Chapter 15: Speaking to Inform: Structure and Strategy

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It's amazing how much of what we do each day, especially when we're working with other people, just comes down to explaining things well.

It really is.

Like you think about something like Courtney Roddick who's a chief marketer, and you know, in March she had this crazy schedule.

She was explaining all these like technical things to her team, then hammering out product details and you know, she's got to present all that to the company president.

That's a lot.

It really is.

And you know, I saw this stat that just blew me away.

College grads ranked informative speaking as the most important skill for their work.

Really?

And 62 % of them said they use it almost constantly.

Wild, right.

So that's kind of what sparked this whole deep dive for us.

What actually makes for good informative speaking.

Yeah.

And what's so interesting about that about that statistic is, you know, when we think of informative speaking, a lot of times we go right to formal presentations, right, like a big lecture hall or something.

Exactly.

But as Courtney's day shows, and as that survey data shows, it's really so much broader than that.

For sure.

It's about being able to share knowledge and understanding in all these everyday situations.

Yeah, like just a quick chat with a co -worker or even leading a team meeting.

Yeah, exactly.

So, you know, while this deep dive will definitely give you some great stuff to use for, you know, your next big presentation, the real goal here is to help you become a better communicator overall.

I love that.

Think of this as your, like, cheat sheet for understanding, you know, how to share information accurately, how to be clear, and how to make it stick with people.

And as we go through all this, we're going to break down the four main types of informative speeches.

You know, you might find yourself giving these or listening to these, so it's good to know.

Definitely.

We'll also look at some crucial guidelines, the real nitty -gritty of how to make your message hit home, you know, how to make sure people really understand and remember what you're saying and why it matters.

Perfect.

So let's jump right in.

First up, we've got speeches about objects.

Now, when we say objects, we're thinking bigger than just, you know, a pencil or a book.

We're talking about anything you can see, you can touch that's pretty stable in form.

So things like places, buildings, animals, even specific people.

Right.

You're not going to talk about every single animal on earth.

Yeah, you've got to be focused.

The key is to narrow it down, you know, really define your goal.

Like instead of to inform you about the internet, which is way too big,

you could say to inform you about the key innovations that led to the World Wide Web.

See how that's more specific.

Totally.

And how you organize these speeches about objects,

it really depends on what you're going for.

Like if you're explaining the history of something like the major turning points in the life of Marie Curie,

a chronological structure makes total sense.

You walk us through, you know, her education, her discoveries.

Yeah, from beginning to end.

Exactly.

Or I imagine you're describing a place like the distinct regions of the Scottish Highlands.

Beautiful place.

You probably use a spatial organization, taking your audience on this mental tour, pointing out the features of each area.

Yeah, like a map coming to life.

Exactly.

But often, the most natural fit for speeches about objects is topical organization.

So like the three iconic architectural elements of the Sydney Opera House, you dedicate each section to a different element, you know, the sails, the interior, the harbor location, and you really get into detail.

Yeah, that makes sense.

And regardless of whether you go chronological, spatial, or topical, those basic principles of organization, those always apply.

You want to keep your main points limited, two to five is a good rule of thumb.

Make sure each point is separate.

Use similar wording for them and balance your time between them.

Don't spend like 20 minutes on one point and two minutes on another.

Right.

Keep it even.

All right, let's move on to speeches about processes.

This is all about how something is made, how it's done, how it works, you know, a series of steps leading to a result.

Like baking a cake.

Exactly.

Or, you know, how the human digestive system works.

Step by step.

Now, what's really interesting here is, are you explaining the process for someone to understand it?

Or are you explaining it so they can do it themselves?

Oh, I see.

Like, are you teaching them to bake that cake or just explaining how it bakes?

Exactly.

So if you're talking about how a car engine works, your goal might just be for them to grasp the concept, not actually rebuild an engine.

All right.

Just the big picture.

But then you have processes like how to brew the perfect cup of pour over coffee.

You're giving them the steps to do it themselves.

So they can go home and make that awesome coffee.

Exactly.

And visual aids are super helpful for both types of process speeches.

Think about diagrams showing the steps or a live demo of how to do something.

Yeah, like a cooking show.

Totally.

And again, organization is key.

Chronological, going step by step often works best.

Like explaining the life cycle of a butterfly or, you know, the stages of a project.

Right.

Makes sense.

But you might also choose a topical approach.

If you're focusing on the main principles, the techniques, like if you're explaining negotiation skills, you might have sections on listening, finding common ground, creative problem solving.

Makes sense.

Now, here's a pro tip.

If the process you're explaining has a ton of steps, try to group them into chunks.

OK, why is that?

So remember that example about setting up a home aquarium?

Listing every single tiny step would be overwhelming.

