“When I was introduced to speak in front of large rallies of tens of thousands of people in sports stadia, I would pause after standing and just not say anything. I would reflect, pause, and keep silent. I would keep this up for 30 seconds, maybe even a minute or two, and people would get confused. There would be a hush and increasing anticipation as to what I was going to say. Only after a while would I start to speak when I was sure I had the people craving some words from my mouth. I would start with a whisper and build up to an emotional crescendo. My name is Adolf Hitler”.
Hitler was the worst mass murderer in the history of the world which is why it important to understand how he came to power. If you analyze Hitler’s career, you have to factor the assets that brought him to such a high level of power. It was not his looks, wealth, or family connections- it was his public speaking that boosted him to power. He could galvanize an audience, bring theme to tears, make them march and do anything.
He was an extraordinarily gifted speaker but he wasn’t always that way. He learned by putting a tremendous amount into thinking how to get a better response from his audience and this was one trick. I am not telling you to stand on stage for 5 minutes after having been introduced as it would seem odd and weird these days but pause for a few seconds. This sends a signal to the audience that you are not rushing and simply surveying the landscape by looking around the room.
I am not endorsing Hitler’s ideological policies but he did have effective speaking techniques that are apolitical.