Carly Fiorina speaks with passion and commitment. Powerful in many ways, she is authoritative, informative, persuasive, engaging and challenging in her delivery. I heard the dynamic Hewlett-Packard CEO speak at Credit Suisse First Boston’s Global Leadership Institute Speaker Series in 2003 about transitioning and restructuring her organization during difficult financial times. She presented a compelling and inspirational talk, one that made me think about what makes a memorable public speaker. Of course, the following names come to mind: Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill.

How many times, as an executive or leader of an organization, have you been called upon to introduce a guest speaker or propose a toast on the occasion of the signing of an IPO? How often must you address a large audience within your company to impart important information or difficult messages? Because CEOs and senior management are often highlighted in the media—usually during a 10-second sound bite—and bask in the public’s limelight as a leader, speaker and decision maker, good public speaking skills are essential now more than ever. A good leader must be a good communicator.

Photograph by Tan-Ya Gerrodette.

Having taught public speaking and improvisational acting classes in New York, Los Angeles and London to both senior management and professional actors, I have discovered that the common vulnerability among all speakers or performers is simply stage fright or anxiety. As an executive coach in the corporate world, as well as the theater community, my clients, such as Credit Suisse First Boston’s CEO Brady Dougan, have called me a confidence builder. This may be because I am able to tune in to their concerns about public speaking or performing in front of an audience. I listen to their concerns and focus on the blocks they have. Then I am able to come up with a methodology to help make them more relaxed. Even people who think they are in control do not always know how to feel comfortable in front of an audience.

Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, a royal who speaks seven foreign languages fluently, is bright, beautiful and witty. She was a student of mine in an improvisational acting workshop in New York for five years. Once, after Elizabeth recited a monologue in class, I asked her if she was relaxed. She replied, “Yes, I am totally relaxed and comfortable.” To this I said, “Fine, now unclench your fists!” During our time together, I prepared her for many television appearances, newspaper interviews and, most recently, her campaign for the presidency of Serbia and Montenegro, in which she placed sixth out of 16 candidates.

Finding Comfort
Does one ever conquer that phenomenon called stage fright? I have good news and bad news: no. But you do learn to drive the car rather than let the car drive you. Instead of dwelling on the negative, you must focus on positive goals.

Sondra Gilman recently became the chairman of the American Theater Wing, replacing the legendary Isabelle Stevenson, who passed away in 2003. Sondra called upon me to assist her in the opening speech of the 2004 Tony Awards. She told me straight off, “I am comfortable speaking to 20 people in my living room about my art collection, but we are talking a different ball game when it comes to speaking live onstage at Radio City Music Hall, as well as on CBS national television in front of millions of people.”

Whenever I ask CEOs and senior managers what they think are the magical ingredients that make a speaker compelling, they are unanimous in their judgment: someone who connects.

When I met with her, I saw that deer-in-the-headlights nervousness in her eyes. I gave her pointers on relaxing and focusing on her material that she rehearsed with me for two weeks prior to her appearance. Her confidence grew after we organized her talking points. She learned to calm her nerves by breathing and relaxing her shoulders. We rehearsed her speech in her living room countless times. I videotaped her a few times so that she could see exactly what I as talking about when I mentioned that her forehead was wrinkled and that she needed to gesture in more places. We could play the tape, pause, rewind and talk about areas she needed to improve.

Whenever I ask CEOs and senior managers what they think are the magical ingredients that make a speaker compelling, they are unanimous in their judgment: someone who connects. More specifically, someone who is emotionally connected to himself or herself first, and who can ultimately transfer that connection to the audience through  vocal and physical delivery. When Eileen Murray, head of technology, operations and product control at Credit Suisse First Boston, spoke last year at the Women’s Bond Club of New York as recipient of the Merit Award, a prestigious honor given annually to an outstanding female financial services executive, she touched the heart of her audience by sharing personal testimonies. She credited her professional drive and success to “my mother, who is my best friend and strongest mentor.” She shared that she learned early about competition by growing up in a family of nine siblings. “We had only one bathroom. I learned very early to be the first one in line in the morning.” She used humor. She presented facts and figures in a concise and meaningful manner. She quoted Churchill. Eileen is a dynamic speaker because she is passionate and committed, just like Carly Fiorina.

