10 Speaking Practices Everyone Should Master| Dr. Sharla's Tuesday Ten

I used to be a terrible communicator. Incomplete thoughts. Rambling. Unfocused ideas. The problem wasn’t that I lacked expertise or that I didn’t have something to say. The problem was that I had strong ideas that people never fully heard because I didn’t get to the real point fast enough. After years of hearing my mom say, “Would you please just finish a sentence!”, I never imagined I would one day stand before audiences speaking, teaching, and presenting, and certainly never imagined I would be paid to do it.

I couldn’t keep this list at 10, so this week’s Tuesday Ten Eleven is for the leader (or anyone!) who wants to stand confidently before others and leave an impact when they speak. Whether it’s a formal keynote, a casual networking conversation, brief remarks at an event, or delivering a presentation, these ten practices will help you not just speak, but speak well. 

1. Start with why. And I don’t mean Simon Sinek’s book. Before you say a word, be clear about the reason you are about to speak. For big presentations, people often start with slides, but you need to start with purpose. Are you informing, influencing, inspiring, or introducing an idea or concept? Even if you’re just walking around a networking event connecting with others, what’s your why? Are you building a list of potential partners? Do you have a goal of meeting five new people? Purpose should shape what you say and how you say it, so before you say a word, get clear on the why.

   
   

2. Prepare your points. Strong communicators don’t wing things. Even the sharpest of speakers has a clear idea of what they want people to leave with and what they have to say to reach that goal. You don’t have to script every word (I do, but not every strong speaker does), but you do need to know the key ideas you want to communicate. Whether it’s for a professional presentation, a small group talk at church, or a casual networking conversation, prepare three to four key points.  

   
   

3. Speak to your audience, not at them. What matters most to the people in the room?  Great speakers design and deliver their message based on the people in the room – their needs, their pressures, and their realities – not just your expertise. Because nothing is worse than planning a whole presentation that no one remembers. Speak their language, including their values and priorities. Invite them into an experience that was designed just for them. 

     

4. Speak with your audience, not just to them. I just said in #3 that great speakers design and deliver their message based on the people in the room. Delivery matters. Delivery really matters. People remember what they are involved in. When you are speaking, don’t just deliver a talk; engage your audience in a conversation. Ask questions for them to ponder. Give them mental (or even verbal) prompts to respond to. Invite them to “turn and talk” periodically with the person next to them at key points. The best speakers make the people in the room part of the talk.  

   
   

5. Say less. There’s an old hip hop song by Run DMC that says “You talk too much and you never shut up!” This song automatically plays in my head when someone is on a stage or standing in front of me talking…and talking…and talking. And transparently, that used to be me. One day my friend said, “When you think you have to say one more thing – don’t.” Y’all. That changed everything for me. Most people say too much when they are speaking and dilute their impact. What are the two to three big things you need people to understand, remember, or do? Say that. Say it clearly. Say it succinctly.

   
   

6. Change the state. The human brain can only process and hold so much information at once before it stops focusing on one thing and looks for the next thing. When I was a teacher, I would build in state changes every six to seven minutes – we went from sitting to standing, from listening to speaking, from speaking to reading, from reading words to analyzing pictures, or analyzing pictures to singing every few minutes to restart the brain. Great presenters build in these “state changes” that keep the audience’s attention before they have a chance to lose it. Now, I am not suggesting that you create a circus act during your board presentation or keynote address, but, every few minutes, give people space to think, react, or respond to what you’re sharing. Bonus points if those state changes are aligned with the key points you want them to remember. The more they do with what you say, the better it sticks. This doesn’t just work for formal presentations; it is also a powerful tool for casual chats. My default, after a few minutes, is saying, “Walk with me to grab X,” or “Let’s go stand by the window; the view looks great!”  

   
   

7. Appeal to emotion. If you want people to remember you, remember what you say, or take some action as a result of what you’re presenting (and you should!!!), there has to be an emotional appeal. Logic informs, but emotion moves. If people don’t feel connected to what you’re saying, they are unlikely to act on it. Think about the listener. Think about what matters to them. And think about what feelings will move them toward deeper understanding or action. Pull on the range of emotions – hope, anger, joy, possibility, sadness – to pull them into the message you need to deliver.  

