In the second in a series of extracts from The 100: Insights and lessons from 100 of the greatest speeches ever delivered, by Simon Mair and Jeremy Kourdi, the duo consider what we can learn from Bill Gates William Henry (Bill) Gates III is most famous for his founding, along with Paul Allen, of Microsoft and for being one of the world’s richest men. Recently, Mr Gates and his wife Melinda have engaged in a number of philanthropic activities.

Mr Gates gives many speeches. He enjoys them. His speeches tend to be genial, focused and relatively slow. The slowness of delivery is not a negative or a distraction, but actually allows the listener to absorb the all-important ideas. The ideas are what people want to hear; they know that Mr Gates is a pioneer and there is a guru-like status attached to him. He does not have the best speaking voice in the business, but when he does speak we hear and see a sincere man, with total belief in his topic and one who readily engages our interest.

There are several key lessons we can take from Mr Gates’s speaking style:

If your presentation style is relaxed, you will need more practice Mr Gates’s speaking style is notably relaxed and casual. From time to time, he uses PowerPoint, but he does so sparingly. He does his homework and understands his audiences. He’s laid back, but shows focus — an approach that has the effect of relaxing and engaging his audience.

Establish rapport quickly Mr Gates’s speeches quickly establish a bond with the audience. They are well-structured and highly personal, with a valuable emotional pull. Usually, they include moments of fun and audiences enjoy the fact that this person has taken time out to address them, to share some of his insights.

Be comfortable and create your own personal style Mr Gates does not stand behind a lectern; instead, he faces the audience unobstructed. This suits his style and makes him seem friendly, approachable and confident.

He favours a steady, conversational tone, where one line of thought leads smoothly, comfortably and seamlessly to the next.

You can be a “gentle” speaker and still display deep emotion Mr Gates is able to show his anger, for example, when children are allowed to die of curable diseases:

“If you believe that every life has equal value, it’s revolting to learn that some lives are seen as worth saving and others are not.”

He is speaking to Harvard graduates, people who will have influence, money and power. There is passion, quietly expressed, and there is persuasion: “The barrier to change is not too little caring; it is too much complexity ...

“The media covers what’s new – and millions of people dying is nothing new. So it stays in the background, where it’s easier to ignore ... And so we look away . . .”

• Readers of The Times can order The 100 at a 10 per cent discount (£11.69) plus free postage, by phoning 0845 271 2134 or visiting www.timesonline.co.uk/bookshop

Times Recommends

• Inspirational leadership
• How to get a new job
• The reluctant CEO