福布斯：写作一篇优秀演讲稿的十大要诀（双语）
10 Keys To Writing A Speech
Jeff Schmitt， Contributor， Forbes, Jul 16, 2013,09:50am EDT
I write about organizational behavior from the bottom up.
作者：杰夫·施密特，《福布斯》供稿人，原文最早发布于2013年7月16日
“This is my time.”
“这是我的时间。”
That attitude will kill a speech every time.
这种态度每次都会扼杀掉一场演讲。
You’ve probably sat through some lousy speeches. Despite the speakers’ renown, you eventually tuned them out over their self-indulgent tangents and pointless details. You understood something these speakers apparently didn’t: This was your time. They were just guests. And your attention was strictly voluntary.
你可能已听过一些糟糕的演讲。尽管演讲者声名远扬，但你最终还是因那些自我放纵的话题和毫无意义的细节把他们的演讲排除在优秀言辞之外。你清晰明了地知道这些演讲者显然还没弄明白的事情：这是你的宝贵时间。而他们只是客人。你的注意力是否愿意倾注在这段言辞上完全是自愿的。
Of course, you’ll probably deliver that speech someday. And you’ll believe your speech will be different. You’ll think, “I have so many important points to make.” And you’ll presume that your presence and ingenuity will dazzle the audience. Let me give you a reality check: Your audience will remember more about who sat with them than anything you say. Even if your best lines would’ve made Churchill envious, some listeners will still fiddle with their smart phones.
当然，总有一天你自己也会发表演讲的。你会相信你的演讲将会不同。你会想，“我有很多重要的观点要说。”你会认为你的在场和独创性会让观众听的眼花缭乱。让我给你一个现实的检查：你的听众会记得更多更清楚的是谁坐在他们旁边而不是你说的任何内容。即使你最好的言辞哪怕会让丘吉尔都羡慕嫉妒，一些听众仍然会在那里摆弄他们的智能手机。
In writing a speech, you have two objectives: Making a good impression and leaving your audience with two or three takeaways. The rest is just entertainment. How can you make those crucial points? Consider these strategies:
在写演讲稿时，你有两个目标：给听众留下好印象，给听众留下两三个收获。剩下的只有娱乐。你怎么才能达成这些关键点的成功呢？考虑以下策略：
1) Be Memorable: Sounds easy in theory. Of course, it takes discipline and imagination to pull it off. Many times, an audience may only remember a single line. For example, John F. Kennedy is best known for this declaration in his 1961 inaugural address: “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what can do for your country.” Technically, the line itself uses contrast to grab attention. More important, it encapsulated the main point of Kennedy’s speech: We must sublimate ourselves and serve to achieve the greater good. So follow Kennedy’s example: Condense your theme into a 15-20 word epigram and build everything around it top-to-bottom.
1） 令人难忘：理论上听起来很容易。当然，要做到这一点需要自律和想象力。很多时候，观众可能只记得你一两句精彩之词。如肯尼迪在1961年的就职演说中以这一宣言而闻名：“所以，我的美国同胞们，不要问你们的国家能为你们做些什么；问问你能为你的国家做些什么。”从技术上讲，这些话本身是用对比的方式来吸引注意力的。更重要的是，它概括了肯尼迪讲话的要点：我们必须升华自己，为实现更伟大的利益而服务于国家。所以，以肯尼迪为例：把你的主题浓缩成一个15-20个单词的警句，并围绕它自上而下地构建其他语言。
There are other rhetorical devices that leave an impression. For example, Ronald Reagan referred to America as “a shining city on the hill” in speeches. The image evoked religious heritage, freedom, and promise. And listeners associated those sentiments with Reagan’s message. Conversely, speakers can defy their audience’s expectations to get notice. In the movie Say Anything, the valedictorian undercut the canned optimism of high school graduation speeches with two words: “Go back.” In doing so, she left her audience speechless…for a moment, at least.
也还有其他一些修辞手法会给人留下印象。例如，罗纳德·里根在演讲中把美国称为“山上一座闪亮的城市”。他语言中的这幅图像唤起了人们对宗教传统、自由和前景承诺的思考。听众将这些情绪与里根的信息联系起来。相反，演讲者也可以不顾听众的期望而获得关注。在电影《说什么都行》中，告别者用两个字“回去过往”削弱了高中毕业演讲中原本固有的乐观情绪。这样做，她让观众哑口无言……至少有那么一刻。
Metaphors…Analogies…Surprise…Axioms. They all work. You just need to build up to them…and place them in the best spot (preferably near the end).
