How To Prepare your Public Speaking Voice

Win Gold Medals with your Public Speaking Voice

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Your voice is unique to you and is the key feature of your speaking and performance.  That’s why you will want to develop and maintain your voice.

Speaking is a physical activity. Your voice and speech are powered by the core of your being – the diaphragm breath.

If you do normal breathing from the upper chest, there will be tension in the body and the upper chest and neck and you run the risk of strangling your breath and then your voice. 

Balanced posture is important.  Start from the neutral position – one hand clasped loosely on the opposite lower arm.  Balanced and centralised – stand comfortably.

Diaphragm breathing.  Inhale and exhale from the abdomen. The upper chest and shoulders do not move.  The head is straight and balanced, as if a piece of string that goes right up to the ceiling is holding your head up.

Yawn and loosen the mouth, teeth and tongue.  Do your warm up exercises – ka, ha and ga and mmmm….. and nnnn…..pretend you are a horse and do the horselips!  it's fun!

Quick Tips for Public Speakers

Smoking is deadly for speakers and singers.

Alcohol is not a good idea before speaking.  Much too risky as its effects are uncertain.

Avoid iced drinks. Drink room temperature water.

Don’t eat too much before you speak.  (Think like an athlete).

Gold Medal Speakers think like Athletes

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How to Structure your Speech or Presentation

 

 

Body of Presentation
Recommend writing this first.  Very likely that every other part of presentation will arise from this = the Title of the Presentation, the One Absolute Statement, The Opening, Closing and, of course, the Signpost. 

A suggestion that the Body be in 3 parts – no more. Widely accepted that a speaker can convey three major points and the audience remembers it. Anymore and it could be overload.

Better to keep it simple. And, you don’t have to tell everything you know in the one presentation. Leave the audience wanting to ask questions of you and asking for more information.

There are countless ways to structure the body of the talk. An example might be: General/Specific/For example. Past/Present/Future. Global/National/Local.

Opening  

Strong, catchy, anything that will capture immediate attention. (Often referred to as the “Hook”).    Must be strong.  Why?  You have only a matter of seconds as the audience makes its decision on whether you are worth their attention.  (And these days there are many distractions).

One Absolute Statement
  

If you were to summarise your presentation in one sentence it would be this.  Also make sure that everything in the presentation is congruent with this statement.

 Personal/Creative
 
After, or as part of your opening – connect with the audience by telling them a story – an anecdote – or something personal about yourself.  You see, as you begin your presentation they will be wondering about you – examining your impact and appearance – and wondering what you know about the subject you are about to present.  It will put their minds at rest if you are able to fully connect with them by telling them something personal, funny, or interesting about yourself and your relationship to/with the subject of your talk. 

Signpost 

This is where you tell the audience what you are going to tell them.  If your one absolute statement for example is “Please become an organ donor – sign up today”, you could signpost this by saying “Today I’m going to ask you to sign up to be an organ donor.  I’m going to tell you why, how and when you can be a donor – and at the end of my talk I’m going to ask you to come forward and sign up”.  (Your personal/creative could have been a true and dramatically told story of how one donor’s bequest saved several lives.

Summary:  Summarise key points.  Tell them what you told them.

Call to Action:  What do you want the audience to do when you have finished speaking?  If it’s not much, then why have you wasted your time and theirs?

Example of a Call to Action:  “I’ve described the desperate and urgent need.  I trust I have convinced you of the ultimate gesture a human can make.  Please come forward and sign to become a donor.”

Close:  Thank you for taking the time to consider and understand the powerful good for humanity your action can make. Thank you for coming forward and becoming a donor tonight.

Thank you on behalf of all organ recipients – past, present and future.  Their lives have been, are and will be in your hands.

Recommendation:  Say “Thank You”  by all means – but don’t end with “Thank You”.  It makes a strong ending much less strong.

Got some Tips to add?

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© Speak2Us | 0433 717 347 | sofia@speak2us.com.au

Business Culture in China

I've just got back from my first trip to China.  Beijing and Shanghai - for a very short visit -
10 days.  We were on a Squash Tour - we played at local clubs wherever we could find them.
And, in between we hit the tourist spots - and shopped till we dropped.  As a Speaking Coach, I was interested to find an article in the "Jing An Times" which illustrated a few tips on "How to Understand Chinese Business Culture".  It focused on 5 areas and here are the top tips in each.  (If you would like more info on these, email me at: sofia@speak2us.com.au

• Appearance and Greetings: Bow upon meeting.  If expecting to shake hands, wait till your host offers their hand first. 
• How to Behave and Communicate: Avoid large hand gestures.  Chinese people do not use their hand expressively and will find it distracting if you do.
• Gift giving and Respect: In China, gifts have symbolic meanings and choosing the right gift is a minefield. 
• Business Decision Making: Decisions are made slowly and with care, in China.
• Tips and Warnings: Never write on a business card that has been handed to you.

Accepting an Award with Class, Style and No “Humble”

Speech when accepting an Award
In accepting an award, you need to be gracious, grateful and humble. (But for heaven’s sake, don’t use the words “humble” or “I’m humbled”. “Humbled” is one of those “groan” words – seriously overused.) You also must be as prepared as you can possibly be.

What you are looking for, is to deliver a warm, personal story that acknowledges and thanks all the main players in your success or achievement. Ideally, something about you, something about the object of the achievement; and something about the people who got you there – and of course, acknowledgement of the sponsors/givers of the award.

Think about who and what to include in your speech

Who are all the players? (Stakeholders)

•   Who nominated you?

•   Who invited you to join this group/program/event?

•   What is your connection to this group/industry?

•   How do you feel about the people and the organisation’s goals?

•   Why are they giving you this award?

People will not remember all the details of what you say, but they will remember the stories you tell. Include a memorable incident, something entertaining or touching about the reason you are standing there receiving the Award.

Inspiration from the Oscars

When Russell Crowe won an Oscar for The Gladiator (2000), he dedicated it to “everyone who has seen the downside of disadvantage.” Then, when he received the 2002 Golden Globe Award for A Beautiful Mind, he gave credit to the people on whose life the film was based, offering special thanks to “John and Alicia Nash, for living such an inspirational love story.”

How long should you speak?  Always, long before your audience gets bored

If you have advance notice of the event, you can ask how long you are expected to speak. The shorter your time slot, the more you will need to practice! (A smaller gem takes more time to polish!)

When you start to speak, look directly at the audience. Never read your remarks. You can walk up on stage with notes, but they should consist of a few bullet points.

If you are to be introduced to the audience, write your own introduction and give it to the MC for the evening. With major events such as the Telstra Business Awards, your personal and company information may be well known to the Organisers and the MC for the event. You may have already supplied it, so it should be up to date. For other events, your information may be well known, but you may wish to emphasise certain aspects of your activities or your business. It is strongly recommended that you write your own introduction to fit the event and circumstances.

It’s better to have a few words rehearsed and ready, than to be caught speechless – or worse, say the wrong thing or too many words! A planned speech can help you avoid appearing over anxious. 

So be gracious. Be modest. But, be prepared!

Manage your fear!

As a Speaking Coach, I can move you from FEAR!!!    to     Feeling Excited and Ready to go!

Psychologists tell us that the primary reason for the fear of public speaking is the fear of rejection.  That your peers or your audience will not see you as good enough.  There are a number of tips that I can give you to overcome this fear.  But first, let’s identify the fears and anxieties.

Recently I posted an article on TheRiotACT about the fear many people have of public speaking.the-riotact.com/tag/speak2us

Expressing an opinion and posting on the net often produces a result you don’t expect.  The Riot Act’s editors headed my article “Are you scared of public speaking?” Sure enough, one person wrote:  “I’m scared of everything.”

Seriously though, the words “Public Speaking” and “Fear of” are very often seen and thought of as a given.

As a Public Speaking Coach for more than 11 years now, my clients have described all sorts of fears, reactions and symptoms they experienced when asked to speak and present in front of other people.   (I’ve experienced nearly all of these at some stage in my speaking career, so I appreciate that the feelings are real and I know the feelings are authentic.)

Here’s the list.  Can you add to it?  I’d appreciate your contribution and/or your comments.

Avoidance:   I move out of the picture in case I might be asked to speak.

Previous negative experiences:  Something “awful” happened on another occasion.

Over preparation:  I spend heaps of time preparing and preparing and nothing is ever final.

Procrastination:  I go around and around the issue and never finish writing the speech.

Title Hang up:  I spend so much time on the Title and never get to the body (“guts”) of the speech.

Physical Symptoms: Dry Mouth, Fast Breathing, Heart Pumping, Stomach Churning; Red Flushes on Face and Neck; Legs Wobbly, Legs dancing Uncontrollably, Mind goes Blank; Shock when hearing own voice.

You’ve got the picture?  Let me know your experience with public speaking – good and bad.



We speak, we sing - it's all the same thing

We speak, we sing - it's really the same thing.
  We use our voice -it's an instrument.   We can make lots of lovely sounds - no real need for words. Just sounds. The centre of your being - your diaphragm breathing - is what generates your most attractive voice.  If you breathe from your upper chest - you'll have nowhere near the capacity of breath as from your diaphragm.  And  if you are very anxious, your shoulders might end up touching your ears!
When you are asleep you breathe naturally from your diaphragm.  Ever watch a cat sleeping? their breathing comes from the diaphragm.  Diaphragm breathing is the very first step to managing nervousness when you are speaking or singing in public.  Did you ever see a cat that was stressed?   You, too, can de-stress by using diaphragm breathing.
Did you see the movie "The King's Speech"?  Did you see the Queen sitting on the chest of the King?  To help him strengthen his diaphragm.
So, here's a tip - when you are driving in your car - you probably sing along a bit to your favourite music.  Try breathing in and pushing your diaphragm out at the same time.  Do that a few times for a very energising, but calm, state of mind.  Go further and say "Kah, Hah, Gah" nice and loud -it's great exercise for your voice!  Your unique voice. For more info on breathing from the diaphragm and why it's good for speaking and singing check out:  http://www.ask.com/questions-about/Diaphragmatic-Breathing

Daily Voice Exercises

Daily Voice Exercises for Speakers

These vocal exercises will not only help your voice but, but by working the facial muscles, will keep you young looking as well! 
Find a corner in your house – and say these exercises out loud – into the corner.  It acts as an “acoustic device” and you become used to hearing the sound of your own voice. 
Why is it important to get used to hearing your own voice?  Most often, the moment that speakers are most nervous is at the beginning of their presentations – when all they can hear is their own voice!
All of these drills must be said out loud. Repeat each one twice a day. I promise you, you’ll develop and maintain your good speaking voice.

The Tongue in Speech

§  Two little toddlers playing table tennis

§  Twenty two players taken out for a treat

§  Fifteen metre tracks are shorter than fifty metre tracks

§  Adults who play table tennis are extremely fit

Consonant sounds

§  Badminton racquets are lighter than cricket bats

§  Isn’t it time you tried the high jump

§  You need to attack if you want to win

§  Hitting tennis balls while sitting down is terribly difficult

Resonance
Hum the ‘m’ and ‘n’ sounds

§  Now is the time to introduce netball

§  Swimming is fun in the summer months

§  My martial arts instructor always smiles when he wins

§  Mini tennis is fun for small children

Lip agility

§  Betty plays competitive badminton

§  Weightlifters acquire many muscles

§  Boys love to play billiards

§  When I play polo I usually win

Vowel Sounds

Open the mouth wide for all the vowel sounds

i (eye)

§  My smile is wide as I cross the winning line

§  I cried when they scored a try

§  I’m too frightened to try and jump that high

§  I try to smile even while I am losing

o (oh)

§  Throw it slowly into the yellow box

§  Follow the arrows to avoid the snow

§  My coach is called Joe

§  Go and show Flo a Judo throw

a (ay)

§  I’m afraid you didn’t make the relay team

§  Croquet is played at eight

§  There isn’t enough space in this place for a race

§  Stay there Jay and pick up the weight

a (ah)

§  Martial Arts won’t harm my arm

§  Stay calm, don’t argue, I’ll spar with you

§  My car can go fast

§  I can’t lift the bar very far with my bad arm

Have fun with these - they're seriously good!