manus-skills/.kortix/opencode/skills/content/public-speaking/references/artifacts.md

Mastery of Public Speaking - Frameworks, Templates & Checklists

36 artifacts extracted from Lenny's Podcast and Newsletter

Frameworks

5 Ways to Add Stakes (Matthew Dicks)

Techniques to make the audience worry or wonder what will happen next.

How it works: 1. Elephant: Plant a big, obvious problem/stake at the beginning. 2. Backpack: Tell the audience your plan before executing it so they share your hopes. 3. Breadcrumbs: Drop hints about future events. 4. Hourglass: Slow down time with details right before a big reveal. 5. Crystal Ball: Predict a terrible, realistic future if things go wrong.

Accordion Method (Tristan de Montebello)

A talk preparation method where you compress your talk from full length down to 30 seconds (finding the essence), then expand back up, resulting in an internalized rather than memorized presentation

How it works: Steps - Going DOWN: 1) Optional: dump all ideas on paper to get them out of your head. 2) Set timer for 3 minutes. Speak your talk. Rules: stay in character the whole time, end strong. Doesn't matter how bad it sounds. 3) Reflect: what did I like, what didn't I like? 4) Set timer for 2 minutes. Repeat. You had to shave a full minute - cut the noise. 5) Set timer for 1 minute. Repeat. 6) Set timer for 30 seconds. Now you have only the essential pieces. Going UP: 7) Another 30-second rep. 8) 1 minute - now double the time feels spacious. Bring in aligned elements intentionally. 9) 2 minutes - same, add with intention. 10) 3 minutes - feels like a football field. Write down: your one thing (arrow) and 3 bookmarks/pillars. Total time: ~15 minutes for a full accordion. Can be used at macro (whole talk) or micro (one section) level. Analogy: Redecorating a living room by removing everything first, keeping only essentials, then intentionally adding back selected pieces.

Beginning-Middle-End Business Story Structure (Christina Wodtke)

A simple narrative arc for pitching or presenting information.

How it works: Beginning: A hook (a mystery, secret, or surprise). Middle: The message or product pitch. End: Success and celebration to leave the audience excited.

Bow and Arrow Method (Tristan de Montebello)

A talk structuring method based on the insight that audiences remember only one thing - identify that one sentence (arrow) and the supporting elements that give it weight (bow)

How it works: Mindset shift: Stop focusing on what you want to SAY. Focus on what you want people to REMEMBER. The Arrow: A single sentence that is the only thing people would remember if they left your talk. Ask: Would I be satisfied if this is the only thing they took away? The Bow: Elements that add weight to the arrow - anecdotes, data points, stories that add emotion, illustrations. These 'pull back the bow' so the arrow has more impact. Process: 1) Write a tentative arrow. 2) Identify 2-3 bow elements (bookmarks/pillars). 3) Refine through accordion reps - bow and arrow inform each other iteratively. Apply at macro level (whole talk) AND micro level (each slide). Slide-level test: If a slide doesn't have a clear one thing, it either shouldn't exist or should be multiple slides. Pro tip from Lenny: Make the slide title exactly the one thing you want them to take away. Example: Arrow = 'The accordion method is more powerful than memorizing.' Bookmarks = 1) The old way (describe problems), 2) Living room analogy, 3) Describe the accordion method.

Business Humor Strategies (Matthew Dicks)

Two reliable methods for generating laughs in corporate settings.

How it works: 1. Nostalgia: Describe outdated past practices (e.g., 1980s job hunting via newspapers) to contrast with modern solutions. 2. One of these things is not like the other: List two expected, normal things, followed by a third unexpected, highly specific or absurd thing.

Callback Technique (On being funny at work)

Bonus humor strategy of referencing an earlier joke or detail later in a presentation for compounded humor

How it works: A callback is when you reference a joke, character, or detail from earlier in your talk/writing, bringing it back in a new context. It produces a laugh because the audience recognizes the reference and feels 'in on it.' Example from the post: The character 'Phil' is introduced as a coworker to avoid, then brought back multiple times ('a bunch of Phils,' 'Probably a friend of Elon Musk'). Each callback compounds the humor. Strategy: Introduce a specific detail or character early. Bring it back 1-3 more times in different contexts later.

Dare to be Dull (Matt Abrahams)

A mindset shift from improv to reduce cognitive load by lowering the bar for perfection.

How it works: Instead of trying to give the perfect answer or be the most interesting person, strive for connection over perfection. Just answer the question or do the task. This dials down self-evaluation and frees up cognitive bandwidth to actually perform better.

