I’ll never forget the first real job I ever had. At age sixteen, I was an usher at Roth’s Seven Locks Movie Theatre in Potomac, Maryland. I proudly wore my red and black blazer and manned my flashlight like a pro. Leaning on the back wall of the theatre, I also saw a few movies… over and over again.
It was a tremendous experience because after I had my fill of watching a movie, I began to watch the audience. I could only see the back of the heads of those audience members, but they taught me plenty. When there was an intense part of the movie, no one moved a muscle. When the intensity of the movie broke, so did the attention of everyone watching. As if on cue, hundreds of people would simultaneously adjust their seating, reach for popcorn, or stretch. If the movie was a good one, it wouldn’t be long before the audience members would once again be totally engaged and motionless.
The ebb and flow of the action created a rhythm, and the writer and director of each movie calculated and carefully orchestrated that rhythm they wanted you to feel. Too much intensity and you would wear those audience members out. They would grow numb to the message before them and they would lose interest. If there was too little action, you would put everyone to sleep. But the right mix of intensity and relief would thrill those in the audience and they would stay glued to their seats.
That rhythm is also a part of how we communicate. We all try to inject power and energy into the words we speak. If you try to inject that level of intensity into every word you say, it will captivate the people you are speaking to…at first. But in time, you’ll fall flat. The people in the audience will become restless and irritated, and the words that once sounded exciting and melodic will morph into a shriek. Worst of all, the critical points of your message will be lost because no one will know where to find them.
The writers and directors understand what it is they want you to feel through the words and action of their movies. They know what message they want you to remember, and what songs they want you to sing on your way out. When you communicate, you are both the writer and director of your own movie. What is it that you want others to feel and remember when you speak? Once you understand the core of the message you want to get across, there are a number of ways to help others to find it:
- You can slow your voice down to draw people in.
- You can speed your voice up to hold attention.
- You can add emphasis to highlight a point.
- You can add movement to further increase attention.
- You can use a well-placed visual aid to increase retention.
Each of these ideas is a good one, and the combination of ideas makes the delivery even stronger. Beware, however, because too much of any one of these ideas and you’ll find the opposite of the desired effect. When you stop and think about it, it’s a strange irony because it’s hard to imagine that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. The key is to do a little of everything, but don’t overdo any one tactic. As the saying goes…
“Emphasize everything; emphasize nothing.”
Pick your spots, change up your tactics, and next time you step in front of an audience, you’ll get and keep them in the palm of our hand!
Notable and quotable stuff, as usual, Rob. Thanks!
I like that! Now, if I could only get that quotable stuff down and tweet more… Thanks so much for the post!
Rob, this one is one of the best you’ve ever written. Well said my friend!
Neil
Well, I’m going to take that as a huge compliment, because I know you’re not just a reader, but a thought leader as well. All the best to you Neil, and thanks for the post!
Reminds me of the message…”It is not what you say that impresses an individual.. but how you say it.. speed of your voice, choice of words, inflection of your speech, non verbal cues, etc…a lot of moving parts!”
I like that message Stephen, and you bet; there are a lot of moving parts! We learned, “It is not what you say… but how you say it” as kids. I was always surprised when my Dad made me fully aware of that statement. He usually wasn’t too pleased with what I had said at the time. 🙂 Thanks for posting Stephen!
Great observations and suggestions Rob! Rhythm and timing are certainly vital elements in maintaining an audience’s attention and comprehension. I think of how the greatest comedians of our time use exquisite timing to propel their material to greatest effect. Often the words are not funny on their own; it is the timing of the delivery that imparts the humor.
Timing, timing, timing. The great comedians have it, as do the great actors, great musicians, and great communicators for that matter. I think timing is probably the most overlooked, and critical factor when communicating. As I once heard, “It’s not the words, but the spaces between the words that matter most.” Thanks so much for posting David.
In my many years as a trainer I have used these techniques and appreciate Rob bringing it back to my attention. When you develop your speaking style, you will automatically incorporate these if you practice them conscientiously over time! Great advice!
If you are a grizzled veteran training you know this lesson all to well. For some it comes more naturally than for others, but as you say, “if you practice them conscientiously over time,” you can incorporate this lesson. Funny thing; I delivered this BLArticle® to a live audience last week, and was followed by a speaker who delivered a 90 minute keynote. Fiery and charged up, he set a blistering pace for the first 45 minutes. His audience faded, as did he, and he limped through the second half of his audience, worn out, and having lost his audience. Thanks for posting Beverley!
Thank you Rob for the excellent article and concrete instructions for effective communication that can captive the audience! Rhythm is a critical element, indeed.
Rhythm is critical, and like a musician, the more we practice, the less aware we have to become… but the great ones have great rhythm! Thanks so much for posting Hui.
So! Confidence has a rhythm! I’m loving this. It makes so much sense to me…music has always been my “other mother tongue” and I’m so happy to experience another “native speaker”. Makes me feel like I’m “home”.
Yes, confidence has a rhythm, and that rhythm speaks to the audience. It holds that audience’s attention. Your, “other mother tongue,” will be of great value to you when you take to the stage! Thanks for posting Edia.
Rob, if you can learn this much from the backs of people’s heads, you’ve just told us a bit about why you’re as successful as you are–nothing gets past you, and you can mine something that others might just find boring to learn something vital. Great post!
Note to self: be careful if Rob’s watching the back of my head.
This post made me laugh out loud. I’m frequently with friends and clients who get a little nervous around me saying, “Please don’t put this into some BLArticle® of yours!” I guess I make people a little nervous from time-to-time. Yes, in fact symbolically while most watch what’s in front of them, I’m always looking for what others are missing, and that’s usually found by looking for another angle. That’s where the best stories are hiding. Thanks for not only posting, but making me laugh Nancy!
Rob,
Nice blarticle.
Dolly
Nice comment! Glad to have you as a reader Dolly.
And, true to form, Rob, when YOU, it’s just the way you advise us in this Blarticle — in fact, I love to watch and listen to you talking either to a group or one on one. You hit it out of the park — again!
I try to hit them all out of the park, but when I can’t, I’ll take any hit! For the record, Sarah watches me deliver short, five minute talks when I’m in town on Tuesday evenings at a place we both volunteer for called CNM, (Career Network Ministries). It’s a joy and a privilege to try and inspire others who are trying to find work. It’s also a joy and a privilege to work with my other fellow volunteers like Sarah. Thanks for posting my friend.