What in the world does jazz have to do with public speaking?

By Eddie A. Jones, AAC Consultant

One recent early morning I was listening to music, sipping hot coffee, and contemplating the day, specifically thinking about the topic of my next article for County Lines. Some mornings I listen to music, sip coffee and drift off to slumber land in my recliner. But not on this morning.

I was listening to the Beegie Adair Jazz Trio. Jazz is one of my favorite music genres. My mind was actually moving in two directions that morning as I contemplated the topic of my article. I was thinking about the public speaking seminar that had just been held by the Association of Arkansas Counties and about music — jazz in particular. The next thing I knew, being a musician myself, I was tying the two together — thinking about what jazz can teach us about public speaking.

Although I have written articles and given presentations on public speaking many times before, this article will look at public speaking for the county official in a different light.

Back in November AAC conducted a public speaking seminar. Eighty or so county and district officials attended — 80 out of about 1,300 county and district officials. The AAC intends to hold a public speaking seminar occasionally for the benefit of county and district officials.

Why? Because county officials are the voice of county government. Your constituents need to know and understand county government. We need more county officials willing to go to the podium and proclaim the message as the ministers of county government. We need people who can do it eloquently — but in their own way. That’s what jazz is — interpreting a piece of music in your own way, using improvisation.

According to surveys, many people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of snakes. That doesn’t make sense to me. I mean, you don’t see someone walking through the desert, suddenly shouting, “Watch out! A podium!” Picture yourself in a living room having a chat with your friends. You would be relaxed and comfortable talking to them. The same applies when public speaking. You treat them like friends in your living room.

Public speakers live some intense moments in the limelight, on stage or on a panel in front of an audience. And you know what it is to make mistakes. Mistakes can be looked at differently — and are. Some are so terrified of mistakes that it takes all the joy out of the moment. Others just view mistakes as a part of life, while still others believe mistakes are opportunities. If I had let mistakes stop me from speaking, I would have stopped long ago.

Stefon Harris, an accomplished jazz performer on the vibraphone, gave a spirited explanation of what mistakes mean to jazz performers in a talk a few years ago. Harris says, “There are no mistakes in jazz”. You see, jazz is taking the music and giving it your own interpretation — improvisation or “improv” as they call it in the music world. Those of us who live in the public speaking world, including those of you who need to begin or enhance your public speaking, should embrace his attitude. There are no mistakes.

In my studies of speech and public speaking there have been any number of times when I was asked to give an “improv speech” — given a topic and a few minutes to collect my thoughts. Then, get ready, set, go! As soon as you let go of the idea of right and wrong, you start loosening up and getting good at improvisation. The attitude of “there are no mistakes” is liberating for public speakers.

The audience doesn’t know what you haven’t said. So don’t get hung up about getting every word or phrase exactly right according to some text, or to some idea of perfection. Just deliver your message as best you can, with passion, to your audience. In the end, it’s about the audience anyway — not you.

• It’s all about the present. Everyone tells us to be in the moment. Harris says jazz musicians have to be in the moment because there’s so much going on — they are all improvising — you can’t possibly worry about the past or stress about the future. Public speakers (county officials) take note, and focus on the moment.
• Leading is about influence, and influence is about listening. Harris demonstrated the difference between coming into a session and insisting on your musical ideas no matter what anyone else says, and listening. If you listen, then you’re inclined to pull ideas from people around you, and they’re far more likely to follow your lead — with enthusiasm — when the time comes. Public speakers, audiences need the same treatment.
• Good music comes from awareness and acceptance. When you’re playing jazz you’ve got to be aware of your fellow musicians and your audience, and you accept what comes at you so that you can turn it into music. The same attitude helps public speakers deal with the inevitable differences in the setting, the audience, and the moment.

Of course, county officials as public speakers have a road map in their heads about where they want their speeches to go. But if we can relax a little about the precise road we take and allow the moment to dictate direction to us, then, just like a jazz musician, we can find serendipity or value in each unique occasion. And if you have done much public speaking you know each audience is somewhat different.

