Why do some speakers stand out over others? Why are some memorable and some…not so much? Why do some speakers look so effortless and personable when they’re on stage?

In short, what ACTUALLY makes a great speaker?

I bet you wouldn’t believe me if I said personality has nothing to do with it. If you’re extroverted, shy, loud, awkward — it doesn’t matter. What makes a great speaker is perspective…and your ability to see the world through the eyes of other people.

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The problem with “and” vs. “or”

Before we dive into what makes a great speaker, I need to set the stage (ha) with a quick story.

My word for the year is “and.” Which sounds a bit silly, right? Look up other common words of the year and they’re all inspiring and powerful like “bloom,” “adventure,” or “journey.” Mine, on the other hand, barely feels or looks like a word in comparison!

However, I’d argue that “and” is one word more of us could use. To be more specific, in place of the word “or.” It feels like we fixate on “or” so much more than we need to.

It’s you or me. You’re either right or wrong. You have to be strategic or creative. Are you a left brain or a right brain?

But replace each “or” with an “and” and see what happens. Your perspective shifts. It’s no longer about division, one side vs. the other. You’ve got you and me. Left and right brain. Right and wrong. And heck, why not appetizers and dessert?

My point is, you don’t have to be one way or the other in order to be a great speaker. You only have to keep an open mind and see things from a perspective other than yours.

Start with empathy

What does perspective have to do with being a great speaker? Everything.

You can’t make an impact with your presentation if you can’t put yourself in your audience’s shoes. What are their pain points? Their hopes? Their dreams and goals? Where are they in their lives right now and how can you meet them there?

If you’re rooted in your perspective and yours alone, you’ll never be able to design and deliver a talk with . Not to mention a talk that converts for your business. You have to start with your audience and have empathy for them if you want to be a great speaker.

Look at your story from your audience’s perspective

Let’s talk about how you can use empathy to design an incredible presentation.

First, think about where your audience is right now.

What do they know about your topic or subject matter?
What are they struggling with right now?
What do they want to accomplish?
How are they feeling?

Then, think about where your audience will be after your presentation.

What transformation will I have provided?
What new information will they have?
What action will they take next?
How will they feel?

Now you know the endpoints of your audience’s journey, but it’s your job to connect the dots through your presentation. Think of yourself as a guide, helping them understand how everything fits together. I have a great podcast episode about how to craft a presentation that will walk you through this in more detail.

If this feels hard, it’s because it can be! You’re very close to your subject matter because it’s your story. You gotta take a step back and look at your work from your audience’s eyes. Again…empathy.

Preparation and performance, plus perspective

When it comes to being a great speaker, I’d narrow it down to three things: perspective and preparation and performance.

You have to start with your audience’s perspective in order to craft an effortless, impactful talk. You need to be prepared to deliver your presentation with ease so that people will remember your time on stage (for good reasons).

And finally, your talk is still a performance! You’ve written it and practiced it and structured everything with intention, but you still gotta get on that stage and deliver a fantastic talk. This is what’ll take you from a decent or good speaker to a great one.

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