Practical Matters
How does one become such an effective speaker? As with any craft, good speakers must master the basics: Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them what you are telling them and tell them what you have just told them. I have found I am much more willing to listen if the speaker hooks me in immediately by giving me catchy phrasing, an interesting anecdote or a joke that is not cliché but leads to an important point. Hit the key message at the very onset of your speech, such as, “We are at the top of our game. It does not get any better than this, but it can go in a heartbeat! We must become fearless together even with our success. Don’t take it for granted!”

Assume your audience is listening and asking themselves, “So what’s in it for me?” and “Why should I care?” Define your purpose, give facts and figures and, as Churchill advised, “Short words are best ... and the old words when short are best of all.” Keep your speech simple and focused on three to five main bullet points. Finally, in the closing of your speech, tell your audience how the problem will be solved and how this action will make it more beneficial and productive to the overall good of the situation. Ask something of your audience and give them a purpose: “So, how do we stay committed? Work hard, meet challenges and, above all, have fun. Go out there and make us number one.” This is your way of telling them what you want them to do.

Stand and Deliver
Keep in mind, however, that content comprises only 10 percent of the delivery. According to The Oxford Union Guide to Public Speaking, nonverbal communication constitutes approximately 60 percent of delivery, while vocal tonality, pitch, pace and pausing make up 30 percent. The audience retains only 25 percent of what is seen or heard in a presentation. Visuals, such as flip charts or PowerPoint slides, are important because viewers can see and memorize them.

After constructing your effective message, you must practice. Practice makes you spontaneous and more comfortable while speaking. Experiment with the material by rehearsing it out loud, using verbal techniques of pauses, tones and inflections within the voice. I have found that memorizing three key topics and being able to improvise or extemporaneously fill in the body of the speech gives one freedom. I do not suggest that you rehearse in front of a spouse, partner or close companion, in that they might undermine your confidence unintentionally by asking, “Are you going to say it like that?” Do not rely on memory of the text alone. By memorizing the entire speech, you run the risk of letting your nerves take over and flubbing your lines. It is always best to outline a road map of key points, and then expound on those points freely.

Do not rely on memory of the text alone. By memorizing the entire speech, you run the risk of flubbing your lines. It is always best to outline a roadmap of key points, and then expound on those points freely.

By practicing and actually giving speeches from time to time, you will develop your own style. Your delivery must be your unique rate and pace of speech. Great speakers may influence you, but you must be authentic. Believe in yourself and commit to your material with a strong emotional investment. I tell clients that one way to connect with your audience is to command their attention by standing in front of the group and thinking to yourself as you speak: “I have something important to say! I want you to hear this!”

While emotions are crucial, most speakers do not focus on relaxation. I reiterate this fundamental in public speaking: breathe. When I tell a client to take three deep breaths before speaking publicly, it seems like an imposition. It is essential to focus on breathing before and during the delivery; this relieves tension and makes you more comfortable. I cannot stress enough the need for good body language, posture, gestures, movement and, especially, strong eye contact. I always pick out someone in the audience with whom I make good eye contact; this also gives me confidence. Once I have that inner security of making such a connection, I am able to move my focus to more members of the audience and deliver the speech with a sense of stability.

Whether we admit it or not, physical appearance is also vital. As you stand before an audience, you will be judged on how you look within 15 to 30 seconds. The perfect choice in your tie or blouse can make a big difference in the way people perceive you. We have all seen those dress-for-success gurus on morning talk shows. Well, there is truth to all of that; it does matter how you look. And how you look contributes in a big way to how you feel and the authority you project.

Remember that your performance is cyclical. You, the speaker, are motivated by your commitment and personal belief in your message. You send the message to the audience. The audience receives the message and relates it to their experience. They respond and react to your message and feed that response back to you, the speaker. This is the way you connect and know how effective you are. Talk to the audience, not at them. Finally, do not be afraid of the basics of public speaking: stand straight, knees bent slightly, shoulders back, arms relaxed at the side, head on straight, anchor yourself with one specific person in the audience with whom you connect, then breathe. Connect. Unclench your fists and let the speech take you there.