Three Things Standout Speakers "Own"

We've heard public speaking mentors say we must "own the room" if we want to command the audience's attention and hold it to the end of our speech.

That's true. I have seen standout speakers delight, inspire and move their audiences using varying styles and with one thing in common - they all "own the room".

Public speaking mentor Timothy J. Koegel, in his book "The Exceptional Presenter" (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2007), defines "owning the room" as a originally used to describe " an actor who is so completely in character that he walks on stage with total confidence".

Well, "the room" is just one of three things every standout speaker must "own".

Here are the other two:

1. The standout speaker "owns the message"

2. The standout speaker "owns the communication process"

Why "own the message"? It is because audiences expect the speaker to be an authority on what he is telling them. Otherwise, it would be better for them to just read up on the subject matter or google the net to find out what others have already said about it.

We listen to a speaker because, no matter what the subject matter is, at that particular moment, the message is his.

Here are the three elements in a speech or presentation that tells the audience that the speaker truly "owns the message":

1. The speaker "feels" the message. 

    The movements in his  face, voice and body reflect his the importance of what he is saying and that he, himself, believes  it.

2.  The speaker "knows" the subject matter of the message.

    He knows it so well that he can highlight the points that truly matter to the audience, can use simple words to express them, and can present them from the "first person"viewpoint.

3. The speaker "lives" the message.

   He can explain the message using examples from real-life experience, and  enrich the message by injecting his personal insights and viewpoints.

I will share my insights on  "owning the communication process" in the next post.

[Archie Inlong helps speakers "own" the room, the message and the process through workshops or personal coaching. For information, email archie_inlong@yahoo.com]