“Treat your friends like your paintings – Put them in the best light.”
– Anonymous
While most people speak to an audience, I allow the audience to watch TV. Excellent speaking uses visualization. When I tell a story, I will paint a series of pictures. Painting pictures for the audience happens by looking over the audience's head near the ceiling. When you do this, it gives the audience the chance to try and visualize what you are describing. Let me give you a couple of examples.
I will give you my words first. Then I will provide them with again but also describe proper eye contact strategies.
I went to a beautiful place. I will never forget the moment. I came around a bend in the trail I was walking and saw a waterfall. It probably dropped 50 feet. It took my breath away. There were flowers, trees with fruit, and I felt at peace.
I will now put in the eye contact. Notice the underline and bold. That is where I want the audience to visualize.
(Looking at the audience) I went to a beautiful place. (Pan) I will never forget the moment. (Look at another individual) I came around a bend in the trail I was walking (Look up towards the ceiling) and saw a waterfall. (Look back at an audience member) It probably dropped 50 feet. (pan) It took my breath away. (Look back at the ceiling) There were flowers, trees with fruit (look at the audience), and I felt at peace.
The brilliance behind this technique is that every audience member sees what they want to see. You could ask your audience individually questions like, ―What colors were the flowers? Each would describe this beautiful place in the way most appealing to them. That is the power of visualization.
Just as the rate of your voice affects timing and your audience's understanding when you tell a story, you can help paint the picture of the story to your audience with your eye contact, or lack thereof. If you are engaging your audience with your eyes, you are not allowing them to turn their eyes off and visualize the story in their minds. For example, if I am telling a story about General Patton. “I’d heard Patton was coming to speak to the troops today. I remember being in line and seeing his truck pull up. You know, Patton himself walked right up to me and said, (At this point, break your eye contact away from the audience and look up or down slightly, and visualize Patton standing directly in front of you.) You know, son, I’m proud of your service.‘ (reengage the audience) I’ve never felt so proud in my entire life.
When we look away from the audience, it gives them permission to disengage their eyes from us and daydream about what we are saying. No matter the content of your story, if you look away in this manner as you story-tell, they will paint vivid pictures of something they want to see. Whether it is a story of a lost dog or an anecdote about the importance of family, disengaging from your audience is essential to take them on this mental journey. Besides, if you do not visualize it, they will not either. You must disengage to give yourself time to picture the words you are saying.
Once you master this technique, you are well on your way to learning storytelling!
Watch Tom Coffing; The Speech Doctor tells a story about one of the best moments of his life.
Watch the video:
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