High-Stakes Speaking via Laughs Per Minute (LPM)

High-stakes speaking is not a talent; it is an acquirable skill. To hold an audience's attention in a short-attention-span society, you must treat engagement as a measurable engineering problem. By using the "Laughs Per Minute" (LPM) metric—a standard in stand-up comedy—you can ensure your message is actually heard.

The LPM Framework

Audience attention is the primary constraint of any presentation. If you lose their attention, your message is irrelevant. Humor is the most effective tool for "resetting" the audience's attention span.

1. Functional Decomposition

Break public speaking into sub-skills and tackle one per year:

• Visual Expression: Slide design and story arc.
• Humor Writing: Creating the "bits" or stories.
• Execution: Stage presence and timing.