visualise.

Want to Learn More?

 In just four hours you can transform your impact and income by upgrading your speaking skills! This is individually tailored content delivered live via zoom. To take your public speaking to the next level comment below and we can have a short consult zoom call to identify how I can help you.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.”

This is often quoted and spuriously credited to Henry Ford. However, the earliest documented instance appeared in “The Milwaukee Sentinel”, Wisconsin in 1981. The speaker was an educator and counsellor on family relationships, Jessie Potter.

Whoever said it, I disagree. Nothing stays the same forever. If you always do what you’ve always done and the world moves forward, then you’re actually going backwards. Don’t act and you will fall behind. If you’re happy with mediocrity that’s your prerogative but excellence is certainly within your grasp. Let’s talk.