How to learn to love Public Speaking

As a speaking coach, I have probably heard nearly all the reasons people give when they say they are not good at speaking in public.

Are any of these reasons familiar to you?

"I don’t enjoy speaking in public because:

 1.    I’m an introvert
2.       I don’t like people looking at me
3.       I don’t like being the centre of attention
4.       My heart beats very rapidly and I feel sick
5.       My mouth goes dry
6.       I start to shake
7.       I go pink in a rising tide,  on my chest and neck
8.     My legs feel like jelly
9.       I go blank and lose my train of thought."

Do you have any additions to this list?

Let me give you my solutions: 

Firstly, let me reassure you.  90% of your success is already determined by how well you have prepared. 

Preparation for your speaking role involves

Preparing yourself

Preparing your content,     and

Preparing your environment.

Now, let me respond to the eight reasons above.

1.  Introverts can be excellent speakers.  Speaking in public is a performance.        It is the same you.  But a different role.  You must learn to develop a        professional but authentic voice.  

     

2.   People are looking at you because they are paying you their respect and             and because they want you to do well.

3.   (I think you know the answer to this one.)  The speaking space is a powerful space.  One speaker to tens, hundreds or thousands in the audience.  When you learn to know and love the sound of your own voice and when you learn to connect with your audience, you are in the speaking space, there can be no other centre of attention.

4.  This symptom and symptoms No. 5, 6, 7,  8 and 9 all arise as a result of our prehistoric brain.  We are pre-determined for fight , flight or  freeze actions.   While all these symptoms are happening, we are contemplating -  “Should I continue? or should I make a bolt for the door?”  These symptoms will be lessened the more you are prepared. 

So what does preparation look like?

My E-Book at  http://www.speak2us.com.au/product/unique-voice-public-speaking-speak2us/ 

describes tips and techniques around Public Speaking.

It shows how to structure a preparation.  How to connect with your audience and how to come from a position of service by sharing something useful.

If you suffer from any or all of the to the symptoms we have been discussing, you will find answers in my E-Book. Speaker’s Guide.  Public Speaking with Speak2us.    You can buy Public Speaking self confidence for $19.95.

Public Speaking Tips

Public Speaking and  Your Audience

sofia@speak2us.com.au

Never Apologise. For example, never ever begin your presentation with "I'm sorry, I'm a bit nervous and I haven't had time to prepare."

Instead, smile and say something lively and encouraging like "I'm delighted to be here to tell you how we have anticipated your needs and ..... 

Forget about you.  Concentrate on them.  Speak naturally - chat to the audience a you would over coffee. They'll love it.

Present your information in bite-sized pieces by limiting the information to

3 key points.

Learn to "read" your listeners so that you can tailor your message if necessary.

Finish with some form of call to action - or by summarising the key points. 

Leave your audience laughing, thinking, or feeling - but don't just leave them wondering whether you have finished.

Have fun!  Enjoy it and your audience will too! 

Public Speakers' Tips on Protocol

Speak2us Canberra for Public Speaking Tips

sofia@speak2us.com.au

The Speaker's space  is usually a "home base" and one or two points of travel.

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The difference between a podium (small platform for a speaker), stage, lectern (a reading desk)  So when you are MC name the space correctly.

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When introducing a speaker - do a nice build up - if appropriate.  Refer to them but don't use their name until the end.  And, be in control of where you want the applause to happen.  Finish off with the magic words - the speaker's name.

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When introducing a speaker - hand over the space - don't leave it vacant.

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If you are to be introduced - don't take chance - write your own introduction. (And, if you have a name like mine (Sofia Majewski) put the pronunciation in phonetics.  (May-ev-ski.)

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If you are introducing a speaker - consult with them beforehand - find out how they want to be introduced and check the pronunciation of their name.  (Can be very inelegant if you don't and then mispronounce their name.)

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Memorise your opening. Make it Bold/Catchy/Dramatic/Memorable, anything but Apologetic/Boring/Cautious/Dull.

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You can find ways of speaking a short opening sentence and the follow with the traditional "Ladies and Gentlemen"   or try "Gentlemen and Ladies" but not Bette Midler's "Ladies and Germs."

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You must void cliches like "And, now without further ado" or I will put the Public Speaking police on to you.  Others to avoid include "anytime soon", "revert back", "going forward", "cover off" "general consensus" (Consensus is already general)  and "very unique."  (Unique 
is an absolute. It can't be very unique or almost unique or "a bit unique"

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Avoid saying "As I said earlier."  You're lucky if anyone remembers what you said earlier.
Say what?

Fear of Public Speaking - What do you feel throughout your body when you speak in public?

In my workshops and working with individual clients one - to one, I coach my clients to enjoy their public speaking roles.

What they often say is that they suffer from "nerves".  In extreme cases, they can throw up, or even freeze so they are unable to perform.  In other cases they might go pink or red in the chest and throat and face, as they begin to speak. One of my clients gave a six minute speech to a room of 250 people and reported that his left leg shook the whole time.  (Fortunately he was behind a solid lectern.  If it had been a perspex lectern he would probably have been seriously embarrassed.)

It's more than sad that very often people will avoid the opportunity to speak and present in public.  Sometimes for a whole life time.

What do you feel throughout your body when you speak in public?

What is the remedy to this thing we call nerves?  It's all in the preparation.  You see, 90% of how well you will perform is already determined before you start to speak.  So, you can wing it on the 10% if you choose, or you can get some help from a good speaking coach.  There are so many techniques you can use, depending upon your personality, experience and willingness to learn.

Let's pin a few points down:

1.  It's normal.  If you experience nervousness in your body - it's a normal and human response.  In fact, Mark Twain used to say (long ago of course) that there are two kinds of people in this world - those who are nervous at speaking in public and those who are liars!

2.  Let's rename it.  Let's call it "Nervous Energy."  You need it - you need that flow of nervous energy in order to do a good performance.




3.  Let's remember.  You can't CONTROL it.  But you can MANAGE it.  HOW?

• You will feel more nervous on the inside than anyone in the audience can tell on the outside.

• Do some research for yourself on DIAPHRAGM BREATHING.  Breathing from the diaphragm will be your greatest friend and ally.  (Check my earlier blogs.)

• Think of your talk/presentation as "sharing information with friends."  Talk TO your audience, not AT them.

• Rehearse out loud.  Rehearse out loud.  Rehearse out loud.

• Know your opening lines off by heart.  Know your closing statement off by heart.

• Tell yourself it's going to be great.    Enjoy your speaking roles.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that will get you more quickly to where you want to be in life and in your career that the ability to think on your feet, choose the right words and speak with confidence!