Published on June 8, 2022

It’s been two years since Captain America dropped the now-iconic “Whatever it Takes” speech in Avengers: Endgame. Cap’s speech, delivered before the Avengers’ final battle, wowed the cinema hall and willed the Avengers to victory. 

But exactly what makes Captain America such an Effective Public Speaker?

Well, In today’s blog, we look at 6 Practices that make Captain America a Public Speaking Maestro.

1. Know your audience

Cap knows that before speaking, he must understand the needs and expectations of his audience. His audience is a group of battle-hardened veterans that have all lost loved ones and are about to face the biggest challenge of their lives. They are filled with nervousness and foreboding. 

2. Defined Rhetoric

Understanding their nervousness, Cap deduces that what they need right now is inspiration, steady nerves, trust and a clear goal. So he appeals to their personal loss to assert the importance of the moment. He emphasises the spirit of teamwork and acknowledges the difficulty of the task, but assures them of his confidence in their victory.

3. Clear Structure

Cap knows that to inspire and drive action, his words can’t be all over the place. Therefore, he starts his speech with a clear introduction, where he lays out the context. He then proceeds to the main body, explaining what they can do now and how. Finally, he concludes with a punch, boosting the team’s morale and while highlighting the stakes.

4. Delivery and Voice Modulation

Understanding his audience’s tense mood, Cap’s delivery is loud, clear and overall, the embodiment of stability. He speaks slowly and surely, never gives in to unsteady emotions and makes sure to include well-timed pauses after important points so that the message hits home.

5. Body language

A major chunk of communication takes place through non-verbal cues. Cap is aware of this and his body language exudes calm and confidence. He maintains a firm demeanour and makes deliberate eye contact with his audience, making the exchange that much more intimate and his message that much more powerful.

6. PRACTICE!

Mark Twain once said, “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Cap has turned this quotation into his mantra. Whenever he is signed up for a film, he makes sure to deliver as many speeches as possible. It is with this accumulated knowledge that he is able to make his craft reach perfection.

P.S.

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