隐喻…类比…惊喜…公理。这些演讲技巧都能管用。你只需要打造它们…并把它们放在最好的位置（最好接近尾端）。
2) Have a Structure: Think back on a terrible speech. What caused you to lose interest? Chances are, the speaker veered off a logical path. Years ago, our CEO spoke at our national meeting. He started, promisingly enough, by outlining the roots of the 2008 financial collapse. Halfway through those bullet points, he jumped to emerging markets in Vietnam and Brazil. Then, he drifted off to 19th century economic theory. By the time he closed, our CEO had made two points: He needed ADD medication – and a professional speechwriter!
2） 有结构：回想你听过的一个糟糕的演讲。是什么让你失去兴趣的？说话者很可能偏离了逻辑。几年前，我们的首席执行官在全国会议上发言。他首先概述了2008年金融崩溃的根源，这一点看起来他的演讲很有成功希望。在这些要点的中途，他跳槽到越南和巴西的新兴市场。然后，他转向了19世纪的经济理论。到他打住的时候，我们的首席执行官把两点体现得很明了：他需要补充点药物——他还需要一个专业的演讲稿撰写人做助手！
Audiences expect two things from a speaker: A path and a destination. They want to know where you’re going and why. So set the expectation near your opening on what you’ll be covering. As you write and revise, focus on structuring and simplifying. Remove anything that’s extraneous, contradictory, or confusing. Remember: If it doesn’t help you get your core message across, drop it.
听众对演讲者有两个期望：一条路径和一个目的地。他们想知道你要去哪里，为什么要去到这里。因此，在你的开场白附近设定你将要表述内容的期望值。当你写作和修改的时候，专注于结构化和简化。删除任何无关的、矛盾的或令人困惑的内容。记住：如果这些信息不能帮助理解你的核心信息，那就删掉吧。
3) Don’t Waste the Opening: Too often, speakers squander the time when their audience is most receptive: The opening. Sure, speakers have people to thank. Some probably need time to get comfortable on stage. In the meantime, the audience silently suffers.
3） 不要浪费开场白：演讲者常常浪费听众最容易接受对方的时间：开场白。当然，演讲者一般都有人要先感谢。还有些演讲者可能需要时间来适应舞台。与此同时，观众则是默默承受一切的受众。
When you write, come out swinging. Share a shocking fact or statistic. Tell a humorous anecdote related to your big idea. Open with a question – and have your audience raise their hands. Get your listeners engaged early. And keep the preliminaries short. You’re already losing audience members every minute you talk. Capitalize on the goodwill and momentum you’ll enjoy in your earliest moments on stage.
当你写作的时候，以时尚活跃的方式开篇。分享一个令人震惊的事实或统计数字。讲一个与你的大理念有关的幽默轶事。以一个问题开始——让你的听众举手。让听众早点参与进来。准备工作要简短。你说话的每一分钟都在失去听众。在舞台上的最初时刻，一定要充分利用你的善意和最好势头。
4) Strike the Right Tone: Who is my audience? Why are they here? And what do they want? Those are questions you must answer before you even touch the keyboard. Writing a speech involves meeting the expectations of others, whether it’s to inform, motivate, entertain, or even challenge. To do this, you must adopt the right tone.
4） 用正确的语气：谁是我的听众？他们为什么在这里？他们想要什么？这些都是你在触摸键盘之前必须回答的问题。写一篇演讲多涉及到满足他人的期望，无论是为了告知、激励、娱乐，甚至是挑战。要做到这一点，你必须采用正确的语气。
Look at your message. Does it fit with the spirit of the event? Will it draw out the best in people? Here’s a bit of advice: If you’re speaking in a professional setting, focus on being upbeat and uplifting. There’s less risk. Poet Maya Angelou once noted, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Even if your audience forgets everything you said, consider your speech a success if they leave with a smile and a greater sense of hope and purpose. That’s a message in itself. And it’s one they’ll share.
看看你的信息传输。它符合这个事件的精神吗？它会吸引人内心的最好的一面吗？这里有一点建议：如果你是在一个专业的环境中演讲，那么要专注于乐观向上。这样风险较小。诗人玛雅·安杰洛曾经说过：“我知道人们会忘记你说的话，人们会忘记你做的事，但人们永远不会忘记你给他们的感觉。”即使你的听众忘记了你说的每句话，如果他们离开你的演讲时面带微笑、心怀更大的希望和目标感，那么也你的演讲也被认为是成功的。这本身就是信息中的要点。这也是他们会分享的信息。
5) Humanize Yourself: You and your message are one-and-the-same. If your audience doesn’t buy into you, they’ll resist your message too. It’s that simple. No doubt, your body language and delivery will leave the biggest impression. Still, there are ways you can use words to connect.
5） 使自己人性化：你和你要分享的信息是同一个载体。如果你的听众不相信你，他们也会抵制你传递的信息。就这么简单。毫无疑问你的肢体语言和表达方式会给人留下最深刻的印象。不过，你还是有办法用语言来与听众建立关联感的。
Crack a one liner about your butterflies; everyone can relate to being nervous about public speaking. Share a story about yourself, provided it relates to (or transitions to) your points. Throw in references to your family, to reflect you’re trustworthy. And write like you’re having a casual conversation with a friend. You’re not preaching or selling. You’re just being you. On stage, you can be you at your best.