But if you group them, like choosing the tank, setting up equipment, adding the fish, it becomes much easier to follow.

It's about creating these mental chunks of information.

Right.

So it's not just a jumbled mess of stacks.

Exactly.

OK.

On to our third type,

speeches about events.

Now, event is a broad term here.

OK.

We're talking about anything that happens or is seen as happening.

Could be a big historical thing like, I don't know, the first moon landing or a cultural event like Coachella or even something more personal like recovering from an injury.

Right.

Overcoming a challenge.

Exactly.

And again, a focused purpose is key.

So instead of just talking about like the American Revolution.

Way too broad.

Way too broad.

You might focus on the key battles that led to American independence or something.

Makes sense.

If you're recounting the history of an event like the evolution of hip hop music, chronological structures usually the way to go.

You take your audience through the beginnings, the key moments.

From the start to now.

But if you want to explore different sides or aspects of an event,

a topical approach can be great.

Like if you were talking about the Olympics,

you might have different sections on the history.

The athletic achievements, the cultural impact.

Right.

Breaking it down.

Exactly.

And last but not least, we have speeches about concepts.

These are the most abstract.

We're dealing with beliefs,

theories, ideas, principles.

Big ideas.

Big ideas.

Like democracy, artificial intelligence,

mindfulness.

Those are tough to explain sometimes.

They can be.

Now concept speeches often work best with a topical organization.

You focus on the main features or key parts of that concept.

Like if you're explaining cognitive dissonance, your main points might be, you know, what causes it, the discomfort it creates, and how people try to deal with it.

I see.

Another helpful approach is to start with a clear definition, then identify the elements, and then use examples.

Like if you're explaining different philosophical schools like existentialism versus nihilism.

Okay.

You define each one, outline their main ideas, and maybe use a book or a movie to show how those ideas work in real life.

Makes sense.

And with concept speeches, it is crucial to watch your language.

Avoid jargon, define any terms that might be unfamiliar, and use analogies comparisons.

You really want to make these abstract ideas click for your audience.

Right.

You've got to make them concrete.

Exactly.

And you know, remember that video about explaining the Confucian principle of Gen?

Yeah.

They probably did a great job using simple language, relatable examples.

Now keep in mind, these four categories aren't always totally separate.

There can be overlap.

Like you could talk about the Hubble Space Telescope as an object describing its parts.

Or you could focus on its launch and deployment as a process.

I see.

The key is to decide what your main focus is, and then structure your speech accordingly.

Gotcha.

And no matter what type of informative speech you're doing, always keep that audience in mind.

Use clear transitions between points, give them a preview of what's coming next, and summarize key points.

Oh yeah.

That classic advice.

Tell them what you're going to say.

Say it.

And then tell them what you said.

It's like the golden rule.

Exactly.

It's a classic for a reason.

So now we've got a good grasp on the types of informative speeches.

Let's talk about some crucial guidelines that can really make or break your effectiveness.

And the first one is so important.

Don't assume your audience knows a ton already.

Right.

Don't overestimate them.

Exactly.

You know, that example about the Galveston hurricane speech really highlights this.

What happened there?

Well, the speaker assumed everyone knew the basics of the event and people were left confused.

Just mentioning a disaster without the context leaves your listeners lost.

Yeah, that's not helpful.

Not at all.

You've got to explain things as if your audience is hearing it for the first time.

Lay the groundwork clearly.

Don't make assumptions.

So start from scratch.

And remember that comparison between the super technical explanation of night vision goggles and the one that used a secret agent analogy.

Oh, yeah, that was good.

Plain language.

Ditch the jargon.

It makes all the difference.

Right.

Because with reading, you can always go back and reread if you get lost.

But when you're listening, you only get one shot.

Exactly.

Okay.

Guideline number two.

Relate your topic directly to your audience.

That Oscar Wilde quote about how the play was a success, but the audience was a failure.

I love that quote.

It's funny, but it's a good reminder that it's our job as speakers to make that connection.

Yeah.

To engage them.

Exactly.

What's fascinating to you might not be fascinating to everyone else.

Right.

Of course.

So you've got to think, how does my topic connect to my audience's interests, concerns,

what they already know?

And it's not just about hooking them in the introduction.

Nope.

You got to weave it throughout.

Yeah.

Keep them involved.

So use you and your.

Right.

Make it personal.

Like that example about bedbugs spreading.

If you talk about how they spread in dorms when traveling or in hotels, it's way more impactful than just general facts.

Because then it's like, oh, that could be me.

Exactly.

And there's actually research showing that using you and your makes information stick better.

Wow.

Interesting.

Okay.

What's the next guideline?

All right.

Guideline number three.

Don't get too technical.

And this isn't just about avoiding complex topics.

Okay.

Explain that.

Even everyday stuff can become hard to follow if you use overly technical language.

