{"id":22119,"date":"2024-09-20T22:07:19","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T22:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/?p=22119"},"modified":"2024-09-23T15:21:10","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T15:21:10","slug":"communication-techniques-for-public-speakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/communication-techniques-for-public-speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Communication Lessons from Jill Bolte Taylor\u2019s &#8220;Stroke of Insight&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On December 10, 1996, brain researcher Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor suffered a massive stroke. This near-death experience allowed her to study the communication tools of her brain\u2019s two hemispheres and their role in how she perceived herself and the surrounding world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having survived the ordeal, she recounted her experience in vivid detail, creating one of the most popular TED talks of all time. She paints a vivid picture of the incident, while delivering a masterclass in communication techniques for public speakers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s dive into why Dr. Taylor\u2019s \u201cStroke of Insight\u201d speech works so well, and what it teaches us about communication.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mYD7Y9CXeUw\" width=\"780\" height=\"438\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Embrace Duality<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c\u2026our hemispheres think about different things, they care about different things, and, dare I say, they have very different personalities.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having created a context for her speech in her introduction, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor uses a real human brain to demonstrate the separation of the two hemispheres. She aims to feed her audience a sequence of vivid images throughout the speech, and the unusual prop immediately makes an impression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The duality of the brain\u2019s physical structure means we use our left hemispheres to process language, organize our lives, and store information about the past we may use to predict the future. The right hemisphere deals with creativity, emotions, and our connections to the world surrounding us. It makes us one with other humans, ignorant of what defines us as individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Taylor\u2019s stroke silenced her left hemisphere. Void of structure and logic, her thinking was overwhelmed by her sensory perception of the present moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In her speech, she details the feeling of losing her sense of self, evoking auditory, tactile, and visual sensations. This enables the audience to imagine the experience as accurately as possible, reliving it with her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effective communication caters to both hemispheres. <\/span><b>Combine structure with emotional appeal to drive home your message while touching the soul.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h2>Visualize<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAnd because I could no longer identify the boundaries of my body, I felt enormous and expansive.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Great communicators create vivid imagery in the minds of their listeners. Dr. Taylor knows how to engage an audience with storytelling. Her gestures, body language, and choice of words convey an intense sensory experience to her audience, leaving everyone visibly captivated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having lost the function of her <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4874870\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">left brain hemisphere<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, she experienced reality through a collage of sensations, detached from the notion of self. She describes this mental state, focusing on details like the effort required to contract individual muscles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c\u2026the atoms and molecules of my arm blended with the atoms and molecules of the wall.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The imagery she conveys is akin to watching a high-budget documentary on the physiological effects of strokes. Her repetitions add drama and suspense to the story. These visual storytelling techniques intensify the emotional impact of her message.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Use vivid imagery and detailed sensory descriptions to engage the imagination and emotions.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Use Silence<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cTotal silence. At first, I was shocked to find myself inside of a silent mind.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skilled communicators understand the power of silence. Emotionally and intellectually engaging speeches convey messages more effectively when interspersed with moments of silence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silence allows you to:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lend your speech rhythm<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grant your audience time to digest information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide a respite and allow time for reflection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intensify suspense and build anticipation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improve confidence in your delivery<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhance your emotional tone<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reinforce engagement\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The silence Dr. Taylor experienced when her left brain hemisphere shut down gave her a unique perspective of her existence. With the self-focused chatter of her brain paused, freed from a lifetime\u2019s worth of emotional baggage, she felt freedom and euphoria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><center><br \/>\n<iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mYD7Y9CXeUw?si=eUNH7GautAmsh7mx&amp;start=570&amp;end=602\" width=\"780\" height=\"438\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/center>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Use strategic moments of silence to increase the dramatic impact of your speech.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Speak from the Heart<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAnd in that moment, I knew I was no longer the choreographer of my life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Taylor\u2019s stroke journey was unique and extreme, but it was also universally relatable, because it could happen to anyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having returned from the other side of a near-death experience and having analyzed it with a brain specialist\u2019s eyes, she has quite a story to tell us. Add to that her emotional vulnerability, her fears, and the awe she felt, and you\u2019ll understand why the audience can\u2019t look away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/psychology\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.629654\/full\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authenticity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> captivates. Genuine, relatable emotions trigger empathy. When Dr. Taylor describes feeling like a \u201cgenie liberated from her bottle\u201d as she was about to die, we all place ourselves in her shoes. And the raw authenticity of the experience may even leave us with a sense of awe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Express genuine emotions; let it all hang out.<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<h2>Leverage Choices<\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWe have the power to choose, moment by moment, who and how we want to be in the world.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proposing a choice to the audience is an effective communication strategy. It adds an element of interactivity, which increases engagement. Additionally, a call to action summarizes your message and gives the audience something to do to fulfill the promise of the message.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Taylor uses the concept of choice to empower the audience, inspiring a sense of control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22121\" src=\"http:\/\/mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1.png\" alt=\"quote by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor\" width=\"780\" height=\"780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-1-50x50.png 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>She juxtaposes the serenity of the right brain hemisphere with the logical nature of the left one, calling for people to connect with their inner peace.<\/p>\n<p><b>Give your audience a choice, and give them something to do next<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways for Communicators<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use balanced messages to engage both hemispheres of the brain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Speak to the heart, as well as the mind.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Paint a vivid picture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Visualization and imagery enhance the impact of your stories, making them more memorable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use silence to deepen your connections<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Silence is a powerful <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/book\/44517\/chapter-abstract\/376504892\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rhetorical tool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It allows the audience to reflect and build anticipation, deepening the emotional impact.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Be authentic in your emotions. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make yourself vulnerable, which significantly enhances trust.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Empower your audience through choices. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choices engage, empower, and prime people for action.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p>Media Shower can help you create marketing communications that resonate with both the heart and mind. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/user\/free_trial\">Start your free trial<\/a> of our award-winning marketing platform.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor\u2019s Stroke of Insight TED speech provides a wealth of lessons in oration, demonstrating many communication techniques for public speakers. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":22120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[459],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22119"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22119"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22127,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22119\/revisions\/22127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediashower.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}