C2.1 Talks

Hello again! I have a thing for "classic" TED talks, because they always show us how much can go into constructing a persuasive and engaging presentation: a mixture of strategies and details whose end result, however, looks deceptively simple. And the thing is, maybe it looks so simple because it is simple? Granted, there are many ingredients to a successful mix, but each one of those ingredients is simple enough that it can be grasped and understood by the audience--who wants a complex, muddled idea? We want to be inspired, and inspiration usually comes in a flash. A flash of simplicity. What is not simple, I will admit, is the cooking. It takes a lot of ingredients with a very clear purpose to produce a really good talk. But each one of the ingredients, taken one by one, are usually simple enough that we can replicate them. The ingredient I want to tell you about today is contrast . Maybe the word simple is sometimes not the most accurate one to describe what's...

Hi again! When we establish a goal like "I want to become a better public speaker", it is inevitable to set a certain standard, usually with the help of models. This is exactly what we are attempting to do here in this blog. But this begs the question of who we consider to be a good speaker, and what are a speaker's strengths and weaknesses. And that is an issue where we may encounter some surprises and some food for thought. There are innumerable ways of engaging an audience, and sometimes, what we might have deemed a flaw may become a vehicle for the audience to empathise and engage with the most human (and humane) part of ourselves. Being vulnerable on stage can be a great strategy if our vulnerability is something the audience can relate to. In this talk, singer Megan Washington exposes herself with an unexpected confession: while she's used to being on stage singing, standing in front of others and uttering just a few words is utterly terrifying to her. ...