在演讲前心慌、紧张？别着急，每个人都会对公开演讲感到紧张。分享一个关于你自己的故事，只要它与你的主体要点有关（或能转化到你的要点上来）。再加上参考或提及家人，以反映你是值得信赖的。写得像和朋友随便聊聊天一样举重若轻。你不是在说教或推销。你只是做你自己。在舞台上，你可以做到最好。
6) Repeat Yourself: We’ve all been there. When someone is speaking, we’ll drift off to a Caribbean beach or the Autobahn. Or, we’ll find ourselves lost and flustered when we can’t grasp a concept. Once you’ve fallen behind, it’s nearly impossible to pay attention. What’s the point?
6） 重复一遍：我们过去都有过这样的感受。当有人说话时，我们的注意力会漂到加勒比海的海滩或高速公路上。或者，当我们不能理解一个概念时，我们会发现自己迷失了方向，心慌意乱。一旦你落下，就几乎不可能再集中注意力。有什么要点要注意呢？
In writing a speech, repetition is the key to leaving an impression. Hammer home key words, phrases, and themes. Always be looking for places to tie back and reinforce earlier points. And repeat critical points as if they were a musical refrain.
在写演讲稿时，重复是给人留下印象的关键。把关键词、短语和主题反复敲打。总是要找地方联系到和加强早期呈现的要点。重复这些关键点，仿佛它们是一首音乐副歌。
As a teenager, my coach continuously reminded us that “nothing good happens after midnight.” He’d lecture us on the dangers of partying, fighting, peer pressure, and quitting. After a while, my teammates and I just rolled our eyes. Eventually, we encountered those temptations. When I’d consider giving in, coach would growl “Schmitty” disapprovingly in my head. Despite my resistance, coach had found a way to get me to college unscathed. He simply repeated his message over-and-over until it stuck.
十几岁的时候，我的教练不断提醒我们“午夜过后不会有好事发生”，他会教导我们派对、打架、同龄人压力和放弃等负面人生危险。过不一会儿，我和我的队友们就会翻翻眼睛。最终，我们还是遇到了这些诱惑。当我考虑屈服放弃时，教练会在我脑海里不赞成地咆哮我的名字“施密特”。尽管我很抗拒，教练还是总能找到办法让我安然无恙地上大学。他只是一遍又一遍地重复他的信息，直到其永驻。
Some audience members may get annoyed when you repeat yourself. But don’t worry how they feel today. Concern yourself with this question: What will they remember six months from now?
当你重复一遍时，有些听众可能会生气。但别担心他们今天的感受。关心这个问题：六个月后他们会记得什么？
7) Use Transitions: Sometimes, audiences won’t recognize what’s important. That’s why you use transitional phrases to signal intent. For example, take a rhetorical question like “What does this mean” – and follow it with a pause. Silence gets attention – and this tactic creates anticipation (along with awakening those who’ve drifted off). Similarly, a phrase like “So here’s the lesson” also captures an audience’s interest. It alerts them that something important is about to be shared. Even if they weren’t paying attention before, they can tune in now and catch up.
7） 使用过渡语言：有时，观众意识不到什么才重要。这就是为什么你得用过渡短语来表达意图。比如，用一个反过来问的句子“这是什么意思”—然后停顿一下。沉默会引起注意——这种策略会引发人们的猜测预期（同时唤醒那些已经偏离了演讲的人）。类似的，一句话，如“这里就是我们所得的教训”也能抓住观众的兴趣。这是在提醒他们一些重要的事情即将被分享。即使他们以前不注意，现在也可以即刻收听并赶上。
8) Include Theatrics: During his workshops, Dr. Stephen Covey would fill a glass bowl nearly full with sand. From there, he’d ask a volunteer to place rocks into the bowl. In the exercise, rocks represented essentials like family, job, worship, and exercise, while the bowl signified the volunteer’s time and energy. It never failed: The volunteer couldn’t fit every rock in the bowl. The sand – which embodied day-to-day activities like transporting children, shopping, or reading – took up too much space. Something had to be cut. Usually, it was something essential.
8） 融入戏剧性效果：在他的工作室里，斯蒂芬·科维博士会在一个几乎装满沙子的玻璃碗里装满沙子。在那里，他会让一个志愿者把石头放进碗里。在这个演练中，石头代表家庭、工作、崇拜和锻炼等基本要素，而碗则代表志愿者的时间和精力。这样的做法从未失败过：志愿者不可能把碗里的每一块石头都装进去。沙子——包含了运送孩子、购物或阅读等日常活动——占据了太多的空间。有些东西必须剪掉。通常，这是必不可少的。
Covey would then encourage his volunteer to consider another option: Start with placing a rock in the bowl, adding some sand, and then alternating rocks and sand until the bowl was full. Like magic, there was suddenly enough space for both, as the sand gradually filled any gaps between the rocks. The message: Maintain balance. Never lose sight of the essentials as you tend to the day-to-day (and vice versa).
