I was trying on new eyeglass frames similar to my old ones, but I feared radically changing my looks. Then it occurred to me that I was evaluating frames based on my personal opinion. What if I tried an audience-centered approach?
As I was the only customer in the shop at that time, I asked the three saleswomen to work together to help me look good. They liked the idea and soon agreed on a pair. I tried them on. What a difference!
“Sold,” I said.
I received more compliments on my new glasses than for any previous pair. Instead of assuming I could determine which frames looked best on me, I consulted with people who knew current fashion and who could evaluate the frames on me better than I could by looking in a mirror without my own corrective lenses.
This chapter discusses the importance of topical and audience research. It also considers the problem of information overload as well as the joy of topical revelation. Research can help us find the best information for serving specific neighbors.
Consult Topical Authorities
When I asked the saleswomen to give me eyeglass advice, I was seeking expert opinions. They taught me what to look for in terms of my facial features, skin complexion, hair color, and head shape. I was amazed.
As servant speakers, we normally have to conduct topical research because we are not authorities. Topical experts might include individuals and organizations dedicated to being informed about a subject. Their solid information could include such sources as books, lectures, periodicals, research journals, video recordings, podcasts, and specialized websites.
Our goal in consulting topical authorities is to become educated enough that we can speak knowledgeably beyond just our personal opinion and experience. Even if we already know a lot about a topic, we need to consult authorities to validate our assumptions and identify credible sources to use in our speech.
Consider Knowledge Gaps
How long should an entry-level résumé be? One page, right? Not necessarily. When I was giving presentations on résumé writing for college students and recent graduates, I researched all the articles on the topic in scholarly journals. I also interviewed résumé-writing experts, including the heads of human resources departments. I eventually wrote a book on writing résumés.
Among other things, I discovered that it was not necessary to limit a résumé to one page. Many technical fields welcome longer résumés that include related university course content, projects, papers, and presentations. Also, most authorities say that extracurricular and nonpaid work experience such as volunteering and cross-cultural travel are worth including on résumés, even if they require two pages. My one-page assumption was erroneous. Research proved me wrong.
Know Personal Biases
Never underestimate the power of personal biases, which I address from several angles in this book. We all believe many untrue things.
We live in the midst of misinformation (unintentionally erroneous information) and disinformation (intentionally erroneous information). Many websites and blogs disseminate unproven knowledge. We all fall victim to confirmation bias—seeking and believing information that confirms our existing assumptions about a topic. This is why we should not finalize our MAIN IDEA until conducting adequate research. We might be telling ourselves just what we want to hear, not what is accurate.
Whatever topic we eventually adopt for a speech, we have to become knowledgeable. Otherwise we too might spread false or misleading information.
If I were giving a speech today on résumé length for recent university graduates, my informative MAIN IDEA might be: “Research shows that it is advantageous to use a two-page résumé when the type of job and the extent of our extracurricular and life experiences warrant it.” My MAIN IDEA could be refined for a persuasive speech (e.g., to change my audience’s largely negative assumptions about using two-page résumés).
Moreover, I would quote some specific authorities who surveyed employers and published the results in respected publications. I would expect that my audience might not believe my word alone. After all, the one-page résumé bias is widely held and taught.
Refine and Change Topics
When we research a topic, we almost always discover unexpected insights. In fact, if we have not discovered anything new, we probably have not adequately researched our topic. Topical research is like digging into the Greek or Hebrew text to understand a Bible passage. We will be surprised.
Two common results from our speech research are (1) topical overload, or far too much information on a topic for us to deal with, and (2) topical revelations, or unexpected truths about a topic that might even challenge our assumptions.
When we search the internet for topics like résumé writing or stress reduction, we will be overwhelmed with information. Even just trying to figure out who the authorities are is challenging. This is not all bad. We want to make sure we are casting a wide enough net so we do not overlook essential information.
We need to refine our topic enough that we can become well informed—both for the speech and the follow-up Q&A. The earlier we conduct research in our speech-preparation process, the better. Our speech needs to be narrow and specific.
Gain Aha Insights
Often, boring speeches are the ones that merely tell the audience what it already knows about a topic. They lack new and interesting insights.
As servant speakers, we look to offer the unexpected. We aim for an “aha moment” (Wow, I didn’t know that!) that will gain audience attention and keep the audience interested (Tell me more!). The point is to be insightful, not gimmicky. Such unexpected speech content can be a revelation to the audience.
One young man’s speech to other university students started like this: “I’m a shy guy. I hate asking women out in person. So I decided to learn how and when to do it effectively using text messaging. Here’s what I discovered.”
He had four main points, all of which he tested out: (1) don’t text the request late at night (too creepy), (2) never ask specifically for a date (too forward), (3) suggest meeting for coffee or dessert at a public place off campus (for privacy from nosy and gossipy students), and (4) say that she can bring a friend if she wants to (she will not, but it gives her the option if she is uncomfortable). They all struck me as aha moments. The Q&A discussion was wonderful.
SERVANT SPEAKING TIP
Write down your aha moments: those times when you run across information that challenges your assumptions.
Perhaps the most audience-engaging aha moment I regularly offer in speeches is an expression from ancient monasteries: “Speak only if you can improve upon the silence.” I always hear immediate audience responses to that single sentence—typically a chorus of soft laughter.