Energy → Emotion → Words (Tristan de Montebello)

The core principle that physical energy state drives emotional state, which naturally produces the right words - rather than trying to think of words first

How it works: Formula: Energy leads → Emotions follow → Words fill in the gap. Application: If you want more conviction, raise your energy or get into a state of conviction - the words, ideas, stories, anecdotes, and examples will naturally fit. If you feel frustrated, dive into that state and the content follows. This is the opposite of trying to think of the right words first. Demonstrated through the Conductor game where different intensity numbers (1-10) produce entirely different content, not just the same content at different volumes.

Humor = Strategic Surprise (On being funny at work)

The core principle underlying all humor techniques — humor is the strategic assembly of specific words, spoken in a specific way, to create a surprise that produces a smile or laugh

How it works: Core principle: Humor is surprise. Just as jump scares work in horror movies, humor works by setting up expectations and then breaking them. All seven strategies are different methods of producing surprise. The same principle applies to weeping at Titanic or cheering at Jaws. Implementation: When trying to be funny, always ask 'Where is the surprise?' and 'Am I preserving the surprise until the right moment?'

Humor Delivery Tactic (Dharmesh Shah)

A tactical rule for delivering punchlines in business presentations.

How it works: 1. Place the funny words at the absolute end of the sentence, even if it makes the phrasing slightly awkward. 2. Stop talking immediately after delivering the line. 3. Wait half a second to give the audience permission to laugh. 4. Stack multiple punchlines onto a single story setup to maximize Laughs Per Minute (LPM).

Humor Risk-Reward Framework (Sam Lessin)

How to calibrate humor usage in professional settings based on social confidence level

How it works: 1) Humor shows ultimate mastery of a social situation, 2) A slightly over-the-line joke demonstrates comfort — but only if you're confident, 3) A joke nobody laughs at is a major social failure, 4) Self-deprecating humor is always safe, 5) Making fun of others requires deep familiarity — very high risk, 6) Keep a personal list of jokes ranked by social situation and offensiveness level, 7) Have pre-loaded stories for conversational flow, 8) Don't be remembered as 'only the comedian'

Humor Without Risk (Specificity Strategy) (On being funny at work)

The principle that specificity-based humor carries no downside because if it doesn't get a laugh, it's just perceived as a helpful detail

How it works: Key insight: 'The beauty of specificity is that when you use it and it fails to produce a laugh, it's rarely perceived as a failed joke. It's simply a specific detail, provided to produce a clearer image in the audience's mind. You don't have to worry about being embarrassed that the joke wasn't funny, because your audience won't necessarily perceive you as trying to be funny. It's humor without risk.'

The same applies to nostalgia: 'Even when nostalgia does not produce a laugh, it is still informative. It doesn't sound like a failed joke; it's simply relevant historical information.'

Implication: Start with specificity and nostalgia as your first humor strategies — they have the highest upside with zero downside.

Pilot/Airplane Analogies for Speaking (Tristan de Montebello)

A series of flying analogies used to explain key speaking concepts: flight simulator (games), turbulence (practice pressure), pilot intercom (leaking insecurities), landing the plane (ending strong)

How it works: 1. SMOOTH FLIGHT, BAD LANDING: A great speech with a weak ending is like a smooth transatlantic flight with a horrible bouncing landing - you remember the ending (peak-end rule). 2. PILOT INTERCOM (Stay in Character): Pilot announces 'I see a red light blinking, not sure what it is, could be really bad.' Now every creak and bit of turbulence terrifies passengers. Same as when speakers share their insecurities - you force filters onto your audience. 3. FLIGHT SIMULATOR (Games): Don't waste precious simulator hours cruising at 30,000 feet in clear skies. Create emergencies - lost captain, broken motor, crazy turbulence. Games create this turbulence for speakers. 4. CRASH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD: As the speaker, you're driving a train. If there's a crash (mistake), you can keep going (passengers forget in seconds) or stop the train and point it out (everyone fixates on it).

Root Cause vs Symptom Thinking for Speaking (Tristan de Montebello)

Instead of fixing surface symptoms (filler words, monotone voice, racing), identify and address the underlying root causes

How it works: Symptom → Root Cause mapping: 1) Filler words / racing → Discomfort with slowing down, relaxing, or pausing when mind is racing under pressure. Fix the pause comfort, fix both symptoms plus gain more mind space. 2) Monotonous / constrained delivery → Lack of trust that showing emotion or taking time won't cause everything to unravel. Fix the trust/certainty, unlock freedom and range. 3) Weak endings → Natural tendency to regain consciousness near the finish line (supported by fMRI studies of freestyle rappers). Anticipate it and use summary prompts. Principle: Focus on upgrading the software (removing bad habits, building new ones) so you can stay in flow state without getting pulled out.

