Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln

James C. Humes

Speak like Churchill, stand like Lincoln is a tactical weapon. This book was written
with one purpose only, to make available the key factors to be successful public
speaker. The author only demand is to be heard as you are being taught. The book
uses examples, phrases, quotes and yet few but important excersises from the most
triumphant public speakers of the twentieth century.
These are some important notes about the book and relevant aspects to consider
when speaking in public.

AA

Power Pause
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Use a 10-15s pause before starting a speech. It generates audience

anticipation.
Equalizes the short size, race, woman etc. Before speaking lock eyes on
audience.

Power Opener
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The prime of any talk or presentation is during the opening words.

Begin with a Bang! Do not say thank you for any opportunity or flatter
anybody, until the time is necessary.
Start with the strength of a leader!

Power Presence
-

Be a pop idol, its hard to find the right outfit for a speech. (Important topic)

Power Point
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In one sentence! What is I want the audience to do/experience when the

speech is over. Know the point before start the talk. -Cato find the message
first and the words will follow
.-Churchill There are to many public speeches and to little private thinking.
Be concrete and zero on a specific power point rather than present a series of
topics.

Power Brief

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April 2010

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln

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James C. Humes

-Cervantes A speech that is brief, if good, is good twice over

Power Quote Benjamin Disraeli those who never quote are in return, never
quoted
-

Be comfortable with the quote and author. Prominent and pithy. Make a quote
database

Statistics
-

Get the graphic point of info. To many numbers numb audiences. Round up
and relate stats to listeners.

Power Outage.
-

FEAR! Slides are appetizers not the meal

Power Wit
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Make it realistic, relevant and dont read it.

The difference between a joke and humor is the difference between a
pornographic picture and a love scene in a good love movie. DO NOT SAY
JOKES instead use humor as an anecdote

Power gesture
-

Master body language, give away the right signs and gestures. Tricky ha!?
Between small groups, a bit of silence instead of hi helps to build respect.
FIND THE RIGHT GESTURE is always hard and tedious, might be unethical up
to an extent. Is all about lying with charisma!

Power reading
-

Memorize the speech and then conversationalize

Do not speak while looking down
Make small pauses while reading. Look at speech-Pause-Say it and then look
again-Pause-Say it

Power poetry Alexander pope Who says in verse, what others say in prose
-

Churchill argued that an article should be written for the eye but a speech for
the ear.
Rules of typing a speech:
o When you come to a comma, cut the line off.
o If your subject is followed by its predicate, dont separate them.

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April 2010

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln

James C. Humes

o When a preposition is succeeded by its object, dont dissect the two!

o When you see a period, make sure to call a halt.
A semicolon is verboten-whereas a dash fit the rhythm of a speech or talk,
making it more conversational.

Power line W. Shakespeare These words like daggers enter in my ears

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Contrast Echo Alliteration Metaphor. Create lines using these elements and
they will stand in listeners minds.
o Contrast: -Churchill This is not the end, nay, not even the beginning of
the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning
o Rhyme: -Churchil From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic,
an iron curtain has descended upon the continent of Europe(March
5,1946 Fulton Missouri). Benjamin Franklin An apple a day keeps the
doctor away
o Echo: Is the repetition of a word or phrase.-Kennedy Ask not what your
country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country.
F. Roosevelt The only thing we have to fear is fear itself
o Alliteration: Consonants better than vowels, the best one is P.-MLK I
have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character.
o Metaphor: -Aristotle The highest line of the poet is sometimes the
hardest to imagine

Power question
-

A question does not necessarily need to have a yes/no answer.

Master the rhetoric Lincoln was called a two faced in a debate by Stephen
Douglas. He answered If god gave me two faces, would I be wearing this
one?
Use a series of question to interact with the audience mind.

Power word
-

To emphasize a word do not shout it up, rather than doing that add a small
pause before it.

Power active
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Basically do NOT use passive voice.

o When liberty is given up to purchase a little temporary safety, then
neither liberty nor safety is deserved.

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April 2010

Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln

James C. Humes

Actual speech by Benjamin Franklin: They that give up essential

liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither
liberty nor safety.
Liberty is granted only to those who love it
Actual speech by Daniel Webb: God grants liberty to those who
love it.
An inevitable victory will be obtained
Actual speech by Franklin Roosevelts (a day in infamy): We shall
gain the inevitable triumph.

Power dollar
-

Benjamin Franklin was the first self made millionaire in the US, he used
defiance, design, donation and duel.
o Defiance: Let your investor know that you are doing them a favor. Be
cocky.
o Design: Paint a full picture
o Donation: Ask more, know your number
o Duel: Be an equal. Ms. Big Bucks we want you to be our principal
investor pause--- until Ms. Answers. If you interrupt her before she
speaks out, you might as well lose her---forever.

Power button
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Is the introductory line or phrase to the power line.

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April 2010