Connect Using Humor and Story How I Got 18 Laughs 3 Applauses in a 7 Minute Persuasive Speech Ramakrishna Reddy Disclaimer No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the author. However, short paragraphs can be quoted with due credit to the author. While all attempts have been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein. This book is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone, and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands. The reader is responsible for his or her own actions. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state, and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of doing business in the US, India or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on behalf of the purchaser or reader of this material. Copyright © 2016 Ramakrishna Reddy www.ramakrishnareddy.com Dedication To Priyanka, my better half – After marrying you, I learnt more about humor than ever before Contents Introduction Chapter 1. Story, Humor and Persuasion Simplified Chapter 2. Knowing the Equation for Creating Laugh Lines Chapter 3. Real world experience into a Humorous story Chapter 4. Synergizing Speech and Story Structure Chapter 5. The Powerful Speech Opening Chapter 6. Context Setting, Transitions and Humor devices Chapter 7. My Humor Thesis and Seven Humor Devices Chapter 8. Creating Humor with Obstacles and five must know Rhetorical Devices Chapter 9. Periphery and Synergy of Message Chapter 10. Call Backs, Repetition, and Power of Pauses Chapter 11. Eleven Editing Strategies Chapter 12. Twelve Execution Strategies Bonus Chapter. Case Study Speech and Free Audiobook Conclusion Introduction The use of Humor, Story and Persuasion are the most widely discussed elements of a speech on the public speaking circuit. There are loads and loads of information about each of these respective topics but less information on how to successfully combine these three elements into one persuasive speech. It was precisely for this reason that I wrote this book. It was the one that I had been looking for to help me when I went looking for information on how these three elements could be integrated into one speech. Like my earlier books, this book adheres to my motto: simple to understand, easy to implement. Practical information along with proven principles is distilled into a simple to understand and easy to implement approach. One more thing - as you’ll read along the chapters, look forward for something cool. I’m offering one of my audiobooks (paid one) for free so that it will act as a perfect complement for you. Maybe you are curious to know how I was able to get 18 laughs in a 7-minute persuasive speech and that’s the reason you opened this book. But you will learn much more than that. You’ll learn how to understand humor at the elemental level, how to find ways to tap into humor, how to convert real world experiences into humorous stories, how to tie story and speech elements, along with my secret formula to craft, edit, and execute a successful persuasive speech. Not just that, we will be using a real presentation as a case study to learn these concepts. The case study I am using here, helped me become one of the top three winners in a speech contest in New England, USA. I also used a revised version of the same presentation to emerge as a top three winner at India level. So, rest assured that this presentation has successfully undergone testing with global audience. If you had read my other books, you might have read my childhood story when I went blank on stage and reacted by swearing at myself. Worse, it got amplified over the loudspeaker. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life and I never forgot it. Always having this memory motivated me to become a confident and articulate speaker. That’s when I came across Toastmasters, world’s leading organization for improving communication and leadership skills. Initially, I had to overcome a lot, but the more I spoke on stage, the better I got. In fact, I got more excited as I learned new skills after becoming more comfortable on stage. That’s when I started following the pros of public speaking such as Tony Robbins, Sir Ken Robinson, and Barack Obama. The pro speakers had this impeccable quality to connect with any audience. It was during this intense learning period that I came to know about TED Talks. I stumbled upon Sir Ken Robinson delivering a speech called ‘Schools Kill Creativity’. I watched that speech like 20 times in a span of two days. This is the most watched talk on www.TED.com, and I watched it more than anybody else. Just kidding! But on a serious note, I did watch this talk, maybe hundred times, but every time I watched it, I learned something new. However, two things stood out, which acted as evidence for its popularity and success. Those two things were Story and Humor. Knowing this and being able to implement them is the secret. Once I started doing this, people loved the results. It was just amazing to see the connection it created with my audience. Initially, though I got smiles and giggles, it was hard to generate good laughs. I really wanted to learn the skill of creating humor through storytelling because it seemed like a cool skill to master. This drove me to participate in a humorous speech contest in 2010. Though it was my first time, I was determined to be good at it. I spent hours watching standup comedy shows, reading books, and begging people for help. Well, asking people for help. In that contest, I emerged as one of the top six speakers among the Toastmasters community in all of India and Sri Lanka. That experience made me a confident speaker. Life moved on. I went to Connecticut, United States to work as a consultant. After a gap of six months, I started competing. The speaking industry in United States seemed more mature. Even though I had the raw energy, I badly needed a mentor who could control and channel it. I came to know about Jerry Aiyathurai, who happened to be the speaking champion in Connecticut, a TED speaker and a finalist of the World Championship of Public Speaking conducted by Toastmasters. I don’t know if it was God’s grace or sheer luck, but I connected with him in my first interaction. I have never met a kinder person. Today, I am really proud to say that he is my mentor. The thrill I got when he agreed to mentor me cannot be expressed in words. When he started mentoring me, I realized how much I did not know. He not only taught me skills but also made sure I was on track when I faced failure. In May 2012, I practiced hard for a contest and I won two levels, but lost at the third level. Jerry made sure that I got back on track. Because of that push, I again competed in the next season. Again I won two levels but lost the third level. This was a humorous speech contest, but I was pretty depressed and serious when I lost. You might be asking, “Really?” Well, humor is serious business! I thought I would never compete again. I wrote a note to the Governor of Toastmasters Community in Connecticut that I was not happy with the results and how upset I was with the way the judging was done. To my surprise, instead of defending the community, she wrote me a warm email so that I did not lose heart. In fact, she went out of her way to recommend me as a speaker at a conference in Upstate New York. My speech got rave reviews. It was a great feeling. In the next season, I emerged as one of the top three speakers in New England. When I moved back to India, I continued to participate in contests. That season, I crossed five different levels and in the final level, I again emerged as one of the top 3 speakers in India. The next season, I participated in a contest that judged speakers on their skill in persuading an audience. Here, the message has to be strong; one could not just say funny things. The speaker has to uncover the humor from the stories and deliver it in a way that the audience would enjoy. That was a challenge that I met. In that season, I took my speech to the level of getting 18 laughs and 3 rounds of applause in just 7 minutes. The humor was more than situational comedy; it was carefully crafted and delivered. I truly believe that if your speech is strong with the principles of Story and Humor, even a boring speech will be transformed into an entertaining one. My promise in this book is to explain how to use Humor and Story in a persuasive speech. I hope you are ready for the ride. Get, Set and Go. Keep Rocking Ramakrishna Reddy