Despite being an avid public speaker who has been speaking for 20+ years, this was the first year that I gave a lightning talk.
The reason it had taken me so long to embrace lightning talks is because I had scoffed at the thought of them. I perceived them as the type of talk you’re asked to give when the event kinda wants you as a speaker, but they are essentially trying to “squeeze you in”. I also figured that people giving them were those who didn’t want to do a long talk, because of the time involved in preparing it and the amount of information they needed to develop.
However, it wasn’t until I was asked to give one this year that I truly understood the power they have on improving you as a speaker.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with lightning talks, there is a multitude of styles, the most popular being PechuKucha and Ignite. The format is a limited amount of time usually 5–7 minutes and the slides auto-advance.
Time Is On Your Side
You have 5–7 minutes, which means you have barely enough time to scratch the surface on a given topic. However, it’s all about using it effectively.
So just like being long-winded in writing, the same rules apply in speaking.
To speak effectively for 5–7 minutes you have to get to the point quickly. This forces you to spend more time thinking about each part of your talk.
When you tell a story, it’s got to pique interest quickly (within 30–60 seconds).
You have to pick 1–2 main points to focus on.
Then dive into each with enough detail to leave the audience feeling like they got something out of it, and possibly want to learn more. There is no rule that says you absolutely need to uncover a topic in gory detail.
After all, the purpose of a lightning talk is to be an evocative teaser.
Develop A Cadence
My preferred cadence is to tease the audience with a thought then show the slide, or show the slide and immediately launch into an explanation.
To me, slides enhance the experience of a talk. They are meant to complement what I’m saying, and heighten the audience’s emotional response.
But the first time I practiced for my lightning talk I was having a really hard time with the slides auto-advancing.
I kept having to cut myself off mid-sentence, if I didn’t I would spill over to the next slide. I didn’t like the effect it had. It made me feel sloppy.
Sloppy is OK when you’re a new speaker.
Sloppy ain’t OK when you’ve been speaking for 20+ years.
I had to be better.
My solution was to use a countdown timer, and when there were 5 seconds left, I needed to wrap up a thought, pause, and then get ready for the next slide.
This forced me to be even more precise.
Memorizing, Improvising, and Incorporating Your Style
A lightning talk tempts you to memorize to get every word in.
However, I’m used to practicing from an outline. I have a sense of what my sentences are going to be, but I don’t like to memorize.
The reason I don’t memorize is because then I’m not present with the audience. I’m thinking about my next line. I want to be as present as possible. I want to react to them. Even if that means giving up a few precious words.
Hence you have to get good at reacting to the audience but keep your reaction concise.
Improvisation is important, but you have to make a split-second decision on what you’re going to say because the next slide is second away!
This takes practice. A lot of practice.
When I practice I record myself on camera to help me see and have my subconscious correct.
Finally, I am all about retaining my usual style of speaking even in a lightning talk, which has a conversational pace and body language that mirrors what I’m saying. It engages audiences while keeping that relaxed.
Lightning talks make people rush. I don’t like rushing. If I’m rushing, then the audience is rushing with me, and I don’t want anyone to feel rushed.
So the final piece is to go back, cut out what is nonessential, include pauses, and incorporate body language that is calming.
Yes, it’s a lot of work, but you’ll know you’ve done it right when audiences tell you that you didn’t miss a beat.
And know you understand why it makes you a better speaker overall.
In case you’re curious, below is a video of a lightning talk I gave earlier this year.
Have you recently given a lightning talk? What did you do to prepare? I’d love to learn from you, so let me know in the comments!Enjoyed this post and want more?
