How to keep your audience with you.

Recognise the early signs that you are losing the audience, so that you can reconnect.

I was a TEDx speaker coach in the early 2010s. Despite looking spontaneous and off-the-cuff, TED talks are highly rehearsed. They ushered in a whole new way of public speaking: one that was highly prepared but very relatable.

This relaxed-but-professional speaking style has been successful for a reason, so it can be a great style to develop. There are a couple of cautions, though, when you are taking a speaking style from someone else.

Don’t fall into the trap of emulating another speaker based on what you see from the outside. For example, TED talks often contain dramatic pauses and stories. These are important, and can help your audience absorb your words. However, when used as tactics, rather than a natural way of connecting with an audience, they can make your talk look contrived. Even when done skilfully, if they lack embodiment, you may appear polished but disconnected.

Here are signs you may be entering that disconnected zone:

1. You lose awareness of your body.

2. Your mind goes blank in a dissociated way.

3. Your mind fills with thoughts, such as, “I am going to stuff this up if I breathe”.

4. You feel yourself trying to “convince” an audience.

5. You start speaking faster.

6. You operate in “should” mode, emulating what good speakers “do”, rather than how good speakers ARE.

The better you become at noticing these early signs of audience disconnection, the easier it will be to correct course and keep your listeners with you.

TED-style is good. Relatable works. If you’re gonna take a speaking style from someone else, don’t fake it. Even better, why not go “beyond TED” to a style that is really you.

Rachael West is a coach, movement educator and strategic speaker coach. She has been supporting clients to communicate complex topics and make their talks stand out for over 15 years. Get in touch to learn more about how individual coaching and in-house workshops work, or to do something different for your next keynote.