21 THINGS SKILLED ORATORS NEVER DO
A Checklist for Public Speakers
By Karyn J. Taylor
Ask any group of people what five things they’re most afraid of and you will invariably find “public speaking” near the top of the list. The reason is simple: most people have a very human fear of being “exposed." They share a universal reluctance to be put in a position where others can view, judge, and perhaps criticize them.
But media trainers and speaking coaches all know that there is a simple solution for stage fright: focus on delivering your message, not on what people are thinking of you. After all, you’re on that stage or in that courtroom to persuade, convince, or inspire your audience to take action. And conversely, your audience is there hoping to be
inspired to do so. Thus, shifting focus to your audience is not just a ploy, it's a necessity. And once you're focused on giving your audience what it needs, you’ve long since forgotten about your own discomfort, and you're well into "the zone.”
So the #1 thing a skilled orator never does? Focus on himself. But that's not to say that a good orator ignores what the audience thinks. Au contraire, mon cher. A good orator is attuned to his or her audience. In fact, he/she modulates his/her performance according to the audience’s reaction. But worry about what the audience thinks of his/her looks, clothes, personality, politics, or anything else unrelated to the message to be delivered or the goal to be reached? Never.
And come to think of it, there are a few other things skilled orators never do. A skilled orator never, ever...
#2
Fails to present his/her facts and information in the form of a simple, but compelling story. Why? Because storytelling is integral to the way most people process and understand information.
#3
Forgets that the only way to motivate an audience to take action is to give them an emotionally compelling reason to do so, regardless of whether that action is finding for your client, voting you into office, or pounding the pavement to boost sales.
#4
Forgets that the only emotionally compelling reason that matters to anybody is: “What’s in it for me?” Answer that question in some way in every speech, every time, and you’ll be well on your way to following the likes of Tony Robbins, Gerry Spence, or Dr. Norman Vincent Peale into the pantheon of all time speaking greats!
#5
Forgets that today’s audiences are part of the so-called "Television Generation" and are trained to learn not just orally, but visually. So smart orators use well-designed graphics that help simplify complex material, aid understanding, and boost retention by more than 60% percent.
#6
Tries to cram everything s/he thinks the audience ought to know into one interminably long (and perhaps boring) presentation. The attention span of most people is 18 minutes or less (unless the material is truly riveting), so to be sure your audience is still paying attention, cut presentations into short sections that add up to less than 45 minutes, total.
#7
Fails to avail him or herself of state-of-the-art presentation software that permits the instant display of documents, graphics, photos, or videotape with the click of a mouse or the flick of a light wand.
#8
Uses so many badly designed or virtually meaningless slides or overheads that he/she is upstaged by his or her own presentation (and not in a good way)!
#9
Turns his/her back to the audience while presenting or while pointing to slides on a projection screen.
#10
Uses electronic equipment without having had a “tech run-through" far enough in advance to fix any technical issues or to replace any malfunctioning equipment long before the audience arrives.
#11
Stops mid-sentence (!) to drink water, take notes, speak to technical personnel, or to do anything that stops the flow of information, interrupts the train of thought, or breaks the jury's or the audience's concentration.
#12
Keeps the jury or the audience waiting while he or she shuffles through papers, boxes of exhibits, or handwritten notes. Being disorganized wastes precious time, kills the momentum, annoys the judge, the jury, or the audience, engenders hostility, and undermines credibility.
#13
Speaks in techno-speak that goes right over the jurors' or the audience’s heads. Know your audience and design your presentation accordingly.
#14
Fidgets, jangles pocket change, paces back and forth, or exhibits any other annoying or distracting behavior while "on stage." A presenter should have practiced on videotape (or with a coach) well in advance to eliminate such nervous habits.
#15
#16
Wears anything that draws attention to itself, whether that's an outfit, a suit, a hairdo, a tie, a pair of shoes, a watch, or a piece of jewelry.
Grips the podium like a shipwreck survivor hanging on for dear life.
#17
Takes questions from the audience during Q & A without preparing the answers to anticipated questions well in advance. In court, a skilled trial attorney never designs his or her presentation without building in the answers to the very questions s/he knows the jury will most likely ask during deliberations.
#18
Speaks in a voice too soft or breathy to be heard at the back of the room. The best orators hire voice coaches to improve their speaking voices and techniques.
#19
Reads word-for-word from a prepared script. Reading your speech, Opening Statement, or Closing Argument doesn’t help you get it "right.” It merely telegraphs that you didn't practice in advance, don’t really know your material, and are obviously unprepared!
#20
Begins a speech in an unfamiliar room. If possible, he or she has already visited the location to get his/her bearings and get “comfortable in the space” long before the audience arrives.
#21
Heads into a presentation -– ANY presentation -– planning to “wing it.” He or she has practiced until the pace is perfect, the visual aids pop up like clockwork, and he/she can deliver the presentation with passion and conviction.
So that's what skilled orators never do.
But what do they do, instead? The same thing that any concert pianist, rock star, basketball star, or wannabe star always does:
Practice!
Practice!
Practice!
You want me to tell you something different?
Nope. Not a chance.
(c) 2025 The Strategic Image