If you want to master public speaking, then you need master the public speaking skills. There are dozens of skills required in a talk. These skills are an essential part of the art of public speaking and are especially important in persuasive speaking. How do you measure up in just 10 of the skills?

In the following you will find the skills and a brief explanation of what the skill is or requires.

Informative to the Audience

To be informative to the audience it needs the all important ‘what’s in it for me’ factor. It also needs to go beyond just facts and figures. The information needs to be massaged in a way the audience can use it.

Know the Make Up of Your Audience

Seemingly obvious, this is often overlooked. For instance, you would think that you will speak to doctors differently than people without a health care background. However with all the information overload doctors deal with, most want the common version, the one they will share with their patients. Know how the audience will best receive the material you deliver. Introductions that Capture Attention

The introduction is the key that unlocks the door of the mind so that what you say might be listened to. It is essential that the words used and the way they are used are effective in capturing the attention of the listener. Although this may seem one of the more basic speaker skills, it is in reality one of the most important.

Accurate Pronunciation

Imagine listening to a great speaker who constantly mispronounces words. Will you wonder if it is because he did not know. If he did not know, then how credible is everything else he has to say.

Words Clearly Spoken

Like pronunciation, clarity is essential. Whach-y-all-do-in (what’s you all doing) may be acceptable when we are with friends, but when speaking into a microphone, it can be annoying to the audience. A lack of clarity can result in sound that you would not want to use in public. Even worse, slurred words are the sign and symptom of a stroke. Someone may call 911 not only to rescue the audience, but mistakenly (as far as the stroke is concerned) to rescue you.

This is one of the public speaking skills we may take for granted but also may get us in trouble.

Fluency

Fluency refers to the flow of your thoughts. The speech that is fluent sounds like a harmonious whole rather than several small and fragmented pieces of thought tightly tucked together.

Avoiding Word Whiskers

In addition to the common word whiskers, and uh, and uh and uh would be the venerable, ‘and now.’ Or sometimes just plain ‘now.’ Speaking in Spanish a common word whisker is ‘therefor.’ There are many other word whiskers, ‘you know.’ Using them once can in some instances be acceptable. Using them over and over is distracting and annoying to the listener, uh, and now you know.

Pausing

Pausing can be for emphasis or for effect. It is a speaker skill that is often underused. Pause mid sentence to emphasize a particular word or part of the thought. Pause before making a bold statement or to emphasize the statement. Pause no less than one second and not much longer than three. This is one of the more difficult of the speaker skills to master and be natural.

Sense stress

Putting the right stress on the right words or right part of the section of a talk is an art that needs practice. Inexperienced speakers will be found giving sense stress to more than one part of a sentence or in more than one part of a thought being shared.

Enthusiastic Presentation

Did you know there are two kinds of smiles. One is a put on or Pan Am Smile and the other is a real smile. Enthusiasm can be just like the smile. It can sound put on or it can sound real. Learning how to master the real is essential for great speaking. Mastering this along with other speaker skills will make a talk come alive.

These are only overviews of 10 of the many speaker skills. To master public speaking means to master the public speaker skills. The ultimate practice will come in front of an audience. Learn them, practice them and once proficient, you will have attained speech mastery.

Jonathan Steele, RN is a nurse, artist, public speaker and speaking coach, part time faculty at Northampton Community College in PA and Webmaster of http://www.speechmastry.com and http://www.GlutathioneDiseaseCure.com

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2. Speaking too fast. Nervous and inexperienced speakers always remind me of the 100 metres sprint. They hear the gun, they’re out of the blocks fast and they can’t wait to get it over with. This is not unusual – it is the normal reaction to any potentially stressful situation. Let’s close our eyes, do it, and get it over with. It’s a bit like going to the dentist. However, some speakers do not even devote themselves to such minimal preparation. Tip – for each minute of your speech, spend ten minutes of preparation on it. Watch yourself on video and ask yourself if you’re delivering too fast. 3 Keep it short and simple and always leave them wanting more. The best way to maintain the attention of an audience is to start with a gripping opening, develop a maximum of three themes or key messages, and conclude with a message that pulls the introduction and key messages together with impact. An experienced speaker can make this look simple and seamless, but we’re looking at perhaps 0.001% of the population. We all need help developing this skill. If you speak for over 10 minutes it’s almost inevitable that the structure will suffer and you will lose your audience because you haven’t signposted your structure well enough. Tell them what you’ll tell them, tell them, and tell them what you’ve told them. Tip – keep it short and simple and use your best material at the beginning and the end of your speech. Start and end with impact. 4. Maintaining eye-contact with your audience. For the new or inexperienced speaker, eye-contact is one of the hardest aspects of speaking. Looking into the eyes of strangers does not come naturally to most of us. Indeed, in some cultures young people looking directly into the eyes of their elders is seen as a mark of disrespect. However, as a speaker, your audience is your primary concern. Remember that without audiences, we do not need speakers. Making eye-contact and engaging your audience is critical to success. It shows respect and demonstrates confidence. We listen and learn most from confident speakers. Life is a busy place, and when we invest time in a speaker, nobody likes to feel they have wasted their time. Tip – if you find eye-contact difficult, try it out with friends and family in regular conversations. You will have a major impact on those with whom you are conversing. It’ very difficult (almost rude) to disengage eye-contact with somebody when you’re having a pleasant chat. Bear that in mind when you’re making a speech and you’ll do very well. 5. Speaking in a dull and monotonous voice. Throughout our professional careers, how many times have we endured the monotonous speaker?

