5 public speaking lessons from ‘House of Cards’

What can Frank Underwood, a high-powered congressman and notorious character on Netflix ‘House of Cards’, teach high-integrity business leaders about message delivery?

There are a number of presentation delivery lessons we can learn from Frank Underwood. Consider these (no spoilers, I promise):

1. Glance and grab like a pro

Underwood “glances and grabs” a phrase from the teleprompter (or notes) while maintaining eye contact with his TV audience, giving the impression that he is talking directly to you.

2. Use notes as a guide

Similar to his use of the teleprompter, he glances down to grab the next point from his notes with the goal of speaking to his audience and not at the script. Underwood knows what he wants to say and uses his notes only to keep the facts straight and guide his delivery.

3. Expressions tell all

The debate featuring three Democratic hopefuls in episode 37 not only is one of the best scenes of the season but also offers a valuable learning experience for speakers. Filled with sharp, well-timed dialogue, one candidate clearly loses ground for one reason: facial expressions.

4. Work a crowd

Underwood works the crowd, panning his body to be sure that he speaks to everyone in his audience, and stepping closer when someone asks a question. Notice his impeccable posture and his purposeful use of gestures.

5. Presence

Regal posture and the way he sits in the front of the chair, leaning slightly forward. He takes his time, uses a conversational tone and maintains his smile.

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