Randy Pausch, Speaking Skills Essay

When faced with the knowledge that you are about to do something you love for the last time, how would you react? When Randy Pausch, a virtual design professor at the University of Carnegie Mellon was given the diagnosis of liver cancer with only a few months to live, he knew that everything he did would be the last time he did it. Randy chose his last lecture to be an inspiring tribute to his life and the people who made it everything he wanted it to be. His incredible speech is delivered so full of life, that it is hard to imagine that he is practically walking to his deathbed. So besides his predicament, what made Pausch’s speech so moving? His passion for the topic gave him life onstage, the intricate design of the speech intertwined his ideas kept the audience captive while his usage of jokes connected him with the audience. Public speaking was obviously a strength for Pausch and by studying his techniques, we improve on our own communication in all aspects of the verb. We start by analyzing his passion for the topic; childhood dreams. As a child, Randy had things in his life he wanted to accomplish. While not everything on his list was done by the book, he still found worth in everything he gained from the pursuit. This was something that Pausch cared deeply about. His body language and tone was just as powerful as his words. When Randy was speaking, his voice reflected the way he felt about his topic. When he intended on being sincere, his voice slowed and lowered. The emphasis spearheads impactful words and phrases. When he made jokes, he would smile as he got to the punch line and there would be a sense of lightheartedness in his voice. Putting emotion into your appearance and sound gives your words strength. As a species, we put so much emphasis on these that it is more than half of a conversation. Now to focus on his organization. The organization of what you are trying to say is important when it comes to keeping a person’s attention. When people become confused, they make the internal decision to tune out the conversation than attempt to organize it themselves. So it is important to be direct and solid with your statements when you tell stories and give instructions. All of Randy’s sorties and jokes were easy to understand and direct. Something that Pausch did that was very creative was his use of foreshadowing. The photo of him and his siblings on the Alice ride at Disney as a child connected well with the program he designed later in life as a professor. Furthermore, he made that it apparent to his audience that may not have originally seen the connection by stating it was a foreshadowing moment. By leaving the story open-ended until a later time in his lecture, he captured the interest of people who didn’t know him prior by intriguing them with a mystery. Then to people who did understand, it was a fun and heartwarming connection. The point of using foreshadowing and other organization techniques is to keep the brain occupied and attentive. Pausch does an excellent job of this. Despite Pausch’s tragic diagnosis, the man stands strong with a positive outlook on life. His ability to be realistic about his condition commands respect while his lightheartedness gives shows us that he is at peace with his fate. Pausch involves the audience, speaking to them directly as if he is simply in an extensively long conversation. His jokes are sweet and good hearted. Some jokes are more general, but a few were very personal. These were about specific times and people in his life that he feels were important. By letting the audience into his life this way, he gave them a friendly feeling. Although I never met the man, by the end of his lecture I felt as though he was a close friend. Purely by using his personality, he reels the audience in. Randy captivated much more than his friends, he inspired complete strangers even years after his passing. I would like to give a thank you to the Youtube website. Randy’s memory is preserved forever and is available to millions. I appreciate the opportunity to be exposed to such an honorable person. Randy had passion for the classroom, and passion for life. His organization and direct statements gave clarity and direction to his thoughts. Then, his personality and humor brought the audience into his life. He connected with people on a level of friendship which was incredibly moving. I most definitely enjoyed watching him and wish his family love and happiness.