Your presentation and your PowerPoint display.......

The big news is:  Your PowerPoint deck of slides is not your Talk!  Is not your Talk!
There will come a day when you are about to speak at to an audience and for some reason you are not able to use your PowerPoint deck!

Here's some tips:

What is your purpose?
Who is the Audience?
What do they know already?
What can you share with them?
What do you want them to do after you have spoken?

Now start with a very simple mind map.
List the points you want to cover.
Then divide those points into three columns - give each column a heading.  (for example,
past /present /future, or
problem/solution 1, solution 2, or
global/national/local.

You now have the basic content of your talk.  (For a recommended full structure of your talk, check my blog post of :

Sunday, October 9, 2016  Public Speaking - How to Structure your Presentation

When you have finalised your structure, you can think about the PowerPoint slides you will need.

Generally speaking, use slides to illustrate the points you make in your talk.  And, only ones that you can't describe in your own words.  Big graphics and absolute minimum text.  

And, you CANNOT, MUST NOT, repeat, word for word, any text that is on your slides. Paraphrasing is permissable.  As well, next on slides is abbreviated - never spelled out in correct grammar!  You don't need the helping words - like an, of, the,  etc.

The reason for this is - you don't want to be speaking to the audience - and then showing a slide that takes more than a minute to read!  If you have 10 to 15 slides (far too much) why would you want to take the focus off yourself as presenter for an aggregated half of your talk!  The speaking platform is a very powerful space.  Connect with your audience as much as possible.

You are the star of the show!  The slides are not your talk - they are your support.  

Public Speaking and Confidence

2017 - Bring it on!

Here we are - the second month of  the new year - 2017!  Have you ever known such a tumultuous start to a new year?

I've begun coaching my new 2017 clients and resumed with ongoing clients, including some returning to refresh their skills for upcoming speaking roles. Underlying everything we learn together is our uptake of the one ingredient that can make a huge difference to our lives.

That ingredient is CONFIDENCE! 

Your level of confidence as a speaker is profoundly visible in your personality, your voice and your body language.

Confidence.  How can you find it?  Where do you get it?  Why do you need it?

Think of the wide range of skills you have acquired in your life.  Learning to study in your chosen discipline or trade, playing a sport, playing a musical instrument .  How did you acquire these skills?  You found a teacher or coach, you learned the techniques; and you practised them.  And very likely you are still practising and refining those skills!

It's the same with public speaking.  You find a coach, you learn the techniques; and then you practise like mad! 

Your confidence grows

     as you understand your positive and negative self-talk.

     as you understand the parameters of your unique voice

     as you learn how to structure the content and purpose in your speaking roles

     as you create habits that turn nervous energy into positive energy

     as you learn to enjoy your speaking roles!

As a public speaking coach I have one absolute statement for you:

"There is nothing that will take you to where you want to be in life than the ability to think on your feet, choose the right words and speak with CONFIDENCE!"

Public Speaking - How to Structure your Presentation

Send your comments on this PRESENTATION STRUCTURE diagram to: sofia@speak2us.com.au

Whether you know it or not, any talk or presentation you give to an audience will consist of these components:

- You will have an Opening, even if it is just you walking on to the stage and beginning to speak.
- As a courtesy, especially for a longer talk, you will give the audience an overview Signpost of  what you will be covering in your talk.  The signpost is also the place where you may have to give  the audience some "housekeeping" details, e.g. the timing of your talk, the point at which you will have Question time. (Don't leave Question Time until the very end because then it can be a very untidy end to your presentation with, sometimes, people leaving the room before you have a chance to give a summary and close.
- The Body of your Talk.  Your talk will be on more than one element of your topic.  The Rule of Three  works well here.  This is where you start writing your talk. Don't waste time thinking of the title - it will reveal itself in the body of your talk.  Very probably, so will the Close of your talk.
- If there's Question Time, place it after the body of your talk.  (Email me if you want to know the reasons for this)
- Summary:  this is where you can acknowledge questions raised in Question Time.  You can even introduce some material you may have forgotten to mention.
- Call to action: What do you want your audience to do, after you have finished speaking? If it is "nothing"  Why are you there?  Why are they listening?  It can be as little as "Now you are better informed on this topic" through to "Now you have seen what benefits body organ donation can result in, and you can sign up right here and now."

