Looking for an inspiring talk? Watch Jill Bolte Taylor's "Stroke of Insight" speech on TED. This second most viewed TED talk of all time is a remarkable pairing of expertise and personal experience. Deep knowledge and an affecting story combine for a powerful reminder of what moves, educates, and inspires audiences. (To speak with true influence and impact, download my free cheat sheet, "4 Characteristics of an Influential Speaker.")

Dr. Taylor, a neuroanatomist, suffered a severe brain hemorrhage on the morning of December 10, 1996. Her left hemisphere stroke left her unable to "walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life" (http://drjilltaylor.com/about.html). As a brain scientist, however, she was able to observe closely what was happening to her. This fascinating experience forms the basis of her TED talk.

When You Speak, You Need to Be Inspirational

Do you need this kind of dramatic event in your life to be an inspirational speaker? Of course not. But whatever your expertise, you do need to inspire your listeners.

Many speakers aim only to educate their audience—and considering their unimaginative presentations, too many of those don't even accomplish that goal. In the world of business and the professions, Content is king, and PowerPoint its chief enforcer.

Your real job instead is to light a flame under your listeners, to delight them and to excite them into action based on your ideas and vision. Great content and preparation are critical to achieving this aim. So are the following four key elements of your successful performance as a speaker:

1. Launching strongly. Watch Dr. Taylor's speech to understand how to give your audience a clear indication of where you're going. Notice her clear explanation of who she is, and why that matters to what she's about to say. Clarity, in other words, is essential to allow your audience to see the landscape of your presentation. You can also grab their attention with one of 12 foolproof ways to open a speech.

2. Using visuals to reinforce your content. Not only does Dr. Taylor use her brain to allow this to happen—she brings a real human brain on stage! In her case, a prop (that brain) is the essential visual element that complements what she's saying. Think carefully about what you show your audience—and if it's PowerPoint, it probably shouldn't be a steady stream of data-filled slides. And of course the most powerful visual you show is you.

3. Finding a physical expression for what you're saying. Physical expressiveness is an easy and essential way to allow your speaking infuence to soar. Your body is one of your best tools of communication. If you doubt it, pay attention to how you move and gesture the next time you talk about something important, funny, or that amazed you. To help you, here are the 5 key body language techniques of public speaking. And here are 5 body language errors that will sink your presentation. Dr. Taylor uses her entire body throughout her speech. Here's a screen shot that's typical of her performance:

4. Telling a story. Every time you speak, you're telling a story. Call it a "narrative" if you prefer. It's the tale you need to tell to move and inspire your listeners. However strong their content, the best speakers relate it as a human story listeners can respond to. Here's how to add drama to your speeches and presentations. Dr. Taylor's story is riveting. Watch it on TED and discover how you can use story to make your content come alive.

Key takeaways from this blog:

• True speaking success combines expertise with a speaker's personality.
• Don't just educate audiences—delight and inspire them!
• Let audiences know where you're going with your talk.
• Be aware of visual components, and use physical expressiveness.
• Every time you speak, you're telling a story.