Speaking like Harari
Selling over 23 million books across the globe is not a piece of cake. It is even more impressive once you know that the books were originally written in Hebrew by a historian. Professor Yuval Noah Harari has inspired Barack Obama and many more. How did he become so popular?
Substance
His fame largely results from his superb analyses of modern phenomena that put people in a quandary. According to Harari, humankind faces three essential challenges: nuclear war, ecological collapse and technological disruption. The first chapter of his latest book, ’21 lessons for the 21st century’, deals with the latter in depth. Talking about one of the major challenges our world faces today certainly attracts a lot of people.
When you saw his picture, you might have wondered who this man was. A few minutes of Youtube videos suffice to get curious because you will find Harari either presenting at a respected forum (e.g. Davos) or deliberating with a prominent figure (e.g. Natalie Portman). When someone looks up a speaker, they appreciate high-quality event photography and sound recording.
Structure
Harari takes von Fürstenberg’s flow to the next level because he adds a dramatic mountain storytelling technique to the chronological pattern. The presentations as well as conversations start with a challenge setting the scene. Sharing more information and anecdotes then increase the tension. Frequent ups and downs captivate the audience and make them look forward to the conclusion. Harari’s does not pretend to have all the answers. He hints at possible scenarios but focuses on the big questions. When he talked to Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, the guiding question was how increased connectivity can tackle increased fragmentation.
Style
The audience of TED2018 were astonished. Instead of seeing a speaker walking on stage, Harari was beamed in as a hologram and presented in real-time. He demonstrated that you can worry about technological disruption whilst embracing innovation.
Metaphors and analogies are another technique enhancing his performances. Tropes are weak if the audience cannot relate to them but powerful if they do. Harari explains the rise of humans by referring to chimpanzees and ants. Animals can be our best friends after all.
Five lessons for public speakers
Make the content appear more relevant by linking it to a well-known crisis.
Summarise your main credentials for the moderator in advance so that they give you kudos on stage.
Follow a mountain storytelling structure when you want to narrate in a dramatic way.
Use technology to your advantage, as long as it is in line with the theme.
Animal metaphors and analogies are powerful tools to get your point across.
Learn the techniques. Boost your confidence. Make your point.
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