- Close: Here you may repeat what I call your absolute statement.  

If you had only 30 seconds to give this presentation - what would be your statement? In one sentence?   Make sure that everything in your talk is congruent with this one absolute statement.

Public Speaking for Business Professionals

  

http://www.speak2us.com.au/

Speaking for Business Professionals

Fear of public speaking is one of the most common forms of anxiety. Yet most business professionals will be required to make a presentation in front of a live audience at some point in their careers. And as your role within an organisation becomes more important and strategic, your presentations will become more frequent and will need to be more persuasive, not just informative.
Whether you are speaking to clients, employees, investors or the media, effective presentation skills are essential to your professional success.

Unfortunately, public speaking is an art form that requires constant practice to master. While there are many books and courses on this topic, here are a few basic tips to improve your business presentations.

Know your key messages

The best public speakers are great story tellers. They introduce a human dimension to their presentations and take their audiences on a journey. They speak in sound bites and never give the answers up front. They lead their audience along, sparking their interest, and give them just enough information to leave them wanting more.

To ensure that their audiences retain the desired key messages, they divide their presentations into small, digestible chunks of complete information.

And above all, the best public speakers know precisely what lasting impressions they want to convey to their audiences. They craft three to five key messages that are believable, understandable, succinct, and relevant to the audience. And then they carefully build their entire presentation around them.


Rule of three

One of the oldest and most common techniques in public speaking is the rule of three. As it turns out, people are much more likely to remember something if you package it in a list of three. This technique has been used successfully throughout the ages, including Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address: “… a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” The rule of three is also inherently persuasive, so always give your audience three reasons to believe any assertion you make.

10-20-30 Rule

Microsoft PowerPoint is still almost the de facto visual presentation tool in most business settings. Ironic, since only 20 percent of the population learns better visually. In fact, 78 percent of audiences say that PowerPoint slides put them to sleep, so use it sparingly. When used correctly, however, PowerPoint can be a very effective tool, especially when showing figures or complex operations to a large audience.

Your PowerPoint slides are not the structure of your talk.  They are only the aid to memory. You need to prepare your talk as if you will not be able to show your slides, for whatever reason. 

When developing a PowerPoint presentation, especially for clients, investors or the media, who all have a notoriously short attention span, follow the 10-20-30 rule: 10 slides, 20 minutes, and at least 30-point font. And keep in mind that images are always more powerful — and memorable — than words.

This piece of advice on Public Speaking for Business Professionals is adapted from:

Sam Goodner is CEO of Catapult Systems Inc., an information technology consulting company. He was a 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner for Central Texas.  

Speaking in Public: two errors that lead to fear

First Error:      You believe that you are being actively judged by your audience.

Second Error:  You believe that the subject of your talk is you!

_______________________________________________________________________________

Well, actually, you are being judged by some people in the audience.  They might be thinking - "why did she wear that skirt? - it's too short, it's too long - why is he wearing brown shoes with a grey suit?
Would you look at that tie?  But, at that moment, that form of critique is None of Your Business.  Full Stop.

It will soon stop as soon as you engage them with your opening lines.  Which you should always fully memorise - and deliver with power and with vocal variety.

When you stand up to speak, the temptation is to believe that the audience is primarily interested in you.  They're not!  They're thinking - what has this person got that will be useful to me?  So believe that the the emphasis is not on you.  It's on them.  You need to negate this form of fear with the understanding that you are coming from a position of service. That you have got something valuable to share with them - your story, your experience, specific tips on the subject  you are sharing.

The audience is primarily interested in themselves.  They listen to your talk to learn something new that they can use in their own lives.

When you draft your talk - look to see where you can replace the word "I" with words like you, your, we, and us.  This reinforces the idea that the talk is not about You.  But about your audience.  Think about it as the idea that you are giving them something of value.

Quite different to the old style of speaking at your audience you are now sharing with them

When you realise this and focus on the giving to the audience, you lose your fear because your focus shifts from you to them!  And, as your audience responds to you in your position of service, your fear will diminish. You will enjoy connecting with your audience!




These public speaking are tips adapted from Seth Godin, December 2013

Have you got a TED Talk in you?

