What Are Lectures and Do They Work?

Lectures get a bad rep.

When many people think of a lecture, the first word that comes to mind is “boring.’

The second word that comes to mind is “monotoned.”

These are flawed perceptions of lectures.

The formal definition of a lecture is:

• An educational talk.

The informal definition of a lecture is:

• The bones of a subject.

What do I mean when I say the “bones of a subject?”

Allow me to expand.

Only the Skeleton, Hold the Skin

When I say the bones of a subject, I mean the:

• How-to processes
• Laws
• Important definitions

Think about a moment when you bought a book and wanted to learn how to do something.

But when you read the book, you were left disappointed.

The author kept putting in stories and anecdotes.

There were so many stories that you had trouble figuring out what the important points were.

You thought:

‘Just tell me what to do!’

Translation:

‘Just give me the bones and hold the skin!!’

Lectures are not always bad.

They get a bad rep because the presenter is clueless about when to deliver one.

Let me share a moment when I went from hating a lecture to being intrigued by it.

The Electromagnetics Story

I used to have a professor who taught electromagnetics.

His name was Professor Weller.

Professor Weller was the head of the engineering department.

He was a manager by heart, not a teacher.

But since no one wanted to teach electromagnetics, he had to step in.

Professor Weller was such a boring man.

0 personality & all bones (figuratively speaking).

He would give these dry lectures and post them online.

Around 2011, I couldn’t listen to his talks.

Around 2021, something changed.

In 2021, I got really curious about night vision.

The more I learned about night vision, the more I was led back to electromagnetics.

That’s when I thought:

‘Hm… I wonder if Professor Weller’s lectures are still on the student portal?’

I logged back into my undergrad portal and found his lectures there.

When I found them, I watched them.

This time, I consumed them with curiosity rather than dread.

The Necessary Precondition for Lectures

Recap:

• During undergrad (2011), I hated Professor Weller’s lectures.
• During 2021, I was intrigued by Professor Weller’s lectures.

The lectures didn’t change.

So, what did?

The answer is….

MY WILL!

During undergrad, I did not use my own will to consume the lectures.

I was given an ultimatum:

‘Listen or fail.’

But as an adult, I used my own will to consume his talks.

My curiosity was engaged.

Here’s an important concept to understand:

• For the most part, humans don’t like dry logic, definitions, and ‘how-to’ guides.

For the most part, humans like stories.

That’s how the mind processes information.

When you are presenting the bones of a subject, you are going against a human’s natural information processing system.

Translation:

• Humans are not wired for lectures.

Guess what though?

You can bypass the boundaries of their mind if you meet only one precondition:

• Engage their will.

‘How do I engage someone’s will?’

Great question!

2 Ways to Engage Someone’s Will

How can we make the student curious about what we have to say?

The first answer is through stories.

This answer is a cheat response because the title of today’s talk is about lectures.

Why bring in stories?

Because we are dealing with a student who isn’t curious about our topic.

His will is not engaged.

Therefore, let’s get the main points (bones) of our lecture and wrap it in an anecdote (skin).

If you’re telling your son not to drink and drive, then share a story about a time when your best friend threw his life away due to drinking and driving.

Sprinkle the lessons from your lecture into the talk.

Be vivid.

Be detailed.

The second way to engage the students so they willingly listen to your lecture is to have a fire opener.

A talk is broken down into 3 parts:

• Opener
• Middle
• End

The way the lecture works with this format is:

• Opener – build curiosity
• Middle – share important points (bones) of the subject
• End – recap the important points of the subject

Let’s say your lecture is about how to get your first internship.

A good opener would be:

‘Raise your hand if you are a parent to a future college kid.’

A few of the audience members raise their hands.

You continue:

‘Did you know a lot of students who graduate from college cannot get jobs because they lack practical experience? Sure, they have a degree. But that’s not enough! Just imagine. You spent so much money on your child’s college tuition… and it’s worthless! That should not be the case. That will not be the case if your child gets an internship prior to graduation. 1 internship raises the student’s ability to get a job by 23%!’

Now the parents in the audience will use their will to listen to your how-to guide on how to get an internship.

Leave the Student Alone (For Now)

Here is an unfortunate truth.

You may be an eager teacher.

However, your message is falling on deaf ears.

We discussed 2 methods for delivering your lecture:

• Sprinkle the main points of your talk within a story.
• Have a fire opener to build curiosity so the student willingly consumes the lecture.

There is a 3rd option:

• Do not deliver the lecture (for now).

Leave the student alone.

He or she is not ready yet.

I was not ready to consume electromagnetics for a long time.

I’m pretty sure stories or openers wouldn’t have made much of a difference back then.

I needed to go through certain experiences before I could appreciate the field.

Once I grew up, I returned.

Evaluate the student.

What stage are they in?

Are they somewhat warm?

Then give them your time.

If they are colder than a snowman, then it’s best to give them space.

For more practical public speaking insights, be sure to check out my ebook, Speaking Wizard: