Ep 29 Speaking: How to become a great public speaker

Show notes

In this episode, Stephen breaks down the craft of public speaking—how he went from being terrified of crowds to earning consistent top ratings at events like Adobe MAX. He shares a practical framework across three major areas: the difference between presenting and speaking, discovering your personal style, and creating strong, engaging presentations.

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Part 1: Understanding the Difference Between Presenting and Public Speaking

Key Distinction:

• Presenting is often what we do at work—focused on selling ideas or work.

• Public Speaking is about teaching and engaging an audience from a stage.

Why It Matters:

• At work, your audience is already invested (bosses, clients, colleagues).

• On stage, your audience has no connection to you. You must earn their attention.

 

Foundational Episodes to Explore:

• Episodes 12, 13, and 14: Deep dives into presenting and selling creative work.

 

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Part 2: Finding and Refining Your Speaking Style

Performance Mindset:

• Public speaking is a form of performance—akin to acting or comedy.

• Your approach needs to be dynamic, expressive, and emotionally intelligent.

Three TED-Style Speaker Personas:

1. The Educator – Explains how and why things work (scientists, teachers).

2. The Entertainer – Reveals the magic behind their craft (comedians, artists).

3. The Change Agent – Inspires transformation (activists, entrepreneurs).

 

Pro Tip:

Start with the persona that fits you best, then evolve to incorporate all three for maximum impact.

Your Voice as an Instrument:

• Sameness is the enemy: vary tone, cadence, pitch, volume, and rhythm.

• Use intentional pacing: mix fast energy with slow, deliberate moments.

• Include humor and dramatic pauses to reset attention and build engagement.

Body Language and Stage Presence:

• 90% of communication is non-verbal.

• Project calm confidence: controlled gestures, posture, facial expression.

• Avoid distracting tics like pacing, filler words (“um,” “uh”), or nervous habits.

 

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Part 3: Crafting an Engaging Presentation

 

Bring Passion and Vulnerability:

• Passion is often missing from bad presentations.

• Be honest about your struggles and failures—it humanizes you and builds trust.

• Think like a comedian: openness and self-deprecating humor go a long way.

The Power of Practice:

• Practice at least seven times for full mastery.

• Record and review yourself to spot tics and polish delivery.

• Rehearse the first few lines intensely so you can open strong under pressure.

• Memorize concepts, not exact words—this lets you improvise naturally and recover gracefully when nerves hit.

Slide Design Strategy:

• Keep slides simple—one or two words or images per slide.

• Avoid overcrowded slides that compete with your voice for attention.

• Use slides to control focus and flow, not to read from.

• Invest time in transitions and animations to make the talk feel polished.

 

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Presentation Structure and Audience Engagement

Find Your Unique Lens:

• Every topic has been covered before—your take is what makes it compelling.

• Use your experience and voice to share insights only you can give.

Naming Your Talk:

• Your talk is a product—market it well.

• Avoid generic titles. Go for emotional, surprising, or thought-provoking titles that make people curious.

• Examples: “Light Bulbs Are Bullshit” vs. “Design Workflow in Photoshop”

 

Know Your Audience:

• Ask organizers for demographics, titles, and past session data.

• Adjust tone, content, and timing based on their experience and expectations.

• Avoid bad timeslots when possible (e.g., morning-after-Vegas slots).

Building Your Talk:

• Start with an outline: what are the big ideas and flow?

• Move to presentation software (like Keynote) to flesh it out.

• Practice for timing, clarity, and emotional beats.

Build Trust and Connection:

• Don’t lead with ego or self-importance.

• Share your story instead of showing off your success.

• Credibility is built through honesty and relevance, not résumé bullet points.

 

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Delivering Maximum Value to Your Audience

Actionable Takeaways:

• Always answer: What can the audience use tomorrow?

• Provide clear, practical advice they can immediately apply.

• Avoid vanity case studies without real insights.

Tweetable Moments:

• Create simple, memorable phrases that encapsulate key ideas.

• These serve as audience takeaways and boost long-term retention.

• Examples:

  • “Creativity is a blue-collar profession.”

  • “Agile is the new smart.”

   

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Final Lessons and Encouragement

Set Yourself Up for Success:

• Understand what kind of speaker format works best for you: solo or panel.

• Advocate for session timing and format that suit your strengths.

Embrace Criticism Without Letting It Derail You:

• Not everyone will love you—and that’s okay.

• Don’t let one walkout or a bad review ruin the experience for the rest.

• Care about your performance, but don’t obsess over universal approval.

Practice Empathy, Clarity, and Confidence:

• Great speakers teach, inspire, and connect.

• Focus on delivering value to the audience, not proving your brilliance.

 

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Resources and Community

• Join the Community:

  • Search for The Crazy One Podcast on Facebook

  • Get weekly inspiration, articles, and updates

   

• Support the Show:

  • Leave a review on iTunes—it helps others find the show

   

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Closing Thought

“If I can go from being terrified of speaking to traveling the world doing it, so can you. Just follow the steps, put in the time, and believe in yourself.” – Stephen Gates

Tagged as:
audience connection confident speaking crafting speeches effective communication engaging presentations overcoming stage fright presentation skills presentation tips public speaking speaking techniques Stephen Gates story The Crazy One podcast