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5 Ways to Make Public Speaking Easier

10/16/2014

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The fall season seems to be loaded with events where people are asked to go to the podium and say a few words or give an acceptance speech for an award. Public speaking is not always the easiest thing to master, but there are hundreds of tips and tricks to help you become an effective speaker. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. First, promise yourself that you will be amazing, that the talk you will give will be your best, and then get to work on preparing to make that a reality. Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare for it. Ask for help in creating your remarks if you feel at a loss for what to say.

2. Write down what you want your audience to take away from your presentation. If you could hear them sum up your speech in two sentences, what would they say? Chances are if you have done enough public speaking, you have delivered at least one talk that had no point at all … and it didn’t feel good.

3. Insert a quote or tell a relevant story (it makes everything more interesting).

4. Write out what you want to say. It’s best to speak without reading anything; but if you must read, do these three things:
  • Have a friend read aloud to you what you have written so that you can hear what your talk sounds like. This will prompt you to come up with edits to make certain points clearer.
  • Type your remarks using 19-point font, and type no more than two-thirds down the page. This way you will be keeping your chin up and not looking down to the bottom of the page while up at the podium. It also makes it appear that you aren’t totally reading from your remarks.
  • Record your remarks into your phone (assuming you have the app). Play your remarks in the car, or use your ear buds to listen whenever you can as a quick and easy way to get what you want to say imprinted in your mind. Memorizing your presentation helps you feel more confident when you’re speaking. No one wants to be nervous about public speaking AND forget what he or she is trying to say…
5. When you are on stage speak naturally, speak slowly, and remember that people don’t really rememberwhat you say as much as they remember how you say it. Everyone in the audience wants you to do well. Look out into the crowd and know that they are rooting for you to do a great job. Breathe, smile, and take charge of the room. Remember to keep your remarks within the time frame you were given- people don’t mind if your comments are too brief, but they never forget if you go on for too long.

Categories: Business Development , Client Relations , General , Leadership , Presentations | More

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Public speaking

8/2/2013

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Most people dislike getting up in front a crowd and talking. Several executives I know who seem extremely confident have felt the need to go for coaching on presentation techniques before getting up to give a talk. Here are some tips that have helped me along the way:
  1. Arrive a few minutes early so that you can stand at the podium, try out the microphone and get the feel of the room. While doing this, picture yourself giving an amazing presentation.
  2. Look in the mirror – front and back just before the event begins to make sure you are all put together. I know someone who went on stage before a large crowd with the bottom of her skirt tucked into her waistband. You can’t always count on people to let you know when your wardrobe is malfunctioning.
  3. Stand up straight and don’t hang onto the podium. You will look more confident.
  4. Remember to smile – it makes people more relaxed listening to you.
  5. Don’t read your presentation – rehearse your remarks until you feel comfortable speaking about the topic.
  6. Remember that next to hearing their own name, the word “you” is the most effective way to connect with audience members. See how many times you can fit the word “you” into your talk, to make your audience feel like you are speaking directly to them rather than at them.
  7. Breathe – when someone’s voice shakes while speaking it usually means they aren’t breathing correctly.
  8. Look your audience in the eye. Looking down or at the far back of the room gives the impression you aren’t really engaged.
  9. Don’t make a joke at the expense of anyone in the audience. People might laugh, but it’s really embarrassing for the target of the comment.
  10. And finally, don’t run over the time allotted for your talk. Have you ever heard anyone complain that a speech was too short? Leave your audience wanting more.

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Good committee meetings

4/22/2013

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When you attend a meeting, you always want to feel like your time is   being used wisely. Good meetings don’t just happen. Here are some thoughts on how to run an effective meeting:

1. Attendees are Often Volunteers
They are interested in the topic, making a difference or they want to   meet new people. Success in the work world is almost always tied to   getting to know people who can help advance our career in some way. Create an atmosphere that encourages engagement. Make sure that everyone has a chance to speak. Going around the table and asking each person to briefly give their opinion is one way to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate.

2. Too Many Cooks
If you are setting up a work group / advisory committee limit the number of members to about 12. The larger the committee the less effective the meeting will be.

3. Know Your Neighbor
Make sure everyone knows one another. Hand out a contact list that includes the person’s title and company, have tent cards, ask everyone to say a few words about why they are there. If we know who is in the room we are more likely to understand what perspective they bring to the meeting and how getting to know them could be mutually beneficial.

4. Agenda, Agenda, Agenda
ALWAYS have an agenda. Even if you are holding a brainstorming meeting, an agenda can help everyone to understand the task at hand. Try including a short statement about the purpose of the meeting so that people will know the expected outcome. This helps to keep conversation, ideas and decisions focused. Use the agenda as a timekeeper, start on time and don’t do a replay of the meeting for people who arrive late.

5. Golden Rules
Set ground rules for the meeting. This might sound harsh or rude but most people really appreciate it. It is more than reasonable to ask people to silence their cell phone, not to text during the meeting, have only one person speak at a time, and hold no side bar conversations. These are all distractors and interrupt progress.

6. The Key is Moderation
Every meeting needs a leader. Have someone run the meeting who is engaged and can keep things moving. We have all attended meetings run by someone who is constantly checking their email, unfamiliar with the agenda, sitting idly by while chaos ensues or simply not running the meeting at all. When this happens it is distracting to the group and it wastes valuable resources.

7. Happy Ending
By summing up the key accomplishments of the group and any action items at the end of the meeting it helps to bring closure and prompts action if any is needed. And most importantly, always end the meeting on time.

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    Anne Saile

    Management Expert, Executive Coach, Columnist, Strategic Networker

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