Is Your Speech a Memo — Or is it Memorable

Is Your Speech a Memo — Or is it Memorable

Because if it can be read in silence, it doesn’t need a stage.

“Words mean more than what is set on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” – Maya Angelou

If your message is just a set of instructions, send a memo.

If it’s just information, post it on the bulletin board.

If all you have to share can be scrolled past or skimmed — don’t gather people in a room, don’t book a hall, and certainly don’t stand on stage.

But…

If you want people to feel, to reflect, to act, then it needs more than just words. 

It needs you.

The Problem with Many Speeches Today

Too many speakers use the stage like an email.

They read out slides.

They dictate bullet points.

They transfer data.

They might as well attach a PDF and call it a day.

But audiences don’t come for data. They come for depth.

They come for energy, not just efficiency. 

They come for presence, not just presentation.

Why the Human Voice Still Matters

In an AI-fueled world of automation and templated messaging, what stands out? 

Emotion. Connection. Authenticity.

The human voice — with its rhythm, tone, pause, emphasis — transforms even the simplest message into something meaningful. 

A voice can reassure. A voice can challenge. A voice can inspire.

Memo vs Memorable: What's the Difference?

Tips to Move from Memo to Memorable:

• Tell stories, not just stats.

• Vary your voice — pace, pitch, power.

• Engage the audience — ask questions, invite reflection.

• Speak with emotion — not just to be heard, but to be felt.

• Don’t read the speech. Live the moment.

Anyone can recite. Few can resonate.

Final Thought

Every time you speak, you have a choice.

You can transfer information — or you can spark transformation.

You can read like a memo — or move like a moment people will remember.

Don’t waste the stage on silence. Don’t let your voice sound like paper. Instead of a memo, make it memorable.