Why Is Scripting One Of Your Key SpeakPerformance™ Skills?
Written by: Ges Ray, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Stumbling for the right words in the middle of that important meeting (often virtual on our post-pandemic presenting landscape…). Out of breath as coherence & consistency fail you. Heart racing, blood pressure rising, in the moment you scramble for the script you wish you had prepared…
Why is scripting such a key SpeakPerformance skill? What’s the power of scripting?
An obvious answer springs to mind. When delivering virtually, you can no longer use and abuse ‘in the room’ feedback to wing it. Not that you ever would, of course(!). We’ll leave others to follow that path now firmly blocked by the looking glass pane of their laptops; you bring scripting into play to plan and prepare for the impact of your delivery.
You know how it will land.
Composing a range of your set scripts, having them to hand in your SpeakPerformance library empowers you to consistently, coherently reach for the right words for different sets on your performance stage.
‘Script’ may conjure up for you an image of a weighty, vellum bound tome inscribed by hand with calligraphy quality lettering, bound with red ribbon. It is not exactly practical for performing on Zoom or Teams, so let’s dive a little deeper into a few definitions of scripts, also what purpose they serve for you.
Narrated scripts
About as close as you’ll get on your laptop to a vellum bound tome. Content of a key presentation. Carefully crafted, delivered verbatim – perhaps with a few nuanced moments depending on your personal style.
Go to scripts
“Ah, welcome to the meeting. Please introduce yourself to the room.” You do. Succinctly, effectively, no waffling. An elevator pitch in all but name; you pull it out of the bag when you need to.
Backup scripts
You are taking part in a webinar/panel. You are asked a very specific question relating to your area of expertise…just at the same moment, your brain decides to leave the room. Having backup scripts on key points ready in your back pocket enables you to smile whilst you deliver your answers with greater impact.
Structured loose scripts
A voice cuts in from the ether. “Hi. Admin here. Thanks for joining us for today’s session. The speaker due to follow you has not turned up thanks to (traffic/trains/tech – delete as required). Could you fill in an extra 20 minutes? Thanks.”
You’ve got it. Circumstances entirely out of your control but you’ve got it where others may be catapulted into chaos. Loose scripts – bits of scripts, vignettes, honed…and crafted.
From your opening and closing two minutes for meetings, moments of maximum impact -because they are scripted – to a turn of phrase to calm down that ‘difficult’ audience member, change their frame of mind, loose scripts are there to click into, deliver, then slip effortlessly back into your free flow speak performance.
A gamut of scripts equips you with a SpeakPerformance library that falls open at the right page as and when challenges arise, breadcrumbing them in when needed. Webinars, podcasts & panels no longer phase you. Workshops are more successful.
That’s the power of scripting.
Now, how to compose for your desired impact? That’s another story…
Enjoy an engaging story? Follow the links from here to vodcasts, podcasts & dark audio tales in the style of Brothers Grimm fairy tales on the topic of speaking!
I’ve also assembled a motley crew of highly dysfunctional presenters/experts to assist in your Speak Performance journey. Find out more about these disastrous deliverers in the Rouge Gallery.
Ges Ray, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Do you yearn to deliver with aplomb? Display the skills of an enigmatic wordsmith and connoisseur of wit, whilst traversing the realms of language with audacious flair? Whether you are delivering virtually or ‘in the room’ Ges is delighted to work with you and your team to transform your SpeakPerformance skills. Ges’ own skills have been honed through four decades of commercial roles, from Bank Manager to Business Development Manager whilst immersed in the theatre of Speak Performance, delivering workshops, Keynotes, MC’ing, vodcasts, podcasts and radio broadcasting together with his audio & video characters. Ges is delighted to speak with you on all platforms, email, or even an old fashioned 'phone call.