Then I say something like this: “Imagine if politicians lived by that rule!” The audience erupts. That aha moment sets me up to answer a question: “How can we determine when our own speech is better than our silence?”
The eyeglass experts revealed to me how to match frames to facial features. I had naively assumed that if the frames looked good to me in a two-dimensional mirror, I had done my research. They taught me that other people will perceive my glasses differently than I will and that I should not depend too much on my own viewpoint.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Checklist for Topical Research
How can we know if a fact or idea we discover in our research would actually be an aha moment for our audience? We can test it with a few people who represent our likely audience. Even just bringing it up in conversation can help us determine potential audience interest.
I aim for two or three aha moments in each speech. When I speak informally with audience members after the Q&A, they nearly always tell me that they “really liked” those particular points. We all appreciate learning something new, especially if it is counterintuitive but does not fundamentally challenge our existing beliefs.
Assess Recent Information
We often serve our neighbors by offering a fresh perspective on a proven topic of interest. It is not always easy to offer something fresh about a stale topic, and we might find that we have to be very careful about using the latest research.
Suppose we are going to give a persuasive speech about a new weight-loss diet. We discover current research about using nutritional ketosis to lose weight and fight type 2 diabetes. The basic idea is to eat more “good” fat while drastically reducing carbohydrate intake with only moderate protein. Our MAIN IDEA would defy everyday assumptions about the value of consuming low-fat products. It would be an aha moment for most listeners. But would they believe us? Should they?
We would have to be very careful about our research on this topic. Moreover, as medical researchers continue their work, they might discover that such diets have other problems. We ought to indicate that our findings are new and not completely proven—but worth consideration.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Checklist for Audience Adaptation
Conduct Audience Research
Another form of research in speech preparation focuses on our likely audience. To whom will we be speaking? What do we need to know about the audience in order to settle on a topic, compose a MAIN IDEA and outline, and adapt our speech to serve the particular group? We also need to know what our audience already thinks and believes about our topic—its assumptions and biases.
If we cannot talk directly with likely members of our audience, we can learn from representative members of the audience—people who are like our audience.
When I speak in chapel and classes on various university campuses, I prefer to arrive a day early so I can chat with people. I nearly always spend time at a campus café, introducing myself to some students and asking them confidentially what students are thinking and talking about on campus. I then borrow some of those themes for my speaking, using examples that will fit with my overall speech. In other words, I fine-tune my chapel addresses with local, relevant, audience-related examples derived from firsthand conversations with likely members of my audience.
SERVANT SPEAKING TIP
A good rule of thumb is to do enough audience research to determine the assumptions the audience members likely hold about your topic.
Even if you are going to be speaking to a public-speaking group or class, ask them what they think about your topic and approach. If you know a half-dozen people in the group, send them an email to seek their opinions or ideas. Chances are they will ask your advice about their topics as well. This kind of communication contributes to group trust and makes for more audience-focused speeches.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Checklist for Audience Research
The apostle Paul typically visited churches before he began writing to them. His letters, which were read out loud in churches, referenced many of the relationships he formed through church visits. The visits were his audience research.
When I asked the eyeglass saleswomen to give me feedback, I was using them as representatives of my everyday audience—not just as professionals. Although they were limited demographically—all younger women—they could better represent my eyeglass audience than I could. They worked with male customers. They had to accept returns from unhappy ones. They served me as members of the public as well as authorities on the topic.
Although we often think about public speaking as a one-way presentation, we best serve audiences by conducting our research as informed dialogue. In effect, we aim to join the conversations that are already taking place among members of our likely audiences. Audience research helps us do this.
Use Personal Knowledge
We are usually better off speaking about topics and to neighbors already familiar to us. Thoroughly researching a topic we know little about can be difficult and time consuming. Throwing a big net around a huge, unknown topic can also be frustrating.
When we speak instead on familiar topics, we do not have to burden ourselves with extensive research. Moreover, we can more easily determine audience needs, interests, and likely biases. After all, we can identify with the audience because we are also speaking to ourselves.
In other words, we can consider the needs and interests of those around us, whom we are more familiar with and can more personally serve as our audiences. These might include the needs in our own school, community, or church—even the needs in our own hearts. Then we can think about how we might research such needs, and perhaps offer more immediately helpful insights or even solutions. I find that almost anything that is either delighting or worrying me is also of interest to others.
When I start preparing a new speech for a new audience, I first look for topics that I know about and that the audience would likely be interested in. For instance, I still perform quick online searches using the topic (e.g., “storytelling”) and my audience (e.g., “university students”). I know a fair amount already about using stories to engage students, but I want to make sure that I am familiar with newer theories and research. Then I feel confident that I can serve university students with stories. I deepen my personal knowledge and experience.
Research is a form of listening. To my benefit, I listened to the saleswomen at the eyeglass shop. They taught me about facial aesthetics and served me with an excellent frame selection. We humbly listen to authorities and audiences so we know what we are talking about, what our audience already knows and believes, and eventually how to craft our message.
Research can be overwhelming. But nothing destroys our credibility faster than being ill-informed, let alone wrong. Research can also give us (aha!) insights that make our speeches engaging. When we get enthused about our findings, we gain passion that will make us more compelling servant speakers.
FOR DISCUSSION