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In Part One of How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech, I discussed Step One: Defining Your Core Message. Defining your core message is the first step of Phase One - Strategic Design.
In this article, I'll briefly discuss two of the steps in Phase Two -Creative Development. This is where you allow your imagination to run free as you brainstorm and choose which elements will make up your dynamite speech.
Here's a hypothetical situation. A high level executive is asked to relocate and assume the leadership of a regional office. He must craft a speech to deliver to his new employees. The speech needs to accomplish these three objectives:
• to introduce himself and his background
• to communicate his vision
• to inspire confidence in his leadership
Would you agree that he needs a dynamite speech? A speech that not only conveys information, but conveys hope? This executive needs a speech that goes beyond content, to true connection. He has one golden opportunity to make a positive first impression.
The fact is, some speeches are more important than others. Some represent a prime opportunity to make an impression that will lead to a promotion or a big sale. Others are critically important because they are an opportunity to communicate a vision or a change in direction.
Would you be ready to take full advantage of such an opportunity? Would you know what to do?
Our hypothetical executive needs to start with some creative brainstorming.
For many years, I've referred to myself as an obsessive creative. I have more creative ideas and solutions than time to implement them. My challenge is getting organized. I used to think that everyone was creative, but now I know that creativity is not hard wired into everyone equally. A Dynamite Speech needs to be an auditory, visual and kinesthetic experience, so it is essential that you learn how to be creative, if that is not a natural talent for you. It needs to be logical and easy to follow, too, so you need to learn to be organized, as well.
Step 6: Start Your Search Engines, is all about making creative and innovative choices. While you may use an internet search engine as part of your research, the search engine I want you to rely on most is your amazing brain. In this step, I want to show you how to unleash the power of your creative right brain.
There are Six Steps to the Creative Process.
1. Ask
2. Listen
3. Transcribe
4. Decipher
5. Organize
6. Write
Do you notice that organize and write come last? That's because the creative process is first and foremost a non-linear process. It has to do with asking questions such as, "What do I want people to know about me?" or, "How do I want people to feel at the end of my speech?" and then listening for and being aware of all of the answers that come up.
Sitting at a computer and making Power Point slides is usually more of an organizing process than a creative process. Creativity takes time. When you're working on a speech, you should start weeks before the event. Write down six or seven questions that you want to answer. Here are some examples of questions you might ask yourself:
• What's my main point?
• What are my supporting points?
• How can I reach my audience emotionally?
• How will I get a laugh or two?
• What story or stories do I want to tell?
• What data has to be conveyed?
• What do I want my audience to know about me?
As you ask these questions, listen for all of the answers that come up. Don't edit. Just listen, and transcribe them all onto paper. Allow all of the answers to percolate to the surface as your creative right brain does its work. If you know how, you can use Mind Mapping here.
Remember, a dynamite speech is an experience, not a boring lecture or a recitation of facts and content. Think auditory, visual and kinesthetic. What will it sound like, look like and feel like? After you have transcribed lots of ideas, then and only then, do you move forward to decipher, organize and write. In the first part of the Creative Process, you use your creative right-brain, and later you use your linear left-brain. You'll have to get the Dynamite Speech System to learn more about the last three steps of the Creative Process!
Consider the opportunity facing the executive in our hypothetical situation. If he steps in front of his new employees and fails to connect with them on an emotional as well as an intellectual level, their first impression of him may be false or unfavorable. He may be a great guy with a wonderful personality, but the opportunity to communicate that may be lost.
Step 7 of the 21 Steps is: Pick Your Pieces. This is where you decide what content delivery methods you'll use to communicate the ideas that you've decided on in Step 6. This is where most speeches fall short.
Far too many speakers throw together dense PowerPoint slides at the eleventh hour. The slides are often an outline of speaking points devoid of spirit or energy. Then the speaker dims the lights and reads the slides like a seventh grader. That's not a speech. It's an insult to an audience's intelligence and a waste of their most valuable commodity - their time.
If you follow my approach in Step 7, your speech will be creative, innovative and funny. You'll connect with the different learning styles of your diverse audience, and have more fun delivering your message, as well.
A content delivery method is the way you communicate your content. The following are a few options:
• Stories
• Quotes
• Book references
• Metaphors and analogies
• Case studies
• Demonstrations
• Audience interaction
By choosing a variety of content delivery methods, rather than simply talking, your speech will be dynamic rather than static. You'll move from one learning modality to the next, and thereby keep your audience's attention. Your stories will provide emotional stimulation and give you opportunities to get a few laughs. References from best selling books will provide credibility to reinforce your core message and supporting points. Quotes will add spice and provide you with transitions from one point to the next.
The next time you are presented with a prime opportunity to speak, don't hit the panic button and run for your PowerPoint program! Stop. Take a deep breath. Help is available, and you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Take some time to do some creative brainstorming. Ask, listen and transcribe. After you have unleashed tons of ideas, decipher, organize and write. Then explore what content delivery method you'll use to convey each of the ideas you've chosen. Use variety and you're on your way to a dynamite speech.
