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When I got married in 2008, my 9-year-old son stood on his chair and gave a succinct toast that, even putting aside my fatherly pride, was one of the most successful speeches Id ever heard. He introduced himself, made the case for why my wife and I were good people who deserved each other, and wished us well.
Three years later, I was sitting in an auditorium listening to a senior vice president deliver one of the least effective speeches Id ever heard. With nothing more than a jumble of thoughts in his head, he rambled, tossed out ideas as they occurred to him and didnt know when to stop. It was a tortuous hour for his captive audience. The critical difference between these two speakers wasnt age, experience or confidencetypical grounds for distinguishing a strong speaker from a weak oneit was a point. My son had one; my boss boss boss did not.
In my 11 years as a public speaking instructor, 15 years as a competitive public speaker, four years as a university speech team coach and five years as a Toastmaster, Ive seen many people giving speeches, but too few making real points. Most speakers, in fact, confuse a point for a theme, a topic or a title. But a point is different: A point is a contention you can argue, defend and prove with reasoning or data. For example, the point of a speech about unsafe toys isnt unsafe toys. It could be: Parents need to better protect their children from unsafe toys. Similarly, the point of a speech about animal cruelty isnt animal cruelty. It could be: We need stronger animal welfare laws to prevent animal cruelty. Even your Table Topic is stronger when you make a real point: My favorite summer vacation becomes My summer vacation taught me the value of taking risks. Or, The superpower I most want becomes I would use the power of teleportation to make me more efficient.
A point is a contention you can argue, defend and prove with reasoning or data.
So how do you turn a non-point into a point? Start by asking yourself five 簫questions, starting with the most important one.
Do you believe it?
Take the I Believe That test: Place the words I believe that in front of what you think is your point and see if your statement is grammatically correct. If it is indeed a complete thought, youre well on your way to a real point. If not, rewrite the statement until it would satisfy your middle school English teacher. These three words force you to commit to a contention and make an argument for it.
The I Believe That test is not only helpful for speeches; its also useful for emails, job interviews, pitches, performance reviewsany situation in which youre trying to make an impact. Dont just take my word for it. Read these famous I believes and consider what makes them so powerful:
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.Martin Luther King Jr.
I believe that, as long as there is plenty, poverty is evil. Robert F. Kennedy
In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. Anne Frank
Once youve passed this test, proceed to the following questions.
Is it a truism?
If your point is instantly true (Ice cream is delicious.), dig deeper to find a point you can argue. (Soft-serve ice cream is the most convenient summertime dessert.) One way to root out a truism is to follow up the point by asking yourself Why? If its a truism, there wont be much of an answer. It answers itself. Another sign of a strong point is a feasible counterpoint. Can someone reasonably take the opposite point of view? If so, proceed.
Am I jamming too many ideas into my point?
Most of us know less is more, but we also need to understand more is less. If you have multiple thoughts or adjectives to convey, dont jam them into a single point like clowns into a Volkswagen. Pick the most important one, focus on it and bring up the others later, one at a time. It may seem like you add value to your point when you add new words and ideas, but when you throw multiple points at an audience in a single sentence, you actually dilute the impact of each one. The audience is not only forced to split their attention between multiple points, but is left clueless as to which idea is more relevant.
Lets test this. Which of these statements makes a stronger impact?
This approach will improve our productivity, increase our efficiency, reduce our carbon footprint and allow us to expand operations, or This approach will substantially improve our efficiency, enabling us to put more resources into research and development.
If you have multiple thoughts or adjectives to convey, dont jam them into a single point like clowns into a Volkswagen.
The statement with the singular focus clearly packs a stronger and more memorable punch.
Am I using badjectives?
Badjectives are adjectives so broad that they convey no value. Theyre deceptive because they seem to project a clear impression. Who wouldnt want to be connected to something excellent, fantastic, terrific or very good? And of course, theyre very useful on Twitter.
But being so general robs your point of substance. What does it really mean to call something great? What makes it great? The audience has no idea. Using badjectives is like when a Little League簧 baseball or softball coach says, Come on now, Johnnie! versus Keep your eye on the ball as it comes to you, Johnnie! One has no value, but the other makes a substantive point.
Whether you use them in a speech, in an email, in a compliment or even in a Tweet, precise descriptors in your point have a more powerful impact on your audience. So keep digging for words that say what you truly mean.
Can I speak about this for more than a minute?
If you cant make the minimum time for a Table Topic, chances are your response does not have much of a point. Take this very tip, for example. Im already done in less than a minute. The bottom line: Your point is the foundation of your speech. Without one, you have nothing to build on, and youre offering your audience little value. In essence, youre pointless. But armed with a strong point, you present to your audience an idea they can digest, take home and even benefit from. So the next time you convey a thoughtwhether standing on a chair or acting as a chairmandont just describe or discuss it. Make your point, put power behind your words and champion your ideas.
Joel Schwartzberg is a presentation coach; executive communication specialist; and author of The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team and Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter. Follow him on X .
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