Many speeches have a serious tone …but is it possible to drive a point home with a light touch? I think so. Seth Goldin gives a funny, and informative speech here on the concept of “broken”. The speech is hilarious, he uses visuals brilliantly, but what I think is most interesting is the sly way Mr. Goldin makes the listener contemplate what is “broken” and what is not.

Mr. Golden starts with a great attention getter, he has recently received a series of rebate cards, four of them to be exact, worth $30 a piece. Of course, he can’t use any of them effectively. He makes the choice to bring the cards on stage, and uses them as a type of prop, flipping through them as he tells his story, and then, bang, he throws them at the audience and states: “broken”.

The word “broken” is used repetitively; he riffs off of it, showing slides of ridiculous ad campaigns, and useless signage in order to make his point. With each slide Mr. Golden gets a laugh, and then uses this laugh as cover for some more serious questions: Why are useless ad campaigns designed? What are the reasons for ineptitude? What is “broken” and what is not?

If I had to quible a bit with this speech, I would say that Mr. Golden apologises a bit too much. There is never a reason to state “I am winging it” in a speech. Luckily he has charisma to burn, and pulls this off…but I would not try it at home.

So what do you think? Can you make a great speech, and keep it light?

Jeffrey Davis is the owner of Speak Clear Communications. He is a public speaking coach and accent reduction coach in Manhattan.

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