How to enthrall an audience when you speak

As Jan. 26 gets closer — the day I'm giving a speech on how to get what you want at any age or stage of life — e-mails from the event organizers become more frequent.

"What will you need? A screen to show your PowerPoint?" they inquire.

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"No PowerPoint," I write back. "All I need is a lavalier microphone and a podium on the stage. And some water would be nice."

Response: "No PowerPoint?"

"Nope. Just me."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"OK. If you change your mind, let us know."

Exchanges like this make me pause and wonder if something is wrong with me.

During the past 30 years I've given hundreds of speeches. Whether I was presenting to a giant corporation, nonprofit organization, university or professional association, the event planner seemed almost speechless, even distressed, that I would be delivering my message sans PowerPoint.

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Malala Yousafzai's quiet but forceful voice for educating girls was not stilled even after she was shot.(Photo: Andreas Rentz, Getty Images)

Sure, slides make sense if you're presenting a workshop that covers scores of points and detailed processes.

But for a speech intended to inspire, entertain, influence and leave the audience with a few key points to apply to their lives? Why do you need slides?

You've got the speaker live, making eye contact, and at times interacting.

In recent years, I can remember showing only one slide during a speech — a photograph of my dog with his ball that supported a point I was! making about letting people know what you want.

I have tried to impart this "give up your PowerPoint and just give a great speech" philosophy to my clients who sometimes ask me to observe a talk they're giving. They'll bring 100 people together in a room, stand up on a stage and talk while they show slides with bullet points, complete sentences, graphs and statistics.

My feedback: "Do you want your audience to listen to you or read the slides? They can't do both. Do you want them to fall asleep or be inspired?"

It's not that PowerPoint presentations are a bad thing. But for many speakers, they are a crutch.

And for the audience, they become a distraction.

Just look at some of the best speakers. In their annual top 10 list of best communicators, Decker Communications named Nelson Mandela as No. 1.

In this picture provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis engages with his audience, speaking with a child during his three-hour visit Dec. 21, 2013, to Bambino Gesu' pediatric hospital in Rome.(Photo: AP)

No PowerPoint there.

He was an incredible speaker because, as they point out on their blog, he was genuine and sincere. He made people care.

He was the same man behind the podium as he was one-on-one: himself, always smiling, always likable. Decker Communications cites The New York Times, which said, "He shook every hand as if he was discovering a new friend and maintained a twinkle in his eye that said, 'This is fun.' "

Tied with Mandela for first place is Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani 16-year-old who survived an assassination attempt. She is articulate, focused, energetic and inspiring. You can't help but like her. Even without slides.

In third! place is Pope Francis, who uses no PowerPoint but focuses on connecting with people. He exudes humble confidence, which as the blog points out: It's how he is.

In fifth place is Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms, a company that creates shoes based on a casual Argentine design and for every pair sold gives away a pair to an impoverished child. Likeable and down to earth, he uses a few slides in a speech, but they are photographs that support his point.

If you give speeches, consider laying down your PowerPoint. Instead, bring your excitement about your subject, three or four key points and compelling stories to illustrate them.

Most of all, bring yourself.

Toms Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie speaks during the launch of the One For One TOMS eyewear line in 2011 in Santa Monica, Calif.(Photo: Michael Kovac, Getty Images)

2013's 5 best — and worst — communicators

Decker Communications, which coaches senior executives and managers to be good speakers, has five more of the best and worst on its blog.

The best

1. (tie) Nelson Mandela, former South African president; Malala Yousafazi, Pakistani schoolgirl who survived an assassination attempt

2. Dick Costolo, Twitter chief executive

3. Pope Francis

4. Astro Teller, head of Google X

5. Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms shoes and eyewear

A speaking style not to emulate: James Clapper, director of national intelligence(Photo: Jim Watson, Getty Images)

The worst

1. James ! Clapper, ! national intelligence director

2. Paula Deen, celebrity chef

3. (tie) John Boehner, speaker of the House; Harry Reid, Senate majority leader

4. Dennis "Chip" Wilson, Lululemon Athletica founder

5. (tie) Mike Rice, former Rutgers basketball coach; Richie Incognito, Miami Dolphins lineman

Source: Decker Communications

Career consultant Andrea Kay is the author of This Is How To Get Your Next Job: An Inside Look at What Employers Really Want. Reach her at andrea@andreakay.com. Twitter: @AndreaKayCareer.