When The Slides Come Off
Written by
Jacques De Villiers
We had a full house at our April chapter meeting, with more than 80 people attending at the Wanderers Golf Club on 16 April. The focus of the evening was the Speaker Factor regional round, and it did what it’s meant to do. It exposed what’s really there when a speaker steps onto a stage.
Ten speakers put up their hands and competed. The topics were varied, the styles different, and the energy in the room carried the night. But what made it interesting wasn’t just the range of content, it was the format. With no slides, no props, and no visual aids, there was nowhere to hide. It came down to the fundamentals: what are you saying, how well is it structured, and can you deliver it in a way that holds a room.
The Speakers
A big thank you to everyone who stepped up:
Jamie Gantt
Jean Mahlangu
Nicci Stewart
Ntando Maseko
Mamohau Nkosi
Jodi Poswelletski
Janet du Preez
Paula Slier
Mbali Kalirane
It takes a different kind of commitment to stand up in that format. Five minutes, no support, and a room full of peers who understand exactly what it takes.
Winners
Two speakers were selected to go through to the next round:
Jamie Gantt
Nicci Stewart
Both earned it. We look forward to seeing how their talks hold as the stages get tighter and the scrutiny increases.
What is the Speaker Factor?
The Speaker Factor is PSASA’s annual speech competition for Associate Members. On the surface, it’s a competition. In practice, it’s a filter. It gives speakers a platform to present their work, but more importantly, it tests whether that work stands up when the constraints are real.
Each chapter runs a regional round, with winners progressing to the semi-finals and finals at the Annual Convention, taking place 24–26 July 2026 in Umhlanga, KZN.
The overall winner earns a keynote speaking slot at the following year’s convention. This is a real opportunity to showcase their work in front of their peers.
The Format
The rules are tight by design, and that’s what makes it valuable:
- A strict 5-minute time limit
- No slides or visual aids
- The same speech must be delivered at every stage
- A clear focus on the speaker’s core topic, with a defined call to action
This format removes the extras. What’s left is the thinking and the delivery. If either is weak, it shows quickly.
How Speakers Are Judged
Speakers are evaluated across four areas:
- Stagecraft / Screencraft (20%)
- Script (20%)
- Delivery (20%)
- Bookability (40%)
That last one matters most. Not whether the talk was enjoyed, but whether it would be bought. Would a client pay for it? Would it hold up in a real environment, with real stakes?
Final Thought
There were no slides on the night, and that was the point. When you strip everything back, you see what’s actually there: the message, the structure, and the ability to connect.
Well done to everyone who took part.