In this article, I'll briefly discuss two of the steps in Phase Two -Creative Development. This is where you allow your imagination to run free as you brainstorm and choose which elements will make up your dynamite speech.
Here's a hypothetical situation. A high level executive is asked to relocate and assume the leadership of a regional office. He must craft a speech to deliver to his new employees. The speech needs to accomplish these three objectives:
• to introduce himself and his background
• to communicate his vision
• to inspire confidence in his leadership
Would you agree that he needs a dynamite speech? A speech that not only conveys information, but conveys hope? This executive needs a speech that goes beyond content, to true connection. He has one golden opportunity to make a positive first impression.
The fact is, some speeches are more important than others. Some represent a prime opportunity to make an impression that will lead to a promotion or a big sale. Others are critically important because they are an opportunity to communicate a vision or a change in direction.
Would you be ready to take full advantage of such an opportunity? Would you know what to do?
Our hypothetical executive needs to start with some creative brainstorming.
For many years, I've referred to myself as an obsessive creative. I have more creative ideas and solutions than time to implement them. My challenge is getting organized. I used to think that everyone was creative, but now I know that creativity is not hard wired into everyone equally. A Dynamite Speech needs to be an auditory, visual and kinesthetic experience, so it is essential that you learn how to be creative, if that is not a natural talent for you. It needs to be logical and easy to follow, too, so you need to learn to be organized, as well.
Step 6: Start Your Search Engines, is all about making creative and innovative choices. While you may use an internet search engine as part of your research, the search engine I want you to rely on most is your amazing brain. In this step, I want to show you how to unleash the power of your creative right brain.
There are Six Steps to the Creative Process.
1. Ask
2. Listen
3. Transcribe
4. Decipher
5. Organize
6. Write
Do you notice that organize and write come last? That's because the creative process is first and foremost a non-linear process. It has to do with asking questions such as, "What do I want people to know about me?" or, "How do I want people to feel at the end of my speech?" and then listening for and being aware of all of the answers that come up.
Sitting at a computer and making Power Point slides is usually more of an organizing process than a creative process. Creativity takes time. When you're working on a speech, you should start weeks before the event. Write down six or seven questions that you want to answer. Here are some examples of questions you might ask yourself:
• What's my main point?
• What are my supporting points?
• How can I reach my audience emotionally?
• How will I get a laugh or two?
• What story or stories do I want to tell?
• What data has to be conveyed?
• What do I want my audience to know about me?
As you ask these questions, listen for all of the answers that come up. Don't edit. Just listen, and transcribe them all onto paper. Allow all of the answers to percolate to the surface as your creative right brain does its work. If you know how, you can use Mind Mapping here.
Remember, a dynamite speech is an experience, not a boring lecture or a recitation of facts and content. Think auditory, visual and kinesthetic. What will it sound like, look like and feel like? After you have transcribed lots of ideas, then and only then, do you move forward to decipher, organize and write. In the first part of the Creative Process, you use your creative right-brain, and later you use your linear left-brain. You'll have to get the Dynamite Speech System to learn more about the last three steps of the Creative Process!
Consider the opportunity facing the executive in our hypothetical situation. If he steps in front of his new employees and fails to connect with them on an emotional as well as an intellectual level, their first impression of him may be false or unfavorable. He may be a great guy with a wonderful personality, but the opportunity to communicate that may be lost.
Step 7 of the 21 Steps is: Pick Your Pieces. This is where you decide what content delivery methods you'll use to communicate the ideas that you've decided on in Step 6. This is where most speeches fall short.
Far too many speakers throw together dense PowerPoint slides at the eleventh hour. The slides are often an outline of speaking points devoid of spirit or energy. Then the speaker dims the lights and reads the slides like a seventh grader. That's not a speech. It's an insult to an audience's intelligence and a waste of their most valuable commodity - their time.
If you follow my approach in Step 7, your speech will be creative, innovative and funny. You'll connect with the different learning styles of your diverse audience, and have more fun delivering your message, as well.
A content delivery method is the way you communicate your content. The following are a few options:
• Stories
• Quotes
• Book references
• Metaphors and analogies
• Case studies
• Demonstrations
• Audience interaction
By choosing a variety of content delivery methods, rather than simply talking, your speech will be dynamic rather than static. You'll move from one learning modality to the next, and thereby keep your audience's attention. Your stories will provide emotional stimulation and give you opportunities to get a few laughs. References from best selling books will provide credibility to reinforce your core message and supporting points. Quotes will add spice and provide you with transitions from one point to the next.
The next time you are presented with a prime opportunity to speak, don't hit the panic button and run for your PowerPoint program! Stop. Take a deep breath. Help is available, and you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Take some time to do some creative brainstorming. Ask, listen and transcribe. After you have unleashed tons of ideas, decipher, organize and write. Then explore what content delivery method you'll use to convey each of the ideas you've chosen. Use variety and you're on your way to a dynamite speech.