Let’s go back to what I said a little earlier. Deliver your message as best you can. That’s not a copout phrase to just get up and shoot from the hip. I actually meant, “Do the best you can.” And no one does the best they can without preparation. It was Dale Carnegie, the great trainer of public speaking and interpersonal skills, who said, “Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” Mark Twain said, “It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”

Always know your material. Know more about your subject than you include in your speech or presentation. In other words, over prepare. You may need the additional information for questions that may be asked.

Not only should you know your material, but convey the material in an interesting way so people retain some of what you said. Three ways to do that is use conversational language (it flows better); use humor; and use personal stories. Well-executed humor and stories hold the power to deliver messages in an entertaining fashion. Once you get people laughing — or at least lighten the mood — they’re listening and you can sell your points.

Be sure to start and finish strong. Don’t start with a whimper — a start like the “dead-fish handshake.” Start with a bang! Give the audience something to remember like a startling statistic, an interesting quote, a news headline — something that will get their attention immediately.

End with a memorable conclusion. The conclusion is the final component of your speech or presentation. A speech is structured with an introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The conclusion needs to serve as a review of your message. The audience tends to remember the last words they hear you say, so it is vital that your key message or messages are restated in your conclusion. As you put the final touches on your speech, make sure your presentation comes full circle by relating your conclusion back to your introduction. Tie it together. Close with a visual image of your message. Although your conclusion is short, its significance is important. This is your last chance to drive your message home and leave a lasting impression. Patricia Fripp made this very apropos statement, “The first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds have the most impact in a presentation.”

So what in the world does jazz have to do with public speaking? Well, in addition to what I’ve already mentioned:

• Learn the tune. Don’t just memorize a speech, but really study your subject and consider the possible questions and challenges. That will make it easier for you to be on your toes, think on your feet, and adapt what you say to the situation. If I’m giving a speech or presenting a seminar for which I’ve been given time to prepare, I usually work from a written text to keep me on point. But I can and do stray from that text often to adapt to the audience and any situation that arises in the presentation.
• Listen to the band. If you are playing in a jazz band you must listen to the entire band because everyone is improvising, and you must listen in order to sound like a cohesive band. If you’re on a program with other speakers, listen to what they have to say and refer to it in your talk. If you’re on a panel, try to build on what the others are saying to turn the presentation into a conversation.
• Play with intent. Whatever you say, say it like you mean it. If you speak with conviction, your audience will pay attention. If you sound like you doubt yourself, the audience will doubt you.
• Don’t step on the soloist. When you’re on stage and not speaking, pay attention to the people who are and give them the space to shine. If you’re paying attention, the audience and your fellow speakers will too. I’ll never forget the time in the fall of 1988 when I was on the stage as one of the speakers at a conference. I had not slept well the night before and had driven several hours to arrive at this afternoon meeting. While sitting on stage and listening to a speaker before me — one who had not done a very good job of preparing — I kept falling asleep and almost falling out of my chair. Everyone was watching me instead of listening to the speaker. I was stepping on the soloist. I was young then and apparently not very wise. I should have excused myself from the stage and let the soloist shine (the best he could).
• Have fun and swing! Speaking in public should be fun for you and for your audience. If you’re relaxed and enjoying yourself, your audience will relax and enjoy themselves, and everyone can swing together.

There’s nothing quite like the sound of elegant tickling of the ivories and the accompanying upright bass and drums in a jazz band capturing the warmth of a familiar song, a room filled with close friends and an atmosphere of laughter, conversation and good cheer. That same atmosphere can be created with a good, well-prepared speech.

County and district officials are the voice of county government. It is your job to tell the county government story. The single most important skill you must have to lead is the ability to tell your story — the county story. As author Fred Miller said, “The worst speech you’ll ever give, will be far better than the one you never give.”