Be Careful What You Speak

Former Senate Republican leader Trent Lott learned how important it is to be careful what you say in a speech. In what seemed to be simply complimentary remarks at the celebration of Strom Thurmond’s one hundredth birthday, he made what he called "winging it" comments, praising the 1948 presidential bid of segregationist candidate Thurmond. The furor in the aftermath of the speech made him resign his post as Senate Republican leader.

The wrong words in a speech can affect your credibility and destroy any positive impact the speech might have had. How can we avoid having to apologize for what we say? How can we be sure that what we say in a speech will increase our credibility and insure acceptance of our content?

First, never "wing it" as Lott said he did. In a public speaking situation, there is no place for speaking without thinking first of what you are going to say. Even if you are not supposed to speak publicly at an event, consider any remote possibility that you might be called upon to "say a few words" and be prepared to do so if the occasion should arise. This is especially true when you are a part of ceremonial events where various ones might be called upon to toast the person or affirm the promotion or birthday. If because of your position you might be asked to say a few words, have a "stock" story or comment that you can use in an impromptu situation. Then you will have confidence that the audience will accept what you say. Even with comedians, few "ad libs" are without forethought and often have been used many times before in similar situations.

Second, consider carefully your audience. There may be a segment of the group which might be sensitive to an issue that you address. For example, if you have older people in the room, be careful about what you say concerning retirement or leisure time or growing old. Check out words or phrases you may use which have more than one meaning and could offend a segment of the audience. The word "conservative" has many connotations and you want to make sure the audience understands your meaning if you use that word.

Third, practice what you plan to say. Though in most situations you don’t want to memorize or write down exactly what you plan to say, you do want to practice out loud the content of your speech. Doing so will help you avoid "slips of the tongue" in the actual speaking situation. Remember: if you don’t practice what you plan to say, then the actual speaking situation becomes a practice session, and there is too much at stake when you speak in public to let that happen. By practicing you can identify the way you explain or refer to something and make changes if a word or phrase does not come out with the meaning or emphasis you want the idea to have.

You will not have to apologize for the content of your speech if you have given careful consideration to what you plan to say. Take a little more time before the speech to incorporate the above principles; by not having to retract or apologize for what you said, you will avoid embarrassment and wasted time afterwards. Far better to say something instantly forgettable than to say something negatively memorable! 

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Speaking Tip: Observe Your Audience

Yogi Berra once said, "You can observe a lot just by watching." Observing an audience before you speak can really help gauge the attitude and atmosphere of the situation.

First, if the front rows are filled, you can usually anticipate an enthusiastic audience; if not, you may have to spend time in the opening creating a positive attitude about you and the topic.

Second, if you arrived as they just finished eating, observe if they had a heavy dessert such as cheesecake or apple pie. If so, you may have a lethargic group initially. Generate enthusiasm in your opening to wake them back up.

Third, if the audience is divided into cliques according to department or occupation, there will be challenges in uniting the group to respond to you instead of each other. If people do not know each other well (you can usually tell this by the amount of laughter and talking going on among the tables or rows), you will have an easier time in getting the audience to act as one in responding to your message.

Fourth, if the chair or introducer has a rough time settling the audience down for your speech, you will need to work harder at getting their attention and keeping it since they are easily distracted and are pretty high strung.

Finally, seek a sense of the level of formality of the group. Because of the casual way they are dressed, or the easy manner the group seems to have sitting in chairs or at tables, you may be more informal in your language; perhaps you would take off a jacket or feel more comfortable moving into the audience at special times in your presentation.

Certainly, you want to do a thorough job in evaluating and analyzing your audience before you arrive at your speaking location. However, being a careful observer before you speak can help adapt even more specifically as you deliver your presentation.

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