We are all called on occasionally for a public speech. Why are so few naval officers able speakers? Why can nearly every officer get up before his division or crew and speak forcibly, but is a failure before a small audience of strangers, or even in the mess room on a rather formal occasion?
Lack of practice, study, or even observation are the primary reasons for poor performance. But many do not study or practice because they do not realize the value of being able speakers and think that our opportunities are so infrequent that we cannot afford the time to prepare. How mistaken are these excuses!
The value of being a good public speaker cannot be overestimated. Showing the advancing realization of this fact, it has been noticed lately that nearly every commanding officer has some sort of a book on public speaking on his book shelf. We realize that when we hear a good address by an officer we feel that the speaker is probably an efficient and successful officer without knowing anything else about him. In other words—his good speechmaking impresses us and we hold him in high estimation without knowing what he amounts to professionally. Many years ago at a fleet critique after some big war games, one admiral made a fine impression because of his able presentation of the conduct of his fleet. The opposing admiral had really outmaneuvered his opponent, but the audience could not but sympathize with the defeated admiral because of his effective presentation of his side.
The good impression is not only of value to the officer to enhance his reputation but also it gives the Navy a good boost because the civilian audience and the stranger judge all naval officers by the one they see and hear. If the hearers are impressed, they say our officers must be efficient leaders and they have confidence in us. If we fail in our appearance before them they naturally think that we must all be “flops.” Whether we realize it or not, we are selling ourselves and the Navy every time we speak publicly.
The value of delivering a good speech sometimes shows in other ways. A few years ago a distinguished senator attended the after-dinner speaking exercise of the midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Doubtless the speakers that night were carefully chosen. A few days later the naval appropriation bill was under consideration in the Senate and the Navy was asking to build battleships after years of lapse in this regard. The influential senator took the floor and said that he favored the appropriation for the battleships, not because he knew personally that they were needed, but because the Navy Department officers had asked for them. He mentioned he had visited the Naval Academy the week before and was so impressed with the training, sincerity, determination, and knowledge of the naval officers, that he knew they would not ask for the ships unless the Navy needed them. The Navy got the appropriation, and perhaps through a speech by a midshipman who did not even talk on the subject.
Our opportunities are more frequent than one realizes. Even aboard ship, if we are effective speakers we can do much to train, inspire, instruct, and inform the crew by direct address. The crew likes to “get the dope” direct from the skipper. The civilian audience wants someone to talk to them with authority. We visit at home on leave, or visit abroad, and nearly always we will be called upon for some sort of talk. We visit a port or are on shore duty and receive invitations to speak before the local Rotary Club, University Club, a class at a school or college, a commercial organization or other gathering. We are asked because we are in uniform representing the Navy—not because the the name is Montmorency or Gish. We should be competent to make a passable speech and bring credit to the uniform.
A few pointers can be put forth which will help the busy officer become at least a passable platform talker. Remember first of all that conversational delivery is wanted, and not oratory. Very few of us can ever hope to be orators but we can, with a little study, observation, and practice, acquire some degree of expertness which will hold the attention of the audience. If one keeps attention the speech is successful even if the text is not important.
There are many ways to develop the interest and attention of the listener. Consider why an officer is asked to speak. Of course, sometimes it is only to please a friend, or Aunt Elizabeth, who wants to show us off to her club. But ordinarily we are invited with the purpose to inform, convince, or entertain the audience. Very rarely are we asked to entertain unless we are gifted as was a popular chaplain a few years back who could tell stories so well he had to join the “Skip-Monday” Club and refuse to go out to dinner on Monday nights in order to have one night a week at home. Likewise, we are seldom motivated by the desire to convince the audience. Nearly every time the motive is to give information, and here we are in luck, for it is easiest to talk about a subject of which we are informed—a naval activity. Therefore stick to a subject of which you have firsthand knowledge. If you are an engineer talk about navy engineering—if a gunnery officer, about gunnery.
The language must, of course, be fitted to the audience. You cannot talk about technical engineering to Aunt Elizabeth’s sewing circle, but you can do so to a class at a technical school. If you talk to the American Legion you may use many service terms; a Propeller Club will understand “starboard and port,” but the Kiwanis Club of Kansas City knows more about plowing a straight furrow than sailing a great-circle course. You cannot hold the attention of hearers if they don’t understand you.
Keeping the listeners’ attention is the key to a successful talk. Besides choosing a subject which will attract interest, and about which one has extensive firsthand knowledge, the very arrangement of the talk will hold attention. Everyone pays attention to the point in the long dry sermon when the preacher says “Now in conclusion.” Why not use this device more than once? Divide the talk into three parts and state the three points you are going to make. Even if the listener loses interest in your second point he may pay attention so as not to miss the third. Outline the talk and have it logically and simply arranged.
Certainly you want to get the audience’s attention when you start. Most experienced speakers pause for a number of seconds before uttering a word. This allows the laggard whisperer in the crowd to finish and concentrate on what you have to say. Probably this man is not much interested anyway but is forced to pay attention and let others hear.
Like that man, the large majority of the audience doesn’t have much idea of what you have to offer and, a little bored, is saying to itself—“Ho Hum—what is he going to talk about?” So why not tell them immediately what your subject is and plunge right into it? Begin with an interesting or startling statement—keep their attention. Give them a short text. If you are going to have your talk run along well, like the aviator you must have “contact” from the start. Connect your subject to the audience and start firing immediately. Tell why your subject is important to your hearers and open your attack.
