The Best (AND Worst) Public Speaking Advice RANKED!

Here's a comprehensive summary of the YouTube video transcript, maintaining the original language and technical precision:

Key Concepts

• Public Speaking Advice Ranking: Evaluating common public speaking tips and categorizing them from S (best) to F (worst), with intermediate tiers (A, B, C, D, E).
• Audience Engagement: Strategies to connect with and hold the attention of listeners.
• Authenticity vs. Practice: The role of genuine self-expression versus deliberate skill development in public speaking.
• Cognitive Load: How mental resources are allocated during speaking, impacting performance.
• Self-Consciousness vs. Audience-Consciousness: Shifting focus from internal anxieties to the needs of the audience.

Ranking of Public Speaking Advice

The video systematically ranks various pieces of public speaking advice, assigning them to tiers based on their effectiveness. The ranking system is as follows:

• S Tier: The best, most effective advice.
• A Tier: Excellent advice, with minor caveats.
• B Tier: Good advice, but with potential limitations or specific contexts.
• C Tier: Well-intentioned but potentially flawed or lazy advice.
• D Tier: Poor advice that can hinder communication.
• E Tier: Advice that is detrimental and self-focused.
• F Tier (Android Tier): The worst, most harmful advice.

S Tier Advice

• Imagine the people you're talking to are naked: This is ranked as S tier (100% gold advice) with a crucial caveat: do not tell the audience you are doing this. The rationale is that it helps the speaker overcome nervousness by reducing the perceived authority or judgment of the audience. However, the speaker strongly warns against actually vocalizing this strategy, as it would be highly inappropriate and lead to negative consequences ("If you want to go to jail, you see").
• Pause: Pausing is considered S tier because it allows the audience time to process information. The speaker emphasizes its effectiveness in enhancing comprehension and impact.
• Smile constantly (with a slight smile): This is ranked S tier, but with a critical distinction. The advice is to maintain a slight smile throughout the day, not an exaggerated or constant grin. The speaker uses an anecdote about a student who transformed their perception by changing from a slight frown to a slight smile, highlighting the profound impact of this subtle shift on how others perceive them. The warning is against an overly intense smile that could appear unsettling ("like a bloody serial killer, Ted Bundy style").
• Record a video of yourself: This is deemed S tier ("Hands down. Both hands down.") because it acts as a "communication mirror." Recording oneself allows speakers to identify and address visual and auditory ticks, non-functional behaviors, and other elements that detract from clarity and credibility. This self-awareness is presented as a dramatic improvement tool.
• Tell stories to connect with your audience: This is S tier. The core argument is that connection is paramount before delivering content. Storytelling makes information more "sticky" and impactful, establishing a foundation of connection that enhances the reception of the main topic.

A Tier Advice

• Don't start with a joke (unless you are hilarious): This is placed in A tier. The speaker agrees with the sentiment that starting with a joke is high-risk, low-reward unless the speaker is naturally gifted at humor and the joke directly aligns with the topic. The risk of an audience not reacting can kill the energy from the outset.
• Fake it till you become it (or practice it till you become it): This is A tier. The speaker reframes "fake it till you make it" to "fake it till you become it" or "practice it till you become it." This is considered a useful belief because it emphasizes the power of practicing desired behaviors (e.g., confidence) to internalize them and achieve genuine change.
• Name the elephant (call out the obvious thing): This is A tier. The advice is to acknowledge the obvious or unspoken issue in a situation. The speaker uses the example of their editor, Peter, being on their shoulders as an "elephant in the room" that needs to be addressed for the video to proceed smoothly. This is linked to the idea that if you don't make a big deal out of a minor mistake, the audience won't either. However, if a mistake is significant (like a fall), acknowledging it is necessary.

B Tier Advice

• Avoid filler words completely (with a caveat): This is B tier. The speaker argues that completely avoiding filler words can make a speaker sound robotic and scripted. A few filler words here and there (e.g., one per minute) can make a speaker seem more human and conversational.
• Share a statistic or fact as an attention grabber: This is B tier. While it can be an effective way to hook an audience, the speaker suggests it can sometimes be boring, especially if used exclusively or in the wrong context. They personally prefer starting with a story.

