Why You Need to Break the Rules of Public Speaking

Many people are under the impression that there are sacred rules of public speaking that can never be broken. Don’t talk too fast. Don’t cram too much information into your slides. Use plenty of visuals to engage your audience. While there is certainly some validity to these unofficial rules, there are times when you can toss these public speaking rules out the window. In fact, sometimes the best speakers are the ones who aren’t afraid to break the rules. They break the rules to be more entertaining, to raise the stakes, and to get people to sit up and pay attention. Here are a few rules that you can break in order to deliver a great presentation.

Rule #1: Your speech has to be flawless.

Many presenters think that they have to speak perfectly from beginning to end with zero errors throughout the entire presentation. They work hard to avoid any mistakes and they rehearse over and over until they practically have the entire speech memorized. The problem with this is that it will come across as too rehearsed. Your audience wants to feel like they are having a conversation with you. It’s natural to have a few ums, ahs, or uhs when speaking in normal conversation. Cutting all of that out makes you sound more robotic than authentic. Instead of focusing on perfection, strive for authenticity. 

Rule #2: You can’t let your nerves show.

There are countless tips and tricks for eliminating presentation nerves and we are constantly told to “overcome†them. However, everyone is human and that can be an impossible task. Rather than fretting over trying to appear calm, cool, and collected the entire time, give yourself a break and don’t worry about letting your nerves show a bit. After all, this makes you relatable and authentic. Focus on being passionate about your content and don’t worry so much about playing it cool. 

Rule #3: Use vivid stories to support your points. 

While it’s true that stories are entertaining and can certainly add to your presentation, you also have to be aware of time constraints. Sometimes there simply isn’t time to add in a story. Or it could be that your story wouldn’t resonate with this particular audience. It’s more important to get your point across, even if this comes at the expense of removing stories. 

Rule #4: You need a compelling conclusion. 

It’s been said that a great ending can save a bad speech. However, if you give a great presentation, you don’t have to worry about this! Sure, that inspiring quote or that staggering statistic can be impactful, but you can achieve the same goals by ending with a call to action. If you covered all of the necessary information and gave your audience what they needed, it’s ok to forgo the clincher conclusion.