The Judges Are Always Right… And Therein Lies The Problem
I just got back from a half day judging of the NFL-IDEA qualifier held in Anglo-Chinese Junior College. NFL (National Forensic League) and IDEA (International Debate Education Association) are responsible for organizing the US speech tournament, and this year, they have invited Singapore to be part of this prestigious competition. And I am glad to be part of the judging team.
During the briefing session, one of the judges asked “So should we give more weightage to the delivery or the content?”
And the organizer replied, “It’s up to you… in fact, here’s the guideline - The judge is always right.”
And therein lies the problem because everyone has their own biasness and preference. If you happen to meet a judge who agrees with your message or likes your style of speaking, you will automatically score with him or her. Yes yes, it says in the rule book that the judge is suppose to be fair. He has to suspend his own opinions and score the contestant according to a set of criteria. But seriously (to those who judge before at a contest), how easy it is to remain fair and just?
Take today for example. A good portion of the judges were former debaters. And they are going to judge speakers according to how they think a speech is suppose to be. Well structured with a good built up of arguments. Persuasive. Strong closing, peppered with wit and flair. However, is that the only way to deliver a speech?
Then come me. I have my own definition of a good speech. Sincerity touches me. Strong message with memorable stories win me over. But again, is that a good speech? Not necessarily.
Hence it becomes a major problem for speakers in any competition… because they will face a panel of judges with their own set of biasness. And the person who win may not win because he is good but because the judges like his speech or his competitors are weak. If you have bought The FAQ Book on Public Speaking, you can refer to pp 138 for an elaboration of the point.
I came to one conclusion this afternoon.
If you want to win, it is tantamount for you to find your UNFAIR ADVANTAGE!
So much so that regardless of what happen, you are a clear winner. No questions about it. Darren calls it your “11″. Something that no one has done it before which makes you stand out from the rest of your competitors. For example like how Darren La Croix fell flat on his face during the start of his speech or Darren Fleming who spoke for a minute with his back facing the audience. It’s different. No one has done it before.
Personally I think humor is a very very powerful unfair advantage you can build. If you are downright funny, you are going to leave an impression with your judges. And more often that not, they will score you higher because you made the experience a much more pleasurable one.
Treatment of your topic is another way you can stand out from your audience. Let me give you an example. During last year’s PESA competition, a lot of the contestants spoke about this topic “Can Singapore produce a gold medal in the Olympics” and 7 out of 15 of the speakers spoke about the SAME things. Yes, they have done their research. Yes, their points were well supported. And yes, they were confident. But because everyone does the SAME thing, it becomes DOWNRIGHT BORING.
And then come this student who also spoke about the same topic which causes the same disgust among the audience initially. And then he surprised us with a twist of events. His argument - “Yes, we can produce a gold medal if we suggest new games to play… for example, see who gets the train seat first or see who gets into the queue the fastest.”
It was witty and yet it makes lots of sense. And no guess for the winner that afternoon.
So, what is YOUR unfair advantage?
And how can you create one, or even two, to ensure you win no matter what happens?
Cheers,
Eric Feng
Your Public Speaking Coach
P.S: Taking about speech competition, I am in the midst of one myself. Got through the area contest (tough fight!) and will be competing in the division contest on 26th April. Wish me luck!
Student Insurance…
Now, THAT is something we should ALL think about!…
Ahhhh.. Eyes, Ears & Mind opener
You know,being a part of the judging team is a real-life proof that you are one of the gurus in the field of public speaking.
http://public-speaking-tips1.blogspot.com
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