Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is an absolute classic of oratory. It’s a short speech delivered on November 19, 1863. Few people, however, know that Lincoln wasn’t the only one to take the stage that day. Lincoln spoke for two minutes, and his speech is still quoted today. Just before him, Edward Everett spoke for two hours, and even history enthusiasts don’t remember his words. Keep that in mind whenever you stand to speak before any audience.
Yes, brevity is the mark of the best speakers. And brevity has always been valued. The TED Talk format limits presentations to 18 minutes. Chris Anderson, TED’s curator, puts it simply: it’s “long enough to say something of importance and short enough to hold people’s attention.” Interestingly, most speakers still finish much earlier—after 12 to 15 minutes.
Speakers at Ignite Talks have even less time: just 5 minutes. It’s a format similar to the Japanese Pecha Kucha. In both cases, speakers present with 20 slides automatically advancing one after another. The difference is timing: in Ignite Talks, each slide stays on screen for 15 seconds; in Pecha Kucha, 20 seconds. So the total duration is 5 minutes (Ignite Talks) and 6 minutes 40 seconds (Pecha Kucha).
Can you really convey something meaningful in just five minutes?
The examples above show that you can. The secret lies in preparation. If you expect to improvise a five-minute talk with important content, chances are slim you’ll succeed. Most likely, by the fourth minute, you’ll realize you’ve only finished your introduction—or, under time pressure, you’ll lose your train of thought entirely. Woodrow Wilson was right (though the quote is often attributed to others) when he said:
“If you want me to speak for two minutes, it will take me three weeks to prepare. If you want me to speak for thirty minutes, it will take me a week to prepare. If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready now.”
Piotr Garlej
PS. We explore brevity, effective communication, and persuasion in more depth during our presentation training. You can find more information about it HERE>