C Tier Advice

• Just be yourself: This is C tier. The speaker argues that this advice is well-intentioned but lazy. Being "yourself" in an unnatural situation like public speaking requires significant practice and dedication to develop the necessary skills (body language, voice modulation) to overcome nervousness and deliver effectively. The "natural" self in a casual conversation is different from the self on stage.

D Tier Advice

• Use big words to sound intelligent: This is D tier. The speaker demonstrates the absurdity of this by using overly complex jargon, making it difficult to understand. The core message is that using big words unnecessarily makes you harder to understand, not smarter.
• Don't move your hands: This is D tier. The speaker argues that hand gestures are crucial for bringing messages and stories to life, chunking information, and aiding listener comprehension. The only context where not using hands is acceptable is when listening, not speaking.

E Tier Advice

• Tell everyone you're nervous right at the start: This is E tier. This advice is labeled "eutric" (self-centered) because it focuses on the speaker's internal state rather than the audience's needs. Announcing nervousness or lack of preparation adds no value to the audience and is a distraction.

F Tier (Android Tier) Advice

• Memorize your speech word for word: This is F tier. The speaker states this is "terrible advice" because if even one word is forgotten, the entire speech can fall apart, leading to a complete breakdown.
• Put lots of text on your slides so you remember your speech: This is F tier ("Android tier"). This is considered the opposite of effective presentation design. Slides should support, not replace, the speaker's knowledge.
• Avoid filler words completely: (Re-evaluation from B tier, this is the extreme version). The transcript initially places "avoid filler words completely" in B tier, but the implication is that absolute avoidance is problematic. The speaker later clarifies that some filler words are fine, suggesting that the extreme interpretation of "completely avoid" might be F tier if it leads to robotic delivery. However, the primary placement for the nuanced advice is B.
• Don't practice, just wing it: This is F tier. The speaker likens this to a bird flying with one wing, leading to circular progress and a career that "never takes flight." They argue that rehearsal, contrary to popular belief, makes you sound more natural because it frees up cognitive capacity to focus on delivery rather than remembering what to say.
• Never use notes: This is F tier. The speaker asserts that many great communicators use notes, but they've mastered hiding them or integrating them conversationally. Notes are a tool to aid delivery, not a sign of weakness.
• Don't eat before you go on stage: This is A tier, not F tier as initially implied by the speaker's dramatic statement. The speaker clarifies this is A tier.

Other Notable Advice and Concepts

• The "Jar of Advice": This refers to a collection of advice provided by the speaker's editor, Peter, which the speaker then critiques and ranks. Many of the F-tier and D-tier pieces of advice originate from this jar.
• "Faked it till she became it" vs. "Faked it till you made it": The speaker highlights Amy Cuddy's phrasing as more effective, emphasizing transformation rather than just achieving a goal.
• Cognitive Capacity and Rehearsal: Rehearsal frees up mental resources. Instead of using cognitive capacity to fear forgetting lines, speakers can use it to be present, engaging, and impactful.
• Audience Consciousness: The key to overcoming nervousness is shifting focus from self-consciousness ("Am I okay?") to audience consciousness ("What does the audience need?"). This is a positive side effect of effective public speaking.
• Mistake Management: If you make a minor slip-up and don't make a big deal out of it, the audience likely won't notice. However, for significant mistakes, acknowledging them ("naming the elephant") is necessary.
• Podiums: Using a podium is considered terrible advice (Android tier) because it creates a barrier between the speaker and the audience, hindering connection.
• Eating Before Presenting: Not eating a large, carby meal before a presentation is A tier. Heavy meals divert energy to digestion, leading to sluggishness and slower thinking.

Conclusion

The video provides a critical and practical evaluation of common public speaking advice. It emphasizes that effective communication is not about innate talent but about understanding and applying specific strategies. The speaker advocates for advice that fosters genuine connection, enhances clarity, and empowers speakers to be present and impactful, while debunking advice that is counterproductive, self-focused, or based on misconceptions. The core takeaway is to prioritize audience connection, practice deliberately, and use tools like self-recording and storytelling to improve.