Have you got a TED talk in you?  An idea to share? A compelling life experience to reveal?

As a TED speaker, you’ll have up to 18 minutes to share your idea.  You’ll be looking to making it compelling.  You’ll be hoping to inspire your audience.  

You won’t be using notes.  There will be no lectern to hide behind.  There’s just you in the spotlight and an audience of 600 people willing you to do well!

How will you do all that?

My Speaker's Guide http://www.speak2us.com.au/product/your-unique-voice/  explains the key elements of public speaking in the TED style: 

Ninety Percent of how well you perform is already determined BEFORE you reach the TED stage.  And the ten percent?

The Ten percent is the performance.  The glory!  The thrill of connecting with your audience! 

As a TED Talks coach, I'll show you the techniques you'll need to share your idea with your audience and the world.  And most of all, I'll make sure it's a positive and enjoyable experience for you as a TED Talks Speaker.

Public Speaking TED Style - Contemporary Public Speaking

Find your unique voice

Public Speaking TED Style – the What the Why and the How..........

As a Speaking Coach, the most common enquiry I receive goes like this:

Hi Sofia, “I would like to learn how to speak publicly. I've done a little bit but I often get very nervous, even in front of a small crowd, especially when I'm not completely prepared.  Can you help?”

Why is this enquiry typical?   The words “nervous” and the phrase “especially when I’m not completely prepared”.  When you consider that 90% of your public speaking presentation is already determined before you step on to the platform – you have an idea of the importance of preparation.  It’s only after you have learnt how to prepare that you can enjoy the 10% - the thrill and the pleasure of presenting.

There is so much available and accessible information, tips and techniques on the topic of public speaking.   There are so many books that have been written – there are so many gurus out there who promise to show you how. There are even those who claim they can provide you with instant confidence, kill nerves etc. – and often in a one day workshop costing many hundreds of dollars. 
There are so many theories.

Contemporary speaking is very different from what many of us know as public speaking.  I help my clients to speak in the TED Style – in the contemporary style – that has as its goal CONNECTING with your audience.  This is a win for your audience and for you.  When you keep them connected – your confidence increases.  If you lose them – observe how you feel.  Worse than awful!

There have been so many “secrets, tips and techniques” published on how to be  confident speaker – and if that’s all it took, we would all be brilliant speakers, with fabulous content, and adoring audiences!  There is no secret – or, if you like, the secret is called PREPARATION.  

Coaching Speakers who speak at TED Talks

Find your unique voice

                 

Tips for Speakers who would like to speak at at TED* 

1        Purpose:   Test the purpose of your talk by putting it into one sentence.

2.       Writing your Talk:  A piece of writing to be READ  is very different from a piece                   to be SAID.  It doesn't need proper grammar or complete sentences.

3.       Attitude:  It's not all about YOU. It's mainly about THEM. It's far easier on you as                   Speaker to come from a position of Service.  What can you give to your audience?                   The words YOU and YOURS are so important to use. "YOU will                    
          know........YOUR judgement will tell you that" .........

4.       What is your Call to Action? What do you want your audience to do when you have             finished speaking? Tell them what that is.

5.       Breathing:  The single most important thing in Speaking. Google it.

6.       Develop and Maintain your voice with simple voice exercises.  And exercises for                 vocal variety.  Again find some on the 'net and use them.

7.       Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!  Rehearse out loud. Try rehearsing blocks or                           components of your talk - so as not to always start from the beginning. Record or video           yourself for feedback.

8.       The Transition:  You and the Performing You. Establish a "ritual" to take you from the           side stage to the Performing Space.  I use "Low, Slow and Smile"

9.       Visualisation: Visualise the stage, the audience and you doing well. 

10.     Step in to the Role:  It's a performance and you can step from YOU into the                             PERFORMING you!   And out again!
   

The original organisation is known as TED* Talks.  International franchises are known as TEDx

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design.

Was this love?

From Gap Year to Back to Work!

It's been a year since I posted a blog!  I'm energised and happy to be back to my public speaking coaching business after taking a "Gap Year." Our first six months were at Wallaga Lake (near Bermagui on the South Coast of New South Wales.) We were in a beautiful house right on the Estuary and looking out to sea.  Sunrises were glorious!  I started to write my book on"Contemporary Public Speaking" and my partner Peter started his Masters in Existential Psychotherapy course on line from Middlesex University in the UK.