I see.

Think about power amplifiers.

It's easy to explain, you know, how to turn it on, adjust the volume.

Right.

But if you get into the science of how it amplifies the electrical signal, you're going to lose people.

Yeah.

That's getting into the weeds.

It is.

And remember that comparison between the super scientific description of graphene and the New York Times Explanation.

Oh, yeah.

I remember that.

Using plain language that everyone can understand.

It's so crucial.

It really is.

So avoid jargon whenever possible.

Exactly.

Guideline number four.

Avoid abstractions.

Joseph Conrad said, and I love this,

my task is before all to make you see.

Powerful stuff.

It is.

You have to go beyond vague ideas and create clear pictures for your audience.

Paint a picture with words.

And one of the best ways to do this is through description.

Think about Conrad's writing, like his description of that explosion aftermath.

Yeah.

The details of how Mahon looked, the narrator's injuries.

It just pulls you right into the scene.

Or remember when that student talked about skydiving,

the description of their anxiety and the feeling of free fall.

It made it real, even for people who've never skydived.

Right.

You could feel it.

Exactly.

Comparisons are also great for making abstract ideas more concrete, saying the risk of a shark attack is low doesn't tell us much.

Right.

It's vague.

But if you compare fatal shark attacks to deaths from lightning strikes,

it suddenly makes sense.

And it's often surprising.

You wouldn't think that, right?

Totally.

And don't forget about contrast.

Saying the World Cup is popular doesn't capture the whole picture.

But if you say the World Cup final has like 10 times more viewers than the Super Bowl, it really hits home how huge it is.

Wow.

That's a big difference.

It is.

Guideline number five, personalize your ideas.

People connect with information that resonates with them personally.

For sure.

Stories are so powerful.

They are.

A bunch of facts and figures, that's forgettable.

But personal stories, those stick with us.

Right.

They make it real.

Think about that story about Lydia and her family's experience with homelessness.

Oh, yeah.

Powerful stuff.

By putting a human face on the issue, it went beyond the statistics.

Sharing Lydia's story, ending with hope, it created this deep connection with the listeners.

Really brought it home.

It did.

Okay.

Our final guideline, be creative.

Informative speaking isn't just reciting information.

It's about being imaginative with your language, your examples, even your visuals.

Right.

You've got to think outside the box.

Think back to all the examples we've talked about, the secret agent analogy, that description of bed bugs, Lydia's story.

They all show creative thinking.

Even using a PowerPoint slide to show the inside of the Statue of Liberty.

That's cool.

It's a creative way to show something we can't normally see.

I like that.

And it leads us perfectly to our sample speech,

Super Volcanoes, the Sleeping Giants.

Ooh, that sounds interesting.

It's a great example of taking a technical topic that could be dry and making it super engaging by using all these guidelines.

Awesome.

Tell me more.

So what's great about this speech is the speaker uses everyday language, even when explaining complex things, like how magma builds up, or the volcanic explosivity index.

Right, because most people don't know about that stuff.

They use analogies, comparing a magma chamber to the Grand Canyon, or the force of an eruption to a thousand atomic bombs.

It really puts things into perspective.

And they use visuals, drawings, photos, maps.

You need that to help people visualize the scale of these things, you know, like the caldera of Lake Toba, the inside of the Yellowstone Super Volcano.

Yeah, I can see why that would be helpful.

And the speaker relates it to the audience, mentioning Yellowstone, which is in the U .S., and even sharing their own experience visiting Old Faithful.

Smart.

And the descriptions of a potential superruption, they make it feel real, not just some abstract thing.

I see.

So Super Volcanoes really shows how, when you combine creative language, clear explanations, good examples, and strong visuals, you can take even a complex scientific topic and make it interesting and memorable.

Absolutely.

So as we wrap up our deep dive into informative speaking, let's recap what we learned.

We covered those four main types, speeches about objects, processes, events, and concepts.

And we highlighted those six crucial guidelines.

Don't overestimate your audience's knowledge, connect the topic to them, avoid being too technical, use vivid language, personalize your ideas, and be creative.

So much good stuff.

And the takeaway here is that being a good, informative communicator, this isn't just for presentations.

This is valuable in all parts of your life.

Explaining a new idea at work, teaching a friend a new skill, even just sharing something interesting you learned.

Being able to communicate clearly and in a way that people want to listen, that's important for success in your career, your relationships, even just for yourself.

Well said.

So this brings us to a question for you, our listener.

Think back to a time when you tried to explain something complex to someone.

Okay.

What's one technique we talked about today that could have made your explanation clearer or more interesting?

Or now that you know more about informative speaking, what topic are you inspired to share with the world?

I love that.

Thanks for joining us on this deep dive.

It's been a pleasure.