The art of rhetoric

Zoom, Teams, and Prezi, with all their interactive features, have invaded our workspace. We are so connected and yet… our over-strained attention span is diluted and the impact of messages no longer seems as strong. How do you generate interest? Online or in person, it is a challenge, and one that comes with its share of stress.

“From Aristotle to Cicero, think of all the orators who could keep their audience glued to their lips for eight hours straight under the hot sun of Rome or Athens,” exclaims Richard. “What has happened in recent years to make us lose that presence?” For the international speaker and author of books on the subject, there is no doubt: we have lost the art of rhetoric.

“When I say ‘inspiring leader’, does an image of a serious manager in front of a table of focused employees come to mind?” he asks. “Or rather someone like Martin Luther King or Obama, capable of raising crowds? Yes! Remember the historic speech, The Audacity of Hope , given by the then unknown man at the Democratic Convention in 2004. Obama then stole the show and established his convictions. He demonstrated his presence, and people trusted him. His authentic words carried, beyond his performance. They had an impact and inspired thousands of people.”

The 3Ps: pause, pace & pitch

Rhetoric is a staging of speech. According to Richard Mulholland, here are the 3 basic Ps to remember to become an ace of presentation, a real showman !

Pause . Knowing how to punctuate your speech with pauses, sometimes so long that they seem like an eternity to the speaker, but which engage the audience to think, and which intrigue when they are placed at the right time. Obama is the master of this.

Pace , or rhythm. Too fast and you will lose attention, too long and you will be bored. Do not keep the same pace throughout your presentation: speed up, slow down, play according to the emotion that presents itself. Make your speech lively!

Pitch , the tone. If it is monotonous, it is sure to put you to sleep. A high-pitched voice is aggressive, while a deep voice can be difficult to grasp. You have to know how to vary, find the right tone and the desired inflection at the right time.

3P bis: Practice, play & perform

Richard’s colleague Kevin Dike, a trainer at Missing Link, also offers a P-formula: “ Speak publicly more: practice, play and perform .” Observe leaders, listen to TED talks, and look for opportunities to put yourself on the spot to test your seduction power. See if your jokes have the desired effect or if they land in awkward silence. Develop your techniques. This will help you gain confidence and self-assurance. “ Learn to deliver ,” Richard shares.

Choose your message carefully

Kevin explains that the message should not just be about you. It must reach the audience: it must have a particular resonance, challenge them, solve a problem. You cannot force a message. " You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink " he illustrates. For the audience to integrate what you are offering them, they must find something for themselves. You must be relevant, useful and provide solutions: " Your audience is the ship. You are the guide bringing them to the lighthouse ".

“Great presentations are written before they are designed and delivered”

Take the time to identify your message, put your thoughts down on paper, find a guideline, remove the superfluous, stay clear and concise… These are all tips that the two speakers put forward. Because any presentation must first and foremost be well-crafted: it must be thought out, structured and written before being visually designed and then delivered. “ Bake a good cake before you put on the frosting ,” Richard jokes. Preparation is essential: “ I love my toys, all the techies that come with Prezis for instance, they animate my presentations, but getting the fundamentals right is essential ,” he explains. (I love my toys, these technical tools that come with Prezi for example, but making sure you master the basics is essential). Structuring your narrative allows you to take your audience by the hand and lead them, step by step, exactly where you want them to go, to this solution that you are putting forward.

“ Your narrative makes an impact, your slides complement that message, and you deliver with conviction ” – Richard Mulholland

Design: tech, emojis, avatars and more!

Here we are: the fun part ! Richard warns us. The jewels of Powerpoint, Prezi or others are the cherry on the sundae. Technologies are used to illustrate, to animate the message, they are not the ones that should capture attention. We must always come back to the presenter. What do the slides do? " They assist and illuminate your narrative, they do not tell the whole story. Carefully crafting a sterling set of slides will ensure your narrative gets cemented in your audience's visual memory ."

Practical advice

Stand & Deliver : Stand when you present, this gives you space to express yourself and gesture.

Eye contact : Maintain eye contact with your audience by raising your screen, sticking your notes close to the camera, and making your tabs smaller and higher up near the camera.

Adjust the light sources in front of you, at 45 degrees so that your face appears in 3D.

And Krisp allows you to mute background noise.