{"id":1462,"date":"2023-10-11T14:13:54","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T14:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/?p=1462"},"modified":"2023-10-11T14:26:54","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T14:26:54","slug":"speaker-get-the-audience-onside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/news\/speaker-get-the-audience-onside\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get the audience on your side as a speaker"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1462\" class=\"elementor elementor-1462\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"ob-is-breaking-bad elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5cf663b3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5cf663b3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ob_bbad_use_it&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_bbad_sssic_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_glider_is_slider&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-22dac2b4\" data-id=\"22dac2b4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ob_bbad_is_stalker&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_teleporter_use&quot;:false,&quot;_ob_column_hoveranimator&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_column_has_pseudo&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40e0d023 ob-has-background-overlay elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"40e0d023\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ob_photomorph_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_perspektive_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_poopart_use&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_shadough_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_allow_hoveranimator&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_widget_stalker_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 25-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Public-Speaking1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1463\" alt=\"An expectant audience waiting for the speaker\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Public-Speaking1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Public-Speaking1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Public-Speaking1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Public-Speaking1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Public-Speaking1-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"ob-is-breaking-bad elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8475cc1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8475cc1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;_ob_bbad_use_it&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_bbad_sssic_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_glider_is_slider&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a11482d\" data-id=\"5a11482d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_ob_bbad_is_stalker&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_teleporter_use&quot;:false,&quot;_ob_column_hoveranimator&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_column_has_pseudo&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48448282 ob-harakiri-inherit ob-has-background-overlay elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"48448282\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ob_use_harakiri&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_harakiri_writing_mode&quot;:&quot;inherit&quot;,&quot;_ob_harakiri_text_clip&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;_ob_perspektive_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_poopart_use&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_shadough_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_allow_hoveranimator&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_widget_stalker_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 25-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How to get the audience on your side as a speaker<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-53d8d43 ob-harakiri-inherit ob-has-background-overlay elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"53d8d43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ob_use_harakiri&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_harakiri_writing_mode&quot;:&quot;inherit&quot;,&quot;_ob_postman_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_perspektive_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_poopart_use&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;_ob_shadough_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_allow_hoveranimator&quot;:&quot;no&quot;,&quot;_ob_widget_stalker_use&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 25-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p id=\"ember1509\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">As a speaker, one thing that you really want is for the audience to want to hear what you&#8217;ve got to say.<\/p><p id=\"ember1510\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">But what if you&#8217;re nervous?<\/p><p id=\"ember1511\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">What if you&#8217;re worried the audience doesn&#8217;t really care?<\/p><p id=\"ember1512\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">Here&#8217;s the start of two speeches, and how they both got the audience onside:<\/p><p id=\"ember1514\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">On 5th June 2008, Harry Potter author JK Rowling was invited to give the commencement address to the graduates at Harvard University. The commencement ceremony is where approximately 32,000 students celebrate their graduation, and that\u2019s not to mention the many thousands more friends, family members, and university staff that are also in attendance. Many try and avoid the crowds by watching on big screens.<\/p><p id=\"ember1515\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">This was how JK Rowling opened:<\/p><p id=\"ember1516\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>\u201cPresident Faust, members of the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers, members of the faculty, proud parents, and above all, graduates.<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1517\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>The first thing I would like to say is \u2018thank you\u2019.<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1518\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>Not only has Harvard given me an extraordinary honour &#8211; but the weeks of fear and nausea I have endured at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight. A win-win situation. Now all I have to do is take deep breaths, squint at the red banners, and convince myself that I am at the world\u2019s largest Gryffindor reunion.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1519\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">A few months after JK Rowling stood before the crowd at Harvard, yours truly gave a short talk to a group of local entrepreneurs and business people at a golf club in Bushey, Hertfordshire. There were about 20 people in the room \u2013 some of whom were indifferent to the fact that I was speaking to them that day, while the rest actively didn\u2019t want to listen at all. Yes, the realities of working with some networking groups\u2026<\/p><p id=\"ember1520\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">This was how I opened:<\/p><p id=\"ember1521\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>\u201cFood shopping in our household has got a lot more hit and miss recently. Where once I would browse the supermarket shelves safe in the knowledge that what I picked up for dinner would be not only eaten but also welcomed, life has changed in the 13 weeks since Hannah became pregnant. A typical exchange goes something along these lines:<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1522\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>\u2018What would you like for dinner this evening love?\u2019<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1523\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>\u2018Oh I don\u2019t know \u2013 get anything that looks nice.\u2019<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1524\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>\u2018Okay.\u2019<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1525\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\"><em>Returning home with my carefully selected meal, I\u2019m invariably greeted with \u2018I can\u2019t stomach the thought of that!\u2019, before trudging back to the shop to have another go.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p id=\"ember1526\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">Two different speeches in two very different situations \u2013 but linked by one common thread. In both cases, the speaker got the audience onside very quickly.<\/p><p id=\"ember1527\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">Watch JK Rowling\u2019s talk on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wHGqp8lz36c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>: you hear the laughter start when she mentions the fear and nausea she\u2019s endured \u2013 and then there\u2019s a big laugh as she talks about losing weight. More laughter and cheering comes when she makes the joke about the Gryffindor convention.<\/p><p id=\"ember1528\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">JK Rowling successfully gets the audience onside \u2013 even for someone as famous as her, it\u2019s clear that she\u2019s nervous about the speech (and let\u2019s face it, it\u2019s ok to feel nervous with a crowd of more than 70,000 people!). She does this by getting them laughing, and taking the situation away from the moment to talk about something most people think about on a regular basis (losing weight).<\/p><p id=\"ember1529\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">I\u2019m afraid my talk doesn\u2019t have 5.8 million views on YouTube (at the time of writing) \u2013 it wasn\u2019t even filmed at all. You\u2019ll have to take my word on the fact that they were an awkward crowd \u2013 but again, the opening of the talk brought them onside.<\/p><p id=\"ember1530\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">Here was I, talking about food shopping (not what they expected to hear), as well as the fact that I\u2019d told them I was going to become a Dad soon. The former everyone could empathise with, and the latter \u2013 most had experienced that situation too. So they started listening.<\/p><p id=\"ember1531\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">They were expecting me to tell them something that they needed to do. But it\u2019s very difficult to give instructions to a group of entrepreneurs. Think about it \u2013 these are people that don\u2019t work for someone else. They like control of their own destiny. They don\u2019t like being told what to do.<\/p><p id=\"ember1532\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">So if I wanted to get through to them, I needed to grab their attention, and get them empathising with what I was saying. I could then use that as an analogy for that I really wanted to say (I was focusing on the importance of being specific when networking).<\/p><p id=\"ember1533\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">So what about you?<\/p><p id=\"ember1534\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">How do you get the audience onside when you&#8217;re doing a talk?<\/p><p id=\"ember1535\" class=\"ember-view reader-content-blocks__paragraph\">Using humour, empathy, and surprise are just some of the ways to do it &#8211; but however big or scary the audience are, showing some of your human side is a good way to start.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to get the audience on your side as a speaker As a speaker, one thing that you really want is for the audience to want to hear what you&#8217;ve got to say. But what if you&#8217;re nervous? What if you&#8217;re worried the audience doesn&#8217;t really care? Here&#8217;s the start of two speeches, and how [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1463,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[31,29,32,28,30],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1462"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1467,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462\/revisions\/1467"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unnaturalsuccess.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}