How much should you rehearse your speech? What does it mean to be a professional speaker? I often hear from semi-pro speakers and wannabe speakers that you shouldn’t rehearse too much lest you grow stale. To my way of thinking, that represents the wrong way to think about rehearsal – and professionalism. I’ll explain my point by way of an anecdote.

I grew up on the Beatles, and I love their music the same way that you love your family or your pets – they were just part of the landscape. I often use a clip from the Beatles performing to demonstrate some aspects of positive body language. All you have to do is witness the way the audience screams for them to see how well certain kinds of positive body language can work!

Nowadays, alas, an increasing percentage of my clients and audiences are only vaguely aware of who the Beatles are, or rather were, but most people cope fine with the cultural reference once I explain the reason for bringing old rock and roll up. It just dates both me (and them).   I noticed recently that Paul McCartney couldn’t get into an after party at the Grammys on his face alone, so I guess things are tough all over for former Beatles and Beatle fans.

But that recent kerfluffle reminded me of a story from the Beatles’ glory days, when they were still performing live. They had earned their chops, famously, performing grueling 8-hour stints in Hamburg in some rather seedy places as an unknown band. So when fame and the world’s attention came, they were ready for it.

George Harrison (that’s the Beatles’ lead guitarist) confessed in one interview that, to liven things up, they had taken to fiddling with the tuning pegs of Paul’s bass guitar just before they went on stage. So the first couple of notes that Paul played were off, he had to re-tune, and get back on track without having a meltdown – and while singing, gyrating, and maintaining that positive body language for the audience all at the same time.

Can you imagine? Leaving aside the implicit tensions in the band for things to get to that point, what the anecdote hints at is something quite extraordinary in a perverse way: the level of Paul’s professionalism. The other Beatles knew that they could take that kind of liberty because Paul was such a pro that it wouldn’t rattle him too much.

Paul, in other words, knew his material so well that he could handle all the pressures of performing, plus the surprise of finding that his guitar was out of tune, plus tune it back to normal – all while continuing to sing, smile, and play.

How well do you know your material? How many monkey wrenches could you handle? Do you melt down when something goes wrong, or are you ready to keep going, cheerfully and with aplomb? That is one important measure of the difference between a pro and an amateur.

So, how much should you rehearse? Enough so that you’re ready for anything. Enough so that nothing throws you off your stride. Enough so that you can face any kind of technological challenge with a smile and a nod.

A real pro jumps at any chance to rehearse. You never get too much rehearsal. You’re never afraid of going stale. This is your material, your passion, and your life. Anything less is nowhere near enough.

We’ll be helping you develop your public speaking chops at our first public conference in six years in Boston April 22nd.  It’s a one-day intensive, interactive seminar.  Learn more about it here, and sign up soon — spaces are limited and going fast!