Seven Strategies to Be Funny in Business (On being funny at work)

A set of seven teachable humor techniques that can be applied in business presentations, writing, and communication to produce surprise and laughter

How it works: 1. Nostalgia — Reference the past to highlight how quickly things have changed. Template: 'We once were this. Now we are this.' / 'The world once looked like this. Thanks to us, it now looks like this.' / 'Remember how happy we once were. Let's be happy again.' Even when it doesn't produce a laugh, it's still informative and doesn't sound like a failed joke.

2. Exaggeration — Use clearly outrageous overstatement. Must be obviously exaggerated (not trying to deceive). Example: 'a VCR that weighed about 750 pounds.' Bonus tip: Words beginning with a hard K tend to be funnier ('kabillion').

3. One of These Things Is Not Like the Other — List two items in a logical category, then add a surprising third that doesn't fit. Template: '[Normal thing], [Normal thing], and [Surprising/emotional/absurd thing].' Example: 'canned pineapples, ham, and despair.' Business example: 'simplify workflows, shorten the sales cycle, and bore your family to death when you tell them about it tonight.'

4. Definitions — Reduce something to a single defining attribute by imagining sifting it through a 'magical colander.' Extract the one essence that is most amusing. Example: Steve Jobs' 'iPod is 1,000 songs in your pocket.' Humor version: 'A chair is an antigravitational device designed to keep your ass suspended in midair.' Especially effective against competitors.

5. Specificity — Replace generic words with specific brand names, numbers, and details. 'Jack Russell terrier' is funnier than 'dog.' 'Cockapoo owner' is funnier than 'dog owner.' 'Vienna Fingers' is funnier than 'cookies.' Key benefit: When specificity doesn't produce a laugh, it's never perceived as a failed joke — it's just a detail.

6. Stating the Obvious — Look at everyday objects and conventions, then point out what's odd, arcane, or illogical about them. Exercise: Choose a space (room, building, public area), mentally walk through it, note each object/feature, ask 'does this strike me as odd, arcane, inexplicable, or less than ideal?' Those are opportunities for humor.

7. The Unexpected — Structure sentences so the funniest word or idea comes last. Identify the funniest part, then arrange everything so that part is revealed at the end. Example: 'Dad! I got the new Minecraft update. I played it a little. Then I woke up.' (Not: 'I dreamed I was playing Minecraft.')

Speaking with Adjacency (Matthew Dicks)

A method for finding stories to explain boring or complex business concepts.

How it works: Don't match content to content. Match theme, meaning, or message. Identify the core feeling or message of your product (e.g., 'giving people exactly what they need'), find a personal story with that same theme (e.g., 'buying specific apples for family members'), and snap the story onto the business concept.

State Change Method (Wes Kao)

A technique for keeping audiences engaged by punctuating monologues with interactive state changes every 3-5 minutes or every 3-5 slides

How it works: Types of state changes: 1) Ask people to put something in the chat, 2) Switch from gallery view to screen share and back, 3) Have someone else speak, 4) Ask people to unmute and chime in, 5) Put people in breakout rooms then popcorn share-outs, 6) Run polls, 7) Have people guess before you reveal information. Rule of thumb from Nathan Barry: every 3-5 slides, insert a state change. Review your material and ask 'have I done a state change in the last couple minutes?' — if not, add one.

Summary Prompts Technique (Tristan de Montebello)

Using the beginning of a sentence to prompt your brain to complete the thought, especially useful for ending strong and building conviction

How it works: Technique: Say the beginning of a sentence out loud and trust your brain to fill in the gap. Your brain will always deliver. Examples for ending strong: 'So to wrap up...', 'In summary...', 'So my point here is...', 'What I want you to remember...' Examples for conviction (from Conviction Prompts game): 'I genuinely believe that...', 'This matters a ton because...', 'It astonishes me when...', 'We cannot forget that...' This works because you're prompting your subconscious rather than trying to consciously construct the perfect sentence. Initially hard to trust, but after 1,000-10,000 reps, you start believing your brain will deliver every time.

The 'What is / What could be' Story Structure (Nancy Duarte)

A structural cadence for presentations that alternates between the current reality and a better future to build tension and longing.

How it works: Start by stating 'what is' (the current state/problem), move up to 'what could be' (the solution/future state), alternate back and forth to build contrast, and end on the 'new bliss' (the ideal future with the idea adopted).

