Lesallan | June 11, 2026
Engaging Audiences: Personal Reflections on Effective and Ineffective Public Speaking
In this post I reflect on two personal examples one in which a speaker engaged an audience effectively and one in which a speaker failed to engage—and I analyze the differences using principles from management communication and empirical research on narrative engagement.
In one instance a nonprofit director addressed our volunteer team by opening with a concise personal story that linked her motivations to the organization’s mission, then used varied vocal pacing, purposeful pauses, and brief interactive prompts (e.g., direct questions and short turn‑and‑share moments). Her approach created immediate relevance for listeners, invited cognitive and emotional participation, and produced observable behavioral indicators of engagement such as note taking and follow‑up conversation. This experience aligns with management communication guidance that emphasizes audience orientation, clarity of purpose, and interactive structure as central to effective organizational messages (Thomas, Haupt, & Spackman, 2017). Empirical work on narrative persuasion further supports the value of storytelling and transported attention: narratives that “transport” listeners into the story increase attention and persuasive impact by aligning cognitive and affective processes across audience members (Green & Brock, 2000).
By contrast, I attended a departmental briefing in which the presenter read dense slides verbatim, maintained a flat tone, and offered no opportunities for audience feedback. Attendees disengaged quickly, and few questions followed. The contrast between the two events was not primarily the informational content but the speaker’s delivery and orientation toward the audience. Management communication literature frames this distinction as the difference between one‑way transmission and dialogic, audience‑centered communication; speakers who check for understanding and invite participation create feedback loops that sustain attention and comprehension (Thomas et al., 2017). Practitioners and trainers likewise recommend vocal variety, rhetorical questions, and brief interactive elements to maintain attention (Motivation2Study, 2019; Padraig Hyland, 2017).
In sum, my experiences and the literature indicate that effective engagement depends on (a) establishing relevance through tailored examples or narratives, (b) using delivery dynamics that vary pace and tone, (c) structuring interaction to solicit mental participation, and (d) demonstrating authentic presence that builds trust (barrymike1, 2011; Green & Brock, 2000; Thomas et al., 2017). These elements transform passive listeners into active participants and improve both retention and the likelihood of follow‑up action.
—Lesallan
References:
barrymike1. (2011, April 20). The making of a minor communication disaster (1): It’s not what you say, it’s who you are. Strategic Leadership Communication. https://strategicleadershipcommunication.com/2011/04/20/the-making-of-a-minor-communication-disaster-1-it%E2%80%99s-not-what-you-say-it%E2%80%99s-who-you-are/
Cody Askins. (2022, September 21). The Words You Speak Matter In Life & Business! – Jesse Itzler Motivational Speech [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqFLiM6L3nM
Green, M. C., & Brock, T. C. (2000). The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 701–721. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.79.5.701
JohnMaxwellCo. (2011). Everyone Communicates, Few Connect [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sy3oLFZ1QA
Motivation2Study. (2019). 4 Tips To IMPROVE Your Public Speaking – How to CAPTIVATE an Audience [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=962eYqe–Yc
Padraig Hyland. (2017, November 14). How to engage an audience | Padraig Hyland | TEDxTallaght [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h0dHhJYx5s
TEDx Talks. (2018). The Power of Words | Taylor Bertolini | TEDxNSU [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgS7bFWlqsw
TEDx Talks. (2020). It’s not manipulation, it’s strategic communication | Keisha Brewer | TEDxGeorgetown [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGeHS4jO0X0
Thomas, L., Haupt, J., & Spackman, A. (2017). Management Communication. Open Textbook Library. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/management-communication
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