The Social Science Behind Public Speaking - Insights From a Motivational Speaker

The Social Science Behind Public Speaking – Insights from Steal The Show Ep 094

I’ve listened to every episode of Steal The Show with Michael Port, and while Episode 094 isn’t a top ten for me, it still left me thinking, questioning, and planning ahead. Featuring Roger Dooley, author of Mindfluence, this episode dives into the psychology of influence—critical knowledge for anyone who speaks, sells, or leads.

Right from the start (03:40), Dooley shares a powerful quote from Zig Ziglar:

“The most important sales tool you have is your own integrity.”

This one sentence captures what took me years to learn. For most of my life, I viewed sales as something sleazy, unnecessary—until I realized that selling, when done with integrity, is about helping people see possibilities they didn’t know existed.

I now sell courses to people who don’t even know they need them. I write emails—the kind I once dismissed as spam—but with the genuine intent of helping others. I walk the tightrope of marketing with confidence because I know my words and actions align.

This shift in mindset—from seeing sales as manipulation to viewing it as service—connects deeply with the episode’s core theme: influence. Roger Dooley unpacks key concepts from Robert Cialdini’s classic book Influence, demonstrating how psychological principles shape decision-making.

Key Takeaways from the Episode:

🔹 Liking (08:40) – The power of building rapport, even through something unexpected—like pets on stage.

🔹 Social Proof (12:20) – How showing that others trust you increases your credibility.

🔹 Anchoring (21:00) – A fascinating experiment by Dan Ariely shows how arbitrary numbers can unconsciously influence perceived value.

🔹 Flattery (22:30) – Surprisingly, even when people know they’re being flattered, they still react positively.

🔹 Shared Identity (32:00) – The importance of making people feel like they belong to a group.

🔹 Consistency (38:00) – The psychological principle that makes people more likely to commit to larger requests over time.

This episode is a must-listen for speakers, marketers, and leaders alike. Public speaking is about more than just words—it’s about psychology, connection, and, above all, integrity.

As you start your day, ask yourself: Do my words and actions match? That’s the real key to influence.