What do speech structure, geometry and pizza have in common? To find the answer, I invite you to sit down on one of the most famous couches on tv. On your side, a gang of scientists and a wannabe actress.
With all the nerd characters and laugh track, The Big Bang Theory doesn’t seem the best source of advice about public speaking. And theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper, who almost completely lacks social skills, doesn’t look like the perfect speaking coach. But, surprise!, some time ago I realized that I do have something in common with Dr. Cooper: we share the same taste in food, geometry… and public speaking.
In episode 13 of season 11, Sheldon states that:
Pizza is the perfect food: a circle made of triangles served in a square box.
I could definitely rephrase this opinion, making it not about pizza – but about my favourite speech structure geometry:
If you want to deep dive, take a slice and follow me through the shapes.
A circle from introduction to conclusion
As you opened, you should close: this is a common suggestion in public speaking. There is a typical structure that we tend to follow, with minimal variations. We introduce the topic, move to the body of the speech, then come back to the message in the conclusion. In this structure, applying circularity helps at least for two reasons.
First, the body of the speech may include different aspects related to the main point. When I spoke about fear of public speaking, I introduced the topic, then explained how preparation helps me to keep fear in control, listing three tactics. Eventually, in the conclusion I wrapped them up, reinforcing the connection to the main message.
Secondly, circularity makes it clear that you are getting to the conclusion. The last part of your speech is most likely the one where you express your message in the strongest way, to make it memorable. And the audience expects that. Even if they have been distracted during the body of the speech, they will get back onboard for the conclusion. Therefore, it’s good that they see it coming.
The rule of three
If there is a golden rule in public speaking, it is the rule of three. As professional speechwriter Simon Lancaster mentions in his book Speechwriting, The Expert Guide, using groups of three elements in your composition “leaves an impression of finality”. You can also use a different number of points, but with some risks. In fact, two elements may give the impression of contrast, while more than three can be too many for the audience to process.
The triangle shape is applicable to speech structure geometry at all levels. The basic flow of a speech is formed by introduction, body and conclusion; the body can contain three paragraphs; for each paragraph, we can use three supporting materials. On a smaller level, we can use bunches of three adjectives or group three sentences together. A good example from Pres Vasilev: “When you reach out, you attract ideas that lift you up. When you reach out, you attract solutions that lift you up. When you reach out, you attract friendships that lift you up”. Here we have three consecutive sentences, each one built by three verbs (reach out, attract, lift up).
Does your structure square?
When I start to write a speech, I often indulge in the introduction, then dedicate long lines to the first two points of the body, a little less for the third… and then realize I have barely enough time for the conclusion. Instead, I like when the speech structure is balanced, with enough attention dedicated to each part.
If you follow the golden rule, you most probably have three main points in the body of your speech. When you develop them, you should follow an equilibrium: if all points are equally functional to the topic, then they should have the same amount of dedicated time. If one of the supporting points gets far less attention, we should ask ourselves if it is necessary to include it at all. The risk is that it ends up being eclipsed by the others, becoming useless.
Even more crucial, introduction and conclusion should be equally balanced. The beginning shall be long enough to give a good setup for the topic, but we must grant the same attention to the conclusion. The end of the speech is as important as the introduction, because it wraps up and packages the message for the audience.
Geometry to entertain and communicate
The main goals of a speaker are to convey the message and entertain the audience. To do this, we should use a structure that makes the content both easy and pleasant to follow. Circularity, easiness and balance are crucial aspects of the speech structure geometry. On one side, the harmony among the parts guarantees that the speech is pleasant for the ear, formed by well-balanced elements. On the other side, you should present the information in a way that makes them easy to understand. This way, the message will reach the audience much more effectively.
When I listen to a speech, the structure geometry I like to hear is the one which would please Sheldon Cooper as well. A perfectly round pizza, cut in easy-to-eat triangle slices, and packed in a well-balanced square box. Can your message be yummier than that?
(Image by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash)