#77 The Hand Trick Great Speakers Use

The Margaret Thatcher Story:

• Late 1970s: Thatcher knew the election would be decided by television
• Knew she wasn't good at TV
• Hired media advisor Gordon Reece, former TV producer
• Reece relentlessly filmed her, reviewed footage together
• Worked on appearance, body language, and voice (from breathy/nervous to lower/commanding)
• Conducted private polls after appearances to adjust approach
• Eventually got comfortable on camera and won election as Prime Minister

The Lesson:

• Thatcher wasn't a natural
• She improved one little thing at a time
• No silver bullet for getting better on camera or stage
• Small things you can practice and improve

This Week's Skill - The Hand Trick (from YouTuber Vinh Giang):

The Rule:

• Your right hand = the past
• Your left hand = the future

Why It Works:

• Feels off when you try it
• From audience's perspective: past on their left, future on their right
• We read left to right and watch videos with left-to-right progress bars
• Feels correct to the audience

Advanced Version:

• Stand on right side when talking about past
• Take a few steps left when talking about future
• Signifies moving forward in time

Bottom Line: Your right hand is the past, your left hand is the future. Get better at presenting by improving one small tactic at a time.

Source: Video of TV Interview for BBC Campaign '79: https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/133935 (check out 2:05 for some of the craziest 1970's sideburns you've ever seen)

For more tips on improving your speaking skills, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

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