Wallaga Lake and Beach

 

The second six months of our Gap Year was at Rye on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Here, I made some attempts to continue writing - and Peter continued his studies, including tutorials held on line at 11pm our time - about 10am UK time.  
We discovered the rugged and magnificent beaches on the Bass Strait and found an exciting new hobby.  Walking on the beach and collecting sea glass, washed up on the tide.

Sea Glass from Diamond Bay, Mornington Peninsula

 

For a Special Speech - tell a Story

Speeches for Birthdays and other occasions

I coached my client to give a speech at her Mother's birthday celebration.  It made me think about a piece I wrote earlier this year.

(Michael Leunig's beautiful drawing)

"I'm  helping my client write a speech he will give to his father on the his 76th birthday.  His father is terminally ill and after 3 years of medical intervention is at the end of his journey.

As we were whiteboarding the draft of his speech, my client made it quite apparent that his dad was a man who didn't express his love for his five children (and now adults) and was a feisty, earthy, man of few words.

 My client had never before spoken in public but we         
 unearthed some gems when I asked him to think of incidents in his life when he felt warmth towards his father.  One such time was when he and his brother were having tennis lessons every Saturday - and his father would arrive in his daggy old gardening clothes - covered in grass and leaves from mowing and gardening. 

They were trying to impress the tennis girls and were mortified at the sight of their dad every Saturday - as he brought them sandwiches and a bottle of soft drink for their half time break.

If that's not love then I don't know what is.  

My client's speech was a winner, with laughing and crying - it's all the same thing!

And if your parent is not a demonstrative person, then I guess it's not that they don't love you."

Contemporary Public Speaking

Just as the “command and control” approach to management has become outdated, so too has the authoritarian, didactic style of public speaking.  Thankfully it’s on its way out.

In its place is something I teach and pass on to my clients.  I call it “contemporary public speaking”. It is more in line with the Ted Talks protocol - careful construction, shorter, rather than longer. And, most importantly, connecting with the audience, in an ordinary person-person conversation.

The best way to connect with an audience is to have a conversation with them. Talk to them like you would with one person. Ask them questions - rhetorical and actual.  Rather than state to them, for example, “There are three thousand Retailers in this City” - say “how many Retailers would you think there are in this City?” 

Posing questions to your audience results in more than connection.  It focuses the audience on the question at hand. They feel consulted and involved.  So, my tip is to analyse your talk and see where you can pose questions that involve your listeners.

This style of contemporary speaking has so many rewards for the Speaker.  Not setting yourself up as the expert, it is so much easier to use your authentic voice. Interacting as much as possible breaks down much of the fear and nerves that may affect the Speaker.

Your authentic voice reveals much about who you are.  In the long gone era it was often more about who you were pretending to be.  So many of my clients have said they dreaded being asked a question for which they didn’t have an answer.  This suggests they were using a voice and a delivery that wasn’t their authentic self.  And they were not comfortable or confident.

A conversational tone of voice is easier to sustain.  The words you choose and your tone of voice are critical components of your communication. Imagine for yourself the impact on an audience and the difference between these two messages:

1.      “Today I am going to tell you about the history of Easter Island and the sculptured heads.”

2.     “My conversation with you today will be about Easter Island.  I’ll share with you some interesting facts and I’ll be asking you for your thoughts about the historical context.  We can do some imagining as to how those sculptured heads have lasted until today.”

Tone of voice is also critical because it reveals your enthusiasm for your topic - your attitude towards your audience and whether or not you have managed to engage them.

Contemporary public speaking involves a lot more than I have just described.  Careful construction of your talk - appropriate words and message to match the research you have done into the needs of your audience.  And then, of course, there is the delivery!  A whole subject in itself.

Next time you, as a Manager, speak to your employees, use a “person-to person” conversational tone.  You’ll find it’s a practice that benefits you, the employees and the whole organisation.  

Next time you speak to an audience - treat it as “a conversation with friends.”  You will be rewarded with a close connection to your audience.  You will enjoy, yes enjoy, Contemporary Public Speaking.

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.

***

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

***

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.

***

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

***

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.)

***

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.)

***

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

***

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."

***

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"

***

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