448 Part 4 Public Speakingdefined a kimono, contrasted different types of kimonos, and then demonstrated
how to get into one and wear it properly. Although her speech was interesting
and her demonstration was effective, in the end we had no idea why we had
listened to it! The problem was that although she competently explained the
historical and cultural significance of the kimono and gave a detailed demon-
stration of the process of designing and wearing one, she did little to make the
audience interested in the subject as a whole. She might have fared better had
she offered some sort of connection between the kimono and the daily lives
of the audience. For example:Think of your favorite article or ensemble of clothing—that one perfect
item or outfit that you just hope you have the occasion to wear. Would
you have worn it ten years ago? Will it still be stylish ten years from now?
Magazine editors and clothing designers like to throw the word time-
less around, claiming that some things—the Armani suit, the little black
dress—will never go out of fashion. But the truth is that style is a fickle
thing, and lapels, hemlines, colors, and waistbands change with the tides.
Today, I’m going to talk about an article of clothing that truly is timeless,
one that is worn by both men and women and has remained largely un-
changed in shape and form for over one thousand years. I’m speaking, of
course, about the traditional garment of Japan, the kimono.Here we’ve piqued people’s interest by asking them first to think about their own
experience—about something they own or wish to own. We then draw them
into our subject, the kimono, by contrasting it with what Westerners tend to
consider “classic” fashion. Such comparisons and personalization of the subject
can help keep the audience interested.Work Your Topic
But what if you can’t change the topic? In many real-world situations, you may
be asked to explain, define, describe, or demonstrate something that strikes you
as boring or irrelevant. A CEO will frequently need to address shareholders with
reports of profits and losses, for example, and spokesper-
sons for government agencies are often required to make
statements about public policies or current events.
In such cases, the speaker must find the relevance of
the subject and establish it for the audience quickly and
assertively. If your topic seems somehow disconnected
from your audience, it’s your job to find the relevance.
For example, can you save the audience money or time?
Can you help people do something better or improve
quality? Even if the benefit is not for the short term, will
listening to your speech help them in some way in the
future, once they become parents or graduate students
or homeowners? Unless you present a clear benefit that
people can derive from listening to you, you will not get
or keep their attention.PEOPLE USUALLY
groan at the thought of sit-
ting through a boring soft-
ware presentation, but if the
speaker makes it relevant
to their needs, they might
change their minds. © factoria
singular/Alamy