I was lucky enough to be a last-minute substitute to see Barack Obama at the O2 in London last week. Technical issues aside (the mics broke for a minute or two!) the thing that struck me the most was his public speaking style.

For the most part, Obama was slow and thoughtful, clearly choosing his words carefully. He refused to mention Trump by name, opting instead for “the current President” or “my successor”, presumably to avoid creating any soundbites. Whilst he spoke without controversy, at some points he was – dare I say it – a bit dull. But when he hit upon a topic that he was passionate about, his whole demeanour changed; he sat up, and he lit up. At these moments he became eloquent and engaging. The audience leaned in. The message landed.

That shift was striking. It reminded me that great public speaking isn’t about performance—it’s about authenticity. When you believe in your message, your audience hears it. They feel it. Passion doesn’t just enhance your delivery—it elevates your presence.

So what does this mean for those of us preparing to speak? Whether it’s in the boardroom, at a conference or in the O2 with 20,000 people watching, here are some top tips for public speaking:

• Start with belief – Anchor your message with something you genuinely care about. Passion is contagious.
• Practise with purpose – If you want a conversational tone, then practise your main points and you’ll conversationally build in the detail. If you want a more measured and careful speech then you may want to consider rote learning a script, in this case you will need to practise for emotional resonance.
• Slow down – We all have a natural tendency to speak too quickly, especially if we’re nervous.
• Use your body – Posture, gestures and eye contact will reinforce your message and build trust.
• Use silence as a tool – A well-placed pause can be more powerful than words. It gives your audience time to absorb

If you speak with passion and conviction, and the perfection will follow naturally.