The 5-Second Moment (Matthew Dicks)

A mental model for identifying the core of a story, focusing on a singular moment of transformation or realization.

How it works: Identify a 1-5 second moment where you changed from one kind of person to another, or realized something new. Build the 98% of the story as context to make that 5-second moment clear. Start crafting the story from this end point.

The Audience Journey & Big Idea (Nancy Duarte)

An organizing mechanism for a presentation that defines the core message and stakes.

How it works: Define where the audience is currently and where you are moving them to. State your point of view and explicitly outline what is at stake if they do or do not adopt it. Every single slide must support this one big idea.

The Unexpected — Funniest Word Last Rule (On being funny at work)

Technique for structuring any humorous statement so the punchline lands at the very end of the sentence

How it works: Rule: Identify the funniest part of the moment, then say that part last.

Example comparison:

• Funny version: 'Dad! I got the new Minecraft update. I played it a little. Then I woke up.'
• Less funny version: 'I dreamed last night that I was playing the new Minecraft update.'

Another example:

• Funny version: 'I shared a room off their kitchen—a converted pantry—with a guy named Rick, who spoke in tongues in his sleep, and the family's indoor pet goat.'
• Less funny version: 'Hey, Matt. Tell the story about the time you shared a bedroom with a goat.'

Application: When telling a story or writing copy, resist the urge to lead with the most interesting/funny element. Build up to it. The surprise is what creates the laugh.

Three Tactical Tweaks (Look Better, Sound Better, Feel Better) (Tristan de Montebello)

Three immediately applicable speaking improvements: 1) Think Up (look up when gathering thoughts instead of down), 2) End Strong (use summary prompts to land the plane), 3) Stay In Character (don't leak insecurities)

How it works: 1. THINK UP: When gathering thoughts, look up instead of down. On Zoom, looking down looks like checking phone/notes. Looking up looks thoughtful and confident. Write 'Think Up' on a post-it on your computer. 2. END STRONG: Anticipate consciousness returning at the end of your point. Use summary prompts: 'So to wrap up...', 'In summary...', 'So my point here is...', 'What I want you to remember...' - your brain will fill in the gap. Don't let go of the gas pedal at the last moment. 3. STAY IN CHARACTER: Don't share insecurities mid-speech. People can't see what you feel. The cue is 'stay in it' - the worse it gets, the more you stay in it. This creates a self-reinforcing confidence cycle when you get positive reactions despite feeling uncertain.

Templates

ADD (Matt Abrahams)

A structure for answering Q&A questions completely and effectively.

How it works: 1. Answer: Give a clean, concise answer to the question. 2. Detailed Example: Provide a specific instance to reinforce the answer. 3. Describe Relevance: Explicitly connect the dots on why this answer matters to the person asking.

Problem, Solution, Benefit (Matt Abrahams)

A classic advertising structure adapted for spontaneous speaking and pitching.

How it works: 1. Problem: State the issue in the world. 2. Solution: Explain how your product/idea solves it. 3. Benefit: Describe the positive outcome for the audience.

WHAT (Matt Abrahams)

An acronym-based structure for giving a toast or tribute.

How it works: 1. W (Why are we here): State the purpose of the gathering. 2. H (How are you connected): Briefly explain your relationship to the honoree. 3. A (Anecdote): Tell a short, accessible story showing their character. 4. T (Thank you): Express gratitude and signal closure (e.g., 'Cheers').

Checklists

Powerful Presence Checklist (Jeffrey Pfeffer)

Specific behaviors and body language tactics to appear more authoritative.

How it works: Do not read from notes, make eye contact, keep it brief, use anger as a signal (breaks norms), don't apologize, use more gestures, maintain open body posture, speak louder, use gentle touching/stand close, take more speaking time, use longer gazing time, use disinhibited laughs/humor.

Presentation Creation Process (Maggie Crowley)

A low-tech method for outlining and designing slide decks efficiently.

How it works: 1. Outline on paper. 2. Draw boxes for slides. 3. Write the literal headline text for each slide. 4. Sketch the flow/visuals. 5. Open presentation software to build it.

Presentation Effectiveness Checklist for PMs (Startup PM vs. big company PM)

Steps to ensure your presentation is effective and necessary

How it works: 1. Ask yourself: Do you actually need a presentation, or would an email suffice? 2. Make sure your audience knows the goal of the presentation: Are you looking for a decision? General feedback? Or purely sharing information? 3. Get feedback on your presentation from fresh eyes before presenting — they always catch the glaring issues. 4. Keep it short — no one ever wished that presentation went longer.