Naturally, if your delivery is in a monotone you may lose the attention of the listener. Hence keep a peppy conversational style and be personal and intimate about it just as if you were talking to one friend in the crowd. A side remark to a friend in the audience or the toastmaster adds to the feeling of intimate contact with the gathering. Advance your spark once in a while but slow down or pause occasionally to lend variety and emphasis to your conversation. A pause after making a point punctuates your sentence and leaves time for the listener’s brain to absorb it. Change your ideas and don’t drag along on one. Present them as briefly as you can to put your point across forcefully. An officer inexperienced in speaking recently attended a father’s day dinner for the football squad of his son’s school. Nearly every father was called upon and a few made quite good responses. The officer spoke one clever sentence and sat down. Afterwards his son told him it was the best speech of all and upon being asked why he thought so, the son replied “It was the shortest.” A long pointless harangue is time wasted. The other extreme is Ensign Mason of “Sighted Sub—Sunk Same” fame who, when introduced to a crowd, said “Hello” and sat down.
There are many tricks to keep attention on what you have to say. Firing a pistol will draw attention, but probably not to your last sentence. Nevertheless you can use props to draw notice to what you are talking about. A map or diagram is often useful. Smaller articles such as your watch, a cigar, your necktie or ring, may be used to illustrate your point. We have heard much about the value of visual aids for instruction and illustration. We want to keep the attention of both the eyes and ears of the audience. Make the listener follow you by saying “This cigar is about the diameter of a 50-caliber bullet.” “This necktie is made of nylon, the same material we now use for powder bags.”
Next to actual props you can use various examples to make your talk colorful and 191 interesting. People like to be told of actual happenings, firsthand experiences, and even well-known things with which they are familiar. You can get down to cases even with a mother-in-law story. But how much more they are attracted when the speaker says “The President told me” or “General MacArthur says.” The hearers like famous names; historical instances; stories of events of which they have read; personal glimpses of actual people.
Best of all to awake the sleeping, is the subtle use of humor. However don’t introduce a funny story just to be humorous. It must be relevant, illustrate your point, and you must tell it well. You should be skillfully casual in approaching it and just as smooth in getting back again to your point. You should have had a purpose in telling the story and the transition back to your main thought must be made purposively and effectively. If your humorous story isn’t appropriate and doesn’t fit the point you are illustrating, leave it out.
Attention is kept if you look at your audience all the time. Pick out one person and direct your talk to him for a moment and then shift to another. If you catch one who shakes his head in disagreement or otherwise attracts your attention why not address him directly—“Now I see you don’t agree” or “Doesn’t it seem to you that.” Your neighbors then are interested and will follow you, as each suspects he may be the next one to have a personal word. You can look at your audience without seeing it. Be sure you look and see.
Attention gone wrong is distraction. Avoid all the distraction you can. If a large spider dangles over your head, or a bat is flying around the room, the audience is distracted beyond your control. You can prevent distraction in many ways.
Never distract from your talk by apologizing. Some officers still think it clever to start out with the trite “Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking.” This or anything similar is unnecessary. The audience soon knows whether you can talk or not. Any other apology as to lack of preparation, etc., is also out of place. Do the best you can without going on the defense and thus getting “behind the eight ball.”
If you proceed with a flowery, flattering, or insincere talk the audience is distracted and bored. If you don’t have something worthwhile to say or a point to make, don’t try to talk. If you do have an idea to impress upon your hearers, don’t suddenly spoil it by stopping with “That’s all I have to say.” That kills off every good impression you may have made. If there is nothing better in closing, repeat the punch sentence of your idea, thus emphasizing it and keeping it in their minds.
You can provoke distraction in your audience by “distr-actions”—your actions which detract from your words. For instance, if you run around the platform, “wash” your hands or gesture too violently, the audience watches you instead of listens. If you keep your hands in your pockets, lean heavily on a chair, grasp a desk tightly for support, scratch your head or nose frequently, sway or teeter, you are indulging in “distr-actions.” Therefore stand at ease, relaxed, and be moderate in your movements.
Nothing bores so much as the reading of a set speech in a monotone. If you are an expert and can put conversational inflections and variety into your talk it may be read. A radio speech is delivered from manuscript, principally on account of the necessity for exact timing. For radio speaking, remember the microphone exaggerates poor diction, lisps, the sound of your breathing, and the rustling of papers.
If a speech is important it may be written out in full, but for delivery it is better to underline the key word or sentence in each paragraph and use the manuscript only for outline. You may memorize a little but don’t try to memorize a whole address. If you must read it, rehearse it many times and have a great familarity with the copy. The best way is to have notes or a brief outline on a card you can hold in your hand. Thus you may keep contact with your audience, you are conversational, and you don’t omit important points. Some one has said that the best speeches are made on the way home when you remember what you omitted. Avoid this by having notes.
A specialty we should study is after-dinner speaking. In nearly every case the mission is to entertain more than to inform. However, both can be accomplished, because people like to learn while laughing. The after-dinner talk must be humorous, and should not be lecture style. People are there to enjoy themselves and you must help them do it.
Another specialty is the speech of introduction. In no case should you use stilted phrases, or the commonplace “We have with us tonight.” Don’t describe too much what the speaker is to say—he may fool you. Don’t be too flattering or wordy about the speaker’s qualifications—you may embarrass him. You should be brief— not over forty seconds. Take a tip from the prize fight announcer. He is brief and to the point, but he tells why, who, and lastly the name. Make the name the last word and don’t turn away from the audience before it is out of your mouth.
We can improve ourselves by practice, study, and observation. Practice in the wardroom, with a messmate to criticize, is valuable. Perhaps friend wife will give a few candid hints when you rehearse at home. Everyone of us can get something out of one of the modern books now available on the subject. Public speaking is important enough to the individual officer and to the Navy for each one of us to try to improve in it.