What a privilege to see Jon Meacham in person.  There were so many things he did as a speaker to captivate his audience.  I will focus on two:  humor and humility.

They occurred within the first two minutes of his speech.

After receiving a glowing introduction, which went on and on, with one notable accomplishment after another, and ending with the title of his most recent book, “The Soul of America,”  Mr. Meacham began his speech.

(Full disclosure. This is not verbatim.  I am telling the essence of the story, even though I am using quotations.”

“Thank you for the wonderful introduction.

“I was walking in the National Mall, when a woman comes rushing up to me  – which doesn’t happen nearly enough.  She said, ‘I love your books.  I’ve read all of them.  I have one in my car nearby.  If I go get it, will you sign it for me?'”

“I was flattered and told her I would.

“A few minutes later, she comes hurrying back to me with “Runaway Jury.”  (John Grisham’s bestseller.)

“My ego deflated, however, I signed it, thanked her, and she walked away.”

Jon Meacham – a celebrated and distinguished presidential biographer –   captured us all with humor and humility.

“Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”
Stephen Keague, The Little Red Handbook of Public Speaking

Mr. Keague is right. I recently worked with the head of Cyber Security for a large corporation, prior to his presentation before the Board of Directors. Together, we re-wrote his speech so that the language was relatable and easy to follow. My client practiced in front of his team; he practiced a couple of times before his boss; and he practiced whenever he had the chance.

The practice paid off. His boss received many compliments, and the interest of the Board was piqued – something that never happened before when the presentations were technical and flat. The Board requested more presentations like this, so that they can have a deeper understanding of his department’s responsibilities.

So, proper planning and preparation produced a professional, polished and poised presentation.

In the San Francisco Bay area, I have many clients whose first language is not English. When I work with them on enhancing their presentation skills, a common fear is either mispronouncing a word, or using the wrong word when explaining a concept.

I know there are some positions where one has to carefully select words, and that being precise is essential.

But, for many of us, I would ask …..is that really what your audiences want from you….to always say the right thing at the right time? To never mispronounce word?

Even if English is our first language, how many of us can achieve that?

Here is my advice.

First –  be kind to yourself; mastering a language is difficult and public speaking can be scary.

Second – try this. When the right word is not coming to you, call it out. Say, “I am searching for a certain word, but it is escaping me.” You might discover that the audience is willing to help you find that word. Or, you can say, “I am not thinking of it, so let’s move on.”

Third – prepare. When practicing, make sure you select words you are comfortable saying.