   
   

   

8. Show and tell. Heavy on the show. Some of the best speakers use strong images to convey their message. And they couple those strong images with stories. Images create mental imprints, and stories humanize ideas. They help people see themselves in the message. If you want to be memorable, don’t just present data or give information. Present experiences. Remember the saying “image is everything?” And in speaking, images are everything. For a formal presentation, create uncluttered, visually appealing slides that reinforce your ideas. For more casual settings, create the images with words – be descriptive and paint mental pictures that help tell your story. 

   
   

9. Master your energy. Keyword: YOUR. Energy is not about being loud, animated, or entertaining. I am all of the above, but you may not be! That doesn’t mean you can’t be a powerful and impactful speaker. Mastering your energy is about identifying your essence and bringing it fully into your communication. If you’re soft spoken with a calm demeanor, lean into that and own it. If you’re a fireball and really expressive, take folks on an unforgettable journey. Anyone who has ever been in one of my keynotes knows that we are likely to sing (probably something by Beyonce), dance, and quietly reflect. And there will likely be tears. Soft energy can be just as powerful as dynamic energy - when you own it. Know your energy. Own your energy. 

10. Start strong. I’ve learned from more than 20 years of teaching, speaking, and training that you have about 30 seconds to draw your audience in. If you don’t “hook” them by then, you may have lost them for good. So, what will you say to hook them early so they keep listening? After you hook them – with a compelling data point, interesting story, or strong question – give a brief personal introduction (when necessary) to position yourself as an expert, and tell them why they need to listen to you for the next 60 minutes.

    
    

11.  BONUS: Finish stronger.  That same friend who told me to stop talking so much? She also told me one day, “Girl, that dismount was terrible.” She proceeded to give me a score of 2.3 on a 10-point scale! I think she even held up the number like she was judging a gymnastics competition! Lol. That 2.3 wasn’t because I didn’t have a great routine; it was because I didn’t stick the landing. Friend, land the plane. Bring us home. Close out strong. As you end, remember and reconnect to your original purpose, and tell people what to do with what they just heard. Don’t just end the presentation; begin the journey. For a recent talk I did about creating a leadership legacy, I ended with this: “When we started 30 minutes ago, I asked you to think about the person you wanted to be five years from now. Now, I want you to go back to that and identify one catalytic action that will get you there. It can be one of the five strategies I shared with you today, something you heard from a colleague during one of our reflections, or something completely different. Take 30 seconds to think about that, jot it down, then share your action step with the person next to you.” Pause. “Regardless of what your leadership story has been, today is the day your story changes. Today is the day your new leadership legacy begins.” BOOM! 

People won’t remember what you said just because you said it, but they will remember how you made them feel and what you moved them to do. So the next time you step onto a stage or to the front of a room, remember that people want to hear what you have to say. You just have to speak well.

• Which of these practices comes easiest for you? Hardest?

• Think about a recent talk or presentation. Based on these tips, what would you have done differently?

• What would change for you – personally or professionally – if you were to become a stronger communicator?

This week's bundle includes the full list and a printable mini-poster to help you level up your leadership resume immediately!

About Me | My name is Sharla Horton, and I am a speaker, strategist, and leadership expert. I help people work well, lead well, and live well. My work centers on one central conviction: when people expand their sense of possibility and lead with purpose, courage, and joy, meaningful and lasting transformation becomes not only achievable, but inevitable.

Through inspiring keynote addresses, thoughtful team retreats, and engaging professional learning experiences, I guide leaders, teams, and organizations across sectors and industries to reclaim their joy and take bold, transformative action in their personal and professional lives. With a career spanning education, nonprofit leadership, organizational strategy, and culture change, I bring deep expertise and strategic clarity to my work and blend it with emotional intelligence, humor, transparency, and an undeniable and contagious energy to create empowering and impactful experiences that audiences remember long after the moment ends.

If this week’s Tuesday Ten resonates, I’d love for you to share it with your team, organization, or community. Let’s connect!

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