Communication is all about ‘Creating a connect’. In Public Speaking, it is about one person trying to ‘connect‘ with hundreds of people before him/her. Each person in the audience maybe from a different background, upbringing and mindset, yet as a public speaker you endeavour to connect with each of them- the task is certainly arduous, but not impossible.

Now the question is – “How Do I create a connect with my audience?”- is there a magic formula or a pill that can solve this challenge?  If there was one, everybody would be swallowing it!

The Human mind- the way people think, their likes-dislikes, perceptions and analysis are way beyond comprehension. Each person has a reason to like someone and also a reason to dislike someone too. The endeavour however is to see that a majority of your audience like you for who you are, because you need to be ‘likeable to be winnable!’. As much as each person is unique and different, we all have commonalities that bind us together. It is about establishing common ground that makes all the difference.

A few aspects that can be adhered to while preparing and delivering a speech to establish a connect are mentioned below:

• Be Genuine: – It is ultimately the ‘sincerity element’ that sells on stage. You can have amazing English, diction and style, but if the audience feels that you’re not being yourself, they will never connect with you. On the contrary, there are many instances where I have come across genuine souls speaking their heart out on stage, in broken English without any sophistication, only to receive a standing ovation at the end of their speech. This happens, because people connect with the person for who he or she is ! The vibes you exude on stage matter!

• Personalisation: – A speech without personal examples or perspective lacks credibility. The audience love to hear your journey, experiences and learnings, rather than listen to data googled out from various sources. Many may think – “Why would someone be interested in my boring life?” Contrary to such beliefs, the audience is always curious to know about the speaker’s life. In many ways it helps establish common ground and relatability. Therefore, never shy away from sharing your personal stories and perspectives

• Vulnerability: – The most challenging facet for a speaker on stage is to be vulnerable- vulnerable enough to speak of one’s struggles and failures, vulnerable enough to let the world know of your weaknesses, vulnerable enough to let the audience know that despite your achievements you’re flawed and continue to be ‘work in progress’. People don’t connect with resumes, but the struggle, pain and toil that goes behind it!

• Emotions: – Most powerful speeches appeal to the right brain. In order to create a connect, it is important to bring the underlying emotion of your speech to the fore. More often a speech which addresses the above 3 pointers, will generally have a strong underlying emotion and help create a connect!

In order to create a connect, what one needs to do is to stick to the above fundamentals or basics, the impact or connect it creates with the audience is a by-product of your sincere and honest effort!