The Seven Strategies of Master Presenters - Lifecycle Performance ...

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speaking into a tape recorder, and experiment with different pauses.
Listen to the results and solicit feedback from others. When we teach
the Seven Strategies of Master Presenters or when we coach speakers
individually, we help them learn to pause by silently counting. This is
a relatively simple change, yet the results are astounding.
After you have mastered the pause, the next technique that Brad
was taught by Betty K. Cooper, is the graduated pause. The graduated
pause is used when you are introducing three or more main points
of wisdom. After the first point, you use a one-beat pause; after the
second point of wisdom, you pause for two counts; and after the third
point, you pause for three counts. The net result is to build suspense,
and the suspense builds impact.
Brad: Another vocal technique is to use different volume to emphasize
movement from one topic to another. For example,
in my Master Negotiators presentations, I illustrate building
the world with creative or wasteful solutions by comparing
two airports. The first airport was well planned and well
used. The second was poorly planned and became a white
elephant. I speak about the creative problem-solving that
was behind the first airport in a loud and vibrant tone of voice.
I then say, “You can contrast that with Mirabel [the white
elephant].” However when I say, “You can contrast that
with…” I say it with a much softer tone of voice to emphasize
the contrast with my tone of voice as well as in the words
themselves. In addition, you can also use different voices to
mimic different people speaking about different ideas.
6. Body language, including the use of gestures and movement,
can be an incredibly effective method to signal transitions. For example,
you can use your fingers to reinforce the first, second, and
third points. You can also use different parts of the stage. For example,
you can move to the center of the stage, pause, and deliver
your point of wisdom, conclusion, and so on. If you are talking about
a difference of opinion between two experts in any given field, you
can give expert A’s point of view from center stage left, then give
expert B’s point of view from center stage right, and then move to
center stage forward to give your point of view or to ask a profound
question of the audience.