With 14 years of experience representing the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding, Member of Parliament Nathan Cullen has accumulated a fair share of knowledge when it comes to public speaking.
So much so that Maclean’s magazine recently named him Top Orator in their annual best-of parliament list. That honour naturally caught the attention of us Nechako Toastmasters who were keen to hear what an MP does to prepare and organize a speech.
His advice was enlightening. Here are some of his tips:
Use mind maps to plan a speech
He says any speech he has ever given began with a mind map and he spends five minutes mapping out the subject of his speech, thinking of any and all angles on the topic that will help him get his point across.
He notes he does this because the human brain works in images and themes, not in a linear way.
A word map allows the mind to wander.
‘We are in the business of telling stories’
A good speech is ultimately a good story in many ways, said Cullen.
He explains that the alternative to ‘storytelling’ in giving a speech would be simply to give a lecture. “I don’t like being lectured,” he said, noting that many don’t either. Incorporating storytelling elements helps keep people’s attention.
The ‘power of not speaking’
Perhaps an unexpected tip from a politician, but Cullen knows that there can often be more power in the silence of your speech than in any word you could choose.
“We are taught not to allow silence,” he said, but silence can punctuate your message and let thoughts settle for your audience.
‘One breath, one thought’
Cullen says that if you can’t summarize a thought in a single breath, it’s a sign you need to give your topic more thought. He points out that if you end up rambling instead of getting to your point, you’re essentially ‘thinking out loud’ rather than making your argument.
‘Speaking starts at your feet’
Body language is an important part of Toastmasters’ learning, and Cullen believes that as well, saying what you do with your feet can betray your nerves or even make you unbalanced. Constant shuffling can be distracting for the audience you’re speaking to.
Be careful with props
Toastmasters have an entire assignment based on using visual aids such as props, but Cullen says they can have a dark side too. For instance holding a piece of paper to read from while you’re nervous can show your shaky hands, or a pen, pointed in the wrong way, can be an aggressive signal even when you don’t mean for it to be.
And the last thing,
Set expectations
Finally, Cullen says to keep up your end of the bargain when it comes to your promises in your speech. By that he means if you ever say “just one more thing…” and end up saying three more things, you’re breaking the trust you have with the audience.
Ultimately, practice does make perfect and for public speaking the bottom line from him is “do it a lot.”
Nechako Toastmasters hold meetings the first and third Thursday of the month, at the Kitimat General Hospital’s multi-purpose room, at 7 pm. See you there!