Public Speaking Preparation Routine (Maya Prohovnik)

Maya's step-by-step process for preparing for high-stakes presentations.

How it works: 1. Reframe anxiety as helpful adrenaline. 2. Write speaker notes in the format that works for you (e.g., full sentences). 3. Rehearse at least 10 times all the way through. 4. Memorize enough to ad-lib at least 50% of the notes. 5. Make heavy eye contact to appear off-script. 6. Raise hands above head before speaking to manage blood flow/nerves.

Examples

The Unexpected — Three Before/After Story Structuring Examples (On being funny at work)

Three real stories from Matthew Dicks' life shown first as raw facts, then restructured using the 'funniest word last' technique

How it works: Example 1 (Sleepwalking): Raw facts listed (sleepwalks, eats cereal, folds laundry, wrote 500 words of a novel while asleep). Restructured version opens with discovering a bowl of Cheerios and 500 words on the laptop, builds mystery, reveals 'I sleepwalk a lot' as the twist, then lands with 'When people ask me how I manage to accomplish so much, I don't tell them about the sleepwalking. It's not replicable.'

Example 2 (Fly down at Smucker's): Raw facts: spoke for 2 hours with fly down, friend told him at break. Restructured: Builds scene of friend whispering, then Matt addresses it directly: 'OK, so it's come to my attention that my fly was down for the last two hours...' — turns embarrassment into a teaching point.

Example 3 (Lamp/Jeff): Raw facts: daughter's lamp broke, can't fix anything, friend Jeff fixes everything, Jeff just changed the bulb. Restructured: Builds to reveal 'I changed the bulb' as the deflating punchline, then adds 'But here's the thing: This happened three years ago... But it's also happening now. Three years later. A second time.' — the repeated pattern is the real punchline.

Key principle demonstrated: Delay the funniest information. Alter chronological order to preserve surprise.

Tools

BIGVU (Jason Feifer)

A teleprompter app for recording video on a smartphone.

How it works: Allows you to import a script and runs the text very close to the camera lens on your phone so it looks like you are looking directly at the camera while reading.

Conductor Game (Tristan de Montebello)

A speaking game where you improvise on a random topic while matching intensity levels from 1-10 that change randomly, building range and emotional access

How it works: Setup: Random speech title appears. Speaker sees numbers 1-10 that change periodically. 5 = natural speaking rate. Higher numbers = more energy/intensity. Lower numbers = calmer/more introspective. 'Breathe' slides = mandatory silence/pause. Duration: ~70 seconds. Key principle: Energy leads, emotions follow, words fill in the gap. DIY version: Google a random series of 9 numbers, have a friend read each one, match the energy. Or use hand going up/down to indicate intensity. Available free at ultraspeaking.com. Key insight: Different energy levels access different 'file folders' of memories, stories, and insights. You don't say the same thing louder - entirely new content emerges.

Conviction Prompts Game (Tristan de Montebello)

A speaking game where you integrate sentence starters that force conviction (e.g., 'I genuinely believe', 'this matters a ton') to build executive presence

How it works: Setup: Similar to Triple Step but instead of random words, you get conviction-building sentence starters that you must say out loud and complete. Example prompts: 'This matters a ton', 'I genuinely believe that', 'Game changer', 'It astonishes me when', 'In fact', 'The entire world', 'We cannot forget that', 'Life changing'. Goal: Advocate for an important idea related to the speech title. The prompts force you into a state of conviction, which changes the content that emerges. Builds executive presence and helps people who tend to hedge or understate their ideas.

Homework for Life (Matthew Dicks)

A daily tracking system for capturing story ideas and memories.

How it works: Use an Excel/Google spreadsheet with two columns: Date and Story. Every night, ask: 'If I had to tell a story about today to save my family, what would it be?' Write down one moment per day. Over time, this builds a 'lens' for seeing stories and a massive vault of material.

Triple Step Game (Tristan de Montebello)

A speaking game where you improvise on a random topic while integrating random words that pop up, building resilience and focus under disruption

How it works: Setup: Random speech title appears. As you speak, 4-6 random words/phrases pop up that you must integrate seamlessly as if they were always part of the speech. Duration: ~60 seconds. Key coaching: Choose ONE strong direction from the start and hold it. Don't let each new word start a new thought - make the words serve your direction. Like a tree in a storm: firm enough to hold direction, flexible enough to integrate disruptions. Words can be integrated literally or metaphorically. Use cases: Building resilience, warming up before high-stakes situations (podcasts, interviews, meetings). Beginner tip: Start with 4 words instead of 6.