Why do we place so much more value on our writing and appearance than what we say out loud?
Americans give far more attention to the written word than public speech. While some of our top politicians provide the most egregious example of stumbling, fumbling, inarticulate or crass public speech, they are far from alone in their failure to make arguments in a clear and compelling manner.
The chattering classes are among the worst offenders.
The vast majority of book authors, academics, Substack writers, and my fellow journalists would never dream of publishing anything in print without first asking someone to edit or fact check it.
Most prominent thought leaders gaze into a mirror, brush their hair, and carefully think about what they’re wearing before a live TV show or video recording begins.
But when a podcast record button is switched on, fuggedaboutit! A surprising number of interviewees, and more than a few podcast hosts think they’re just having another casual conversation with friends over a few beers. No preparation needed.
One reason for this has to do with the informality of podcasting. At its best, our medium contains moments of humor, surprise and passion that are missing from formal presentations or rapid fire TV and radio interviews.
But far too often podcast guests take too long to get to the point. They ignore their audience and the imperatives of storytelling. Their arguments are long-winded and repetitive. The jokes and cozy self-congratulations so often heard on podcasts frequently fall flat and belong on the edit room floor.
Many producers, especially celebrities, non-profit foundations, and worthy causes, don’t consider that their followers have a limited amount of time to listen. As a result, many podcast episodes are too long. Frequently no one involved thinks of the need to edit out numerous “ums”, “ahs”, tangents, or tedious remarks that have little or nothing to do with the subject of the conversation.
It’s surprising how many authors who invest many hours on book tours give so little thought to the quality of their speaking. Most labored hard long and hard with their written words. Yet how many of them reach out to their agents or publishers and ask for help with public speaking before giving interviews?
I suspect that the answer is very few.
Every once in a while our team comes across podcast guests who require remarkably little editing, and that is a glorious thing. Former UK politician Rory Stewart, and journalist Amanda Ripley are recent examples.
They speak with discipline, candor and even humor on matters they care deeply about. Both Amanda and Rory come across as thoroughly engaging, authentic guests.
How can be like them?
- Memorize a new key phrases and think of at least three or four short sentences that sum up what you really want to say. The time you spend doing a podcast interview may go by much faster than you think.
- Understand the power of the pause. Instead of tripping over yourself while making an argument , allow a couple of seconds of silence to be your friend. Many of the most proficient public speakers pause mid-sentence to gather their thoughts. The result is that audience leans in to what will be said next.
- Smile as you speak. Having a warm engaging tone can boost your confidence.
- As you prepare for an interview or series of public engagements, listen to the people you admire most. Chances are you can borrow a few speaking tips from them free of charge.
Many of us are genuinely scared of public speaking. Speech coaches and training sessions can certainly help. But remember this consoling fact. In America today the speech bar is low. If you prepare in advance and take public speaking as seriously as any other task, the chances are that you will sound just fine to your audience and out-perform many other guests and panelists.
Journalist and media coach Richard Davies co-hosts and produces two podcasts— “Let’s Find Common Ground” and “How Do We Fix It?”
Here Hear! 