The short answer: with rhetorical questions. These questions do not require a response from the audience but rather engage them in thought, making them feel involved and transforming passive listeners into active participants.
In practice, we frequently observe a pattern: the stronger people are convinced of their own correctness, the fewer rhetorical questions they ask. Their sentences become rigidly structured, lacking variation and each sentence follows a predictable pattern. Consequently, their voice also tends to adopt a monotonous tone.
What questions can you ask?
In his book “Lend Me Your Ears“, Max Atkinson gives some recognisable examples.
Don’t say:
And now let’s delve into our strenghts…
Instead say:
If these are our weaknesses, then where do our strenghts lie?
Don’t say:
On this slide we have an overview showcasing the steps required to accomplish this…
Instead say:
How will we accomplish this?
Seamlessly aligning with our earlier tip on PowerPoint presentations, strive to answer a single question with each slide.
Why does it work?
First of all, because you engage the audience’s thought process, encouraging individuals to ponder on a particular topic, even if only for a brief moment.
However, there is more to consider. Using rhetorical questions encourages dynamic use of your voice as a speaker. It prompts brief moments of heightened vocal emphasis (such as saying “Really?”) and introduces intentional pauses to disrupt the speaking rhythm (give it a try!). So, if you occasionally face accusations of a monotonous voice, the easiest way to address it is by incorporating more rhetorical questions into your delivery.
Certainly, as a speaker, it is not always necessary to provide answers to rhetorical questions. In fact, there are many instances where it’s entirely unnecessary. However, we’ll delve deeper into this topic in a forthcoming tip.
