Interview with Michael Rossié

An Interview with Michael Rossié about the Secret of a Speaker

1. You have been working as a speech trainer and coach for reputable radio and television stations for 25 years and are one of the leading rhetoric experts in the German-speaking area. However, one should not expect a classic rhetoric training from you. What sets your approach apart from the traditional one? Lists of tips and good advice do not make a person a better speaker. On the contrary. When the speaker focuses on too many things at once, their performance suffers, and they appear insecure, over-concentrated, and easily nervous. How about the idea that one cannot go wrong on stage so much. One should have something to say, something that interests the audience, possibly even captivates them. The rest is no longer difficult. After giving 50 speeches a year, one can start working on their bad habits and improving their performance. I try not to bend people, but to show them a few things that hopefully interest them enough to want to try it out. A good speech is like a flirtatious conversation. And most of us can do that without much practice. When the dream partner is in front of us, we do a lot of things right. Flirt with your audience as if they were a very interesting conversational partner. 2. Do certain characteristics have to be present, or does every one of us have a brilliant speaker inside? What is a brilliant speaker? I have listened to fidgety, wandering speakers whom I found to be great because they have opened up a completely new perspective on the world for me. One of the stars on the internet is Hans Rosling, a Swede who did not speak English particularly well and has rather limited rhetorical skills, but his enthusiasm and ideas are absolutely infectious. There is a great speaker in each of us, but most underestimate how much practice and discipline it requires. Simply having the desire to perform in front of people is not enough. But it is a prerequisite. Do you want to be on stage? Do you enjoy it? Do you need to for some reason? Then decide. And if you say "yes," then I promise you that you can do it. Apart from people with certain mental illnesses. But even there, there are quite surprising success stories. 3. What makes a greater impression? A perfectly memorized script or simply an authentic performance? The script only needs to be memorized perfectly enough to become authentic again. And most people do not have the patience for that. Furthermore, for the memorized script, you need something like a director. So, both exist. Even with an authentic performance, busy speakers eventually reach a point where it seems perfectly memorized. They want to deliver almost the same speech that the client expects and not be a surprise every night. The artist with the perfect show can be just as impressive as the improv actor or stand-up comedian. Both just need to master their craft. There is no better or worse. There are great speakers in both categories. 4. Do you still get butterflies in your stomach before your performances? How is the best way to overcome stage fright? No, I don't get butterflies in my stomach. They have never fluttered. If they do, then the task is too big. You don't start in front of a hall with 1000 people. At least, if possible. But I do get stage fright. For example, I am noticeably more nervous before English presentations or in unfavorable rooms or if the speaker before me did not capture the audience. You can never predict what will happen beforehand. But I expect stage fright. Always. And I accept it. It is part of the job. And part of my fee is for dealing with stage fright. Before big presentations, my family doesn't get to see much of me because my mind is often elsewhere. The best way to deal with stage fright is to say "yes" to it and then gradually increase the difficulty level. Stage fright is the most natural thing in the world. And the audience likes it when someone is not so smooth and rehearsed. It shows respect for the audience. You cannot avoid stage fright; you have to embrace it. 5. Do you have a few quick tips to make impromptu speaking better right away? Do not think about sentences, but about topics. And go through these topics a few times beforehand. However, make sure to start differently each time you practice. Otherwise, you will fall into the same formulations each time. And if those formulations do not come out exactly on stage, a blackout is very likely. In everyday life, you often tell the same story but slightly differently each time. Don't start at the beginning, but where it gets exciting. Make a strong start. Drop a bombshell. After that, you can still be pleased that so many people have come. Once the most important thing is said, the tension decreases. And prepare aids. A slide with the key numbers, a cue card with the honorary title you always forget, and a few terms lightly penciled on the flip chart make the work on stage much easier. Do not memorize anything, but work with aids. Giving great speeches is not magic after all. Visit the profile of Top100 Speaker Michael Rossié: https://www.speakers-excellence.de/redner/michael-rossie-medientraining.html You might also be interested in: https://www.speakers-excellence.de/se/blog/das-9-koelner-wissensforum/ https://www.speakers-excellence.de/se/blog/wie-finde-ich-den-passenden-referenten/