I've finally found the exception to the rule that Power Point is a bad tool for preparing speeches, delivering speeches, and reading them afterwards.  Most speakers misuse PP as speaker notes, to the detriment of their speaking style, and to the horror of the audience.  But Garr Reynolds proves that PP (or its equivalent) can be used by an artist to create something very special:  http://www.publicspeakingforgeeks.com/2008/07/18/the-brain-rules-for-presentations/. 

Amazingly, this presentation is 131 slides and yet I guarantee that you'll tear through them all right to the end.  All hail Garr!

Reynolds presents a very engaging, witty slide show on John Medina's new book, Brain Rules.  The book consists of 12 rules your brain runs by, and it's stuff you need to know, especially if you're a student of the craft of presenting. 

Of course, Garr focuses on one rule primarily, the one that says that your brain learns best visually, so indulge it.  But another one that caught my eye is equally important for speakers and their audiences.  Medina says that audiences don't like to be passive — they find it boring. 

Amen, brother.  So, what do you do?  How do you engage your audience? 

Following are 7 ways to engage audiences that I have found gets them active and using their own energy to take what you say and make it their own.

1.  Get them to tell stories about who they are (in relation to your topic). 

2.  Ask them to brainstorm a problem or a solution.

3.  Get them to play games (and award prizes).

4.  Ask them to report to the group (on something you've asked them to think about, or discover, or learn).

5.  Ask them to teach others (the fastest way to ensure that an audience learns something well).

6.  Get them to design responses (to some challenge or problem you've set for them).

7.  Ask them to design a path forward (imagine what you'd want them to be doing back at their offices once the speech is over, and get them to start that activity now). 

If you're not already doing any of these things in your speeches, you're not allowing the audience to be anything but passive.  That's bad.  Turn them loose!  Get active with your audience.  The burst of energy will at first alarm you, then thrill you once you learn how to channel it successfully.  And your audiences will reward you with a vastly better reception.