Public Speaking Lessons We Can Learn from President Obama

There are many public speaking lessons we can learn from President Obama.

As a speaker, I’ve never hidden the fact that he stands out to me as one of the most gifted orators of our time. Politics aside, what interests me is how he delivers a message: the structure, emotion, connection and the lessons he offers every time he steps up to speak.

On 26 June 2015, thousands of mourners gathered to witness what became one of the most powerful and poignant eulogies ever delivered. President Obama spoke for 37 minutes at the funeral of Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was murdered along with eight others at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

A few months earlier, I had delivered the eulogy at my own mother’s funeral, without doubt the hardest speech I have ever made. Even with that experience, I cannot begin to imagine speaking under such tragic, national circumstances. This was a moment that shook a community, a nation, and the world.

I was deeply moved by President Obama’s emotionally charged, beautifully crafted speech. Within it were several powerful lessons for every public speaker.

1. Start Slow — but Start Strong

He opened with a passage of scripture, delivered slowly and deliberately, with nine meaningful pauses, in under a minute. Every word and every silence acknowledged the gravity of the moment. It was the perfect opening for a eulogy, unhurried, respectful, and grounded.

Contrast that with the rushed, transactional openings we often hear in everyday presentations, where speakers race through the agenda before the audience has even settled.

A strong start doesn’t need speed; it needs presence.

2. Show Them You Care

The purpose of any speech is to make an emotional connection as well as an intellectual one.

Throughout the entire 37 minutes, President Obama spoke with a palpable sense of pain and sadness. Beneath that, there was an undertone of anger, an emotion the audience clearly shared, judging by their response.

At a funeral, emotions such as sorrow, regret, and anger are natural, but the lesson extends far beyond eulogies:

It is the speaker’s job to help the audience feel something.

Whether you’re presenting quarterly results or delivering a keynote, connection always comes before content.

3. Make the Connection Clear

The unifying thread of the entire eulogy was “God’s grace.” Every story, every reflection, every moment of hope was tied back to that single idea. It gave the audience something to hold on to, a shared meaning that brought solace and clarity.

In any presentation, your audience needs the same thing: a clear, central connection that ties everything together. Without it, even strong ideas can feel scattered.

Speakers who move people to action are the ones who help them see how everything connects.

4. End as Strong as You Started — If Not Stronger

President Obama’s closing was extraordinary. After honouring the departed, reflecting on race in America, and offering hope, he did something unforgettable: he began to sing.

He led thousands of mourners into “Amazing Grace,” but not by asking, inviting, or signalling for them to join in. He simply began to sing, quietly at first, then with growing strength, and the entire room rose to its feet. It was courageous, unexpected, and profoundly moving. As endings go, it was flawless, and for every speaker, the lesson is unmistakable: finish with intention, with conviction, and with courage.

There is always something to learn from President Obama’s speaking, not just in moments of national grief, but in every speech he delivers. The next time you present, make a mindful effort to:

– start strong

– end even stronger

– show your audience you care

– make the connection unmistakably clear

Watch the video here:

If you need help with public speaking or presenting:

– Book yourself onto a powerful public speaking course.

– Invest in some really good one to one public speaking coaching.

– Get yourself some excellent presentation training

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