Quora Answer: How is Speaking before Thousands of People Different from Speaking before Tens?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “As a public speaker, how has speaking in front of 1,000s of people felt differently from speaking in front of 10s?” 

I have spoken to thousands on exactly four occasions, before I joined Toastmasters.  I have had an audience in the hundreds many times. The average audience for a programme I conduct has between forty to sixty participants. 

The number of audience dictates how craft the speech, and the outcome we seek.  When we speak to a large audience, that speech must be generic to encompass as much of the audience as possible.  This requires larger movements, wider themes, and a heavy emphasis on emotional connection.  The larger the audience, the lower the intellectual connection.  People in such large numbers are moved by emotions more than logic.  This is especially so when they are gathered in one place.  There is a certain energy, and depending on how we engage the audience, they either want to believe, or they want to confront.  That is energy that must be directed. 

When you speak to a more intimate audience, there is more engagement.  The material becomes more personal, and there is room to tailor the message to address specific contentions and personal needs.  Here, the strength of the argument matters more than the emotion of the words.  In general, the lower the number, the higher up the food chain people are.  They tend to be more discerning, and the outcomes are more immediate, and more influential.  Leaders do not tend to gather in large groups.  Large groups, in their thousands, are for supporters of leaders.