SimonSinekisnaturallyshyanddoesn’tlikespeakingtocrowds.Atpartieshesayshehidesaloneinthecornerordoesn’tevenshowupinthefirstplace.Heprefersthelatter.Yetwithsome22millionvideoviewsunderhisbelttheoptimisticethnographeralsohappenstobethethirdmost-watchedTEDTalkspresenterofalltime.

Sinek’sunlikelysuccessasbothaninspirationalspeakerandabestsellingauthorisn’tjustdumbluck.It’stheresultoffearsfacedanderasedtrialanderrorandtirelesspracticeonandoffstage.Herearehissecretsfordeliveringspeechesthatinspireinformandentertain.

Don’ttalkrightaway.

Sineksaysyoushouldnevertalkasyouwalkoutonstage.“Alotofpeoplestarttalkingrightawayandit’soutofnerves”Sineksays.“Thatcommunicatesalittlebitofinsecurityandfear.”

Insteadquietlywalkoutonstage.Thentakeadeepbreathfindyourplacewaitafewsecondsandbegin.“Iknowitsoundslongandtediousanditfeelsexcruciatinglyawkwardwhenyoudoit”Sineksays“butitshowstheaudienceyou’retotallyconfidentandinchargeofthesituation.”

Showuptogivenottotake.

Oftenpeoplegivepresentationstosellproductsorideastogetpeopletofollowthemonsocialmediabuytheirbooksorevenjusttolikethem.Sinekcallsthesekindsofspeakers“takers”andhesaysaudiencescanseethroughthesepeoplerightaway.Andwhentheydotheydisengage.

“Wearehighlysocialanimals”saysSinek.“Evenatadistanceonstagewecantellifyou’reagiveroratakerandpeoplearemorelikelytotrustagiver—aspeakerthatgivesthemvaluethatteachesthemsomethingnewthatinspiresthem—thanataker.”

Speakunusuallyslowly.

Whenyougetnervousit’snotjustyourheartbeatthatquickens.Yourwordsalsotendtospeedup.LuckilySineksaysaudiencesaremorepatientandforgivingthanweknow.

“Theywantyoutosucceeduptherebutthemoreyourushthemoreyouturnthemoff”hesays.“Ifyoujustgoquietforamomentandtakealongdeepbreaththey’llwaitforyou.It’skindofamazing.”

Turnnervousnessintoexcitement.

SineklearnedthistrickfromwatchingtheOlympics.AfewyearsagohenoticedthatreportersinterviewingOlympicathletesbeforeandaftercompeting