科维博士会鼓励他的志愿者考虑另一种选择：先在碗里放一块石头，加一些沙子，然后交替放石头和沙子，直到碗满为止。就像魔法一样，突然有足够的空间容纳两个人，因为沙子逐渐填满了岩石之间的空隙。信息：保持平衡。千万不要忽视基本的东西，因为你每天都在努力工作（反之亦然）。
Of course, Covey could’ve made his point verbally and moved on. Instead, he illustrated it with household items in a way his audience wouldn’t soon forget. If you have a smaller audience (or a video screen), consider incorporating visuals. Keep the props, storyline, and lesson simple. When you’re done, leave everything out to symbolize your point to your audience. Whatever you do, don’t play it safe. If you do, your speech will be forgotten in no time.
当然，科维可以口头表达他的观点，然后继续前进。取而代之的是，他以一种观众不会很快忘记的方式用家居用品来说明。如果你有一个较小的观众群（或视频屏幕），考虑纳入视觉效果。保持道具，故事情节和教导的简单性。当你完成后，把所有的东西都放在一边，向你的听众表达你的观点。不管你做什么，都不要太小心谨慎。如果你过于循规蹈矩，你的演讲很快就会被遗忘。
9) End Strong: In 2004, I attended a Direct Marketing Association (DMA) conference. I don’t recall much about our keynote speaker, except that he was tall and southern. I can’t even remember what his address was about. But I’ll never forget the story he used to close his speech.
9）强有力的结尾: 2004年，我参加了一个直销协会（DMA）会议。关于我们的主讲人，我记得不多，只记得他身材高大，南方人。我都不记得他叫什么了。但我永远不会忘记他用来结束演讲的故事。
The speaker was a friend of Jerry Richardson, owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. A few years earlier, the Panthers had drafted a fiery wide receiver named Steve Smith. While Smith excelled on the field, he was a nightmare in the locker room. Eventually, Smith was arrested for assaulting a teammate during film study.
演讲人是美国橄榄球联盟卡罗莱纳黑豹队老板杰里·理查森的朋友。几年前，美洲豹队选派了一名火爆的边路接球手史蒂夫·史密斯。虽然史密斯在场上表现出色，但他在更衣室里的表现却是噩梦。最终，史密斯因在电影学习期间袭击队友而被捕。
Already reeling from bad publicity from other player incidents, Richardson was pressured to cut Smith. But he chose a different path. Richardson vowed to spend more time with Smith. He decided that Smith would be better served with guidance and caring than further punishment. Eventually, Richardson’s patience paid off. Smith became the Panthers’ all-time leading receiver – and scored a touchdown in their only Super Bowl appearance. In fact, Smith still plays for the Panthers to this day.
理查德森已经被其他球员事件的负面影响所困扰，他被迫裁掉史密斯。但他选择了另一条解决之路。理查德森发誓要花更多的时间和史密斯在一起。他认为史密斯应该得到更好的指导和关心，而不是进一步的惩罚。最终，理查德森的耐心得到了回报。史密斯成为黑豹队历史上的领头羊，并在他们唯一一次参加超级碗比赛时触地得分。事实上，史密斯至今仍为黑豹队效力。
If the speaker intended to remind me how powerful that personal attention and forgiveness could be, he succeeded in spades. Fact is, your close is what your audience will remember. So recap your biggest takeaway. Tie everything together. Share a success story. Make a call to action. Don’t hold anything back. Your ending is what audience will ultimately talk about when they head out the door.
如果演讲者想提醒我个人的关注和宽恕具有多么强大的力量，他就成功了。事实上，你与听众的亲密感是你的观众会记住的。所以，重述一下你最大的收获。把一切要点都绑在一起。分享一个成功的故事。发出行动号召。不要隐瞒任何事情。你的收尾文词是观众出门时最终要谈论的。
10) Keep it Short: What is the worst sin of public speaking? It’s trying to do too much! Your audience’s attention will naturally wane after a few minutes. They have other places to be – and don’t want to be held hostage. And the longer you stay on stage, the more likely you are to stray and make mistakes. So make your points and sit down. Never forget: This is their time, not yours.
10） 言简意赅：公开演讲最严重的罪过是什么？演讲者想做的太多了！几分钟后，听众的注意力自然会减弱。他们还有别的地方要去，不想被当作人质扣留。而且你在台上呆的时间越长，你越容易走神，犯错误。所以就好好说你的观点，坐下来。永远不要忘记：这是他们的时间，不是你的。