In my case rather too often. Tonal variety is what adds massive impact to your speech or presentation. We need some highs and lows allied to seamless changes in pitch and pace. These effective techniques help to keep your audience engaged and participating in your presentation. Mehrebian’s research demonstrated that 38% of what an audience remember is down to the effective use of tonal variety. A massive 55% relates T your body language. If you send a mixed message, don’ be surprised if the message is dropped. A key factor in any speech or presentation is simply this: Tip – It’s not what you say. It’s the way that you say it. Scenario 1: You’re trying to find the channel with the live football. Suddenly, your wife sitting in the opposite armchair says, ‘Do you love me?’ You continue flicking through the channels, you don’t look back at her and you eventually say the words, ‘Of course, I love you.’ Scenario 2: You’re trying to find the channel with the live football. Suddenly, your wife sitting in the opposite armchair says, ‘Do you love me?’ You stop flicking through the channels with the remote and put it down. You walk across the room and take your wife by the hand, gently and sincerely you look her in the eyes, caress her cheek and say, ‘Of course, I love you.’ Notice that the same words are used, but which do you think conveys the stronger message?

Vince Stevenson is one of England’s greatest speaking enthusiasts, having competed for and won many prestigious competitions. Vince is a founder of the College of Public Speaking, a business dedicated to improving effective communication skills in industry.

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The key question is – what is the purpose of your presentation? What do you want to achieve?

Do you want to inform, persuade, inspire, entertain?

Make the context crystal clear. Spend a long time considering your subject and gathering appropriate material that will punch your key messages home. How long will you be speaking for? What is your place on the speaking programme? Do you have to tie in with someone else’s contribution? The auditorium and number of guests present can have a big impact on you and your speech. Find out who’ll be there? Could they have an impact on your speaking career?

What visual aids equipment will be there? (or do you want to be there)? Know how to use it properly – and carry spares! Ensure that you know the requirments of the auditorium. Agree them up front with the organizers.

Get the sequence of your talk right. Would an agenda help? You will need a logical and ’signposted’ structure with a definite conclusion (do not leave it in the air!). Have a strong opening with impact, something that the audience will remember long after. Similarly, the ending should be memorable. Research shows that your audience will probably remember the beginning and the ending if they are delivered convincingly.

Establish your audience’s level of knowledge by research before the event. The army has an interesting saying: ‘Good reconnaissance is never wasted.’ Ensure you adapt your presentation to their level of knowledge and interest.

Check for rapport with your audience. Are they nodding with agreement. Win them over. Smile, talk of ‘we/us’, and never talk down or patronize your audience.

Keep them awake. It’s better without a written script (unless you have to). Aim for variety of voice – word pictures can be highlighted within a long talk – visual aids, maybe (with pie charts rather than tables) or break it up with a 2-man act.

If you have any briefing materials, distribute them before the event. Or tell them at the start if they’ll get notes at the end. Be prepared for questions. Note and remember who asked the question. With Q&A sessions, always repeat the question.

If you don’t know the answer – never flannel – it will show!

There are three keys to success: preparation – preparation – preparation.

Explore all three in great detail and you will probably succeed in your assignment.

There is no substitution for preparation. Plan your structure. Don’t waste people’s time – get into it. Time is money – deliver your messages confidently http://www.collegeofpublicspeaking.co.uk

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We all have to speak in public one time or another, and according to some (somewhat doubtful) research, public speaking is the number one fear of most people. However, with some preparation, mostly anyone can do a pretty good job at it. There isn’t as much magic to public speaking as some make it seem. By implementing the following 7 Tips anyone can come across as a pretty good speaker. You don’t believe me??? Try it!

1. Dress for success! While this might seem an obvious one, I regularly encounter speakers who majorly underdress or (some) overdress. The thumb of rule is, of course, better be overdressed than underdressed. Your audience wants to look up to you and good “packaging” will enhance your image tremendously. When unsure, contact the event organizer and find out what is the expected attire for speakers.

2. Develop a great intro and closing and practice them till you can say them forward and backward even in your dreams! There are only few things screaming “I’m not a professional” than someone starting their presentation with excuses or some weak mumbo-jumbo. Start your presentation with a quote, an intriguing question, humor, or a short story, or even magic; then link your intro to the topic of the day. Close your presentation by bringing up elements of your intro and build to a strong finish to elicit your well-deserved applause. One of my favorite techniques is the short suspense story that captivates the audience, then without finishing it, link it to the topic of the day. Then as a closing of the presentation, bring up again the suspense story, make a comparison to the topic again, and this time finish it.

3. Notice your tendency to use “Ah’s,” Mmm’s” and other fillers in your presentation! It can become really annoying when a speaker is uncomfortable with pauses in between sentences or while thinking, and fills those gaps with “Ahhh..,” “Mmm.,” or other sounds. Another, almost equally, annoying fillers are the constantly repeated “You know what I mean,” “You see what I’m saying,” and other constantly repeated fillers. There are two good ways to raise your awareness about these fillers: a) record one (or more) of your presentation(s) and listen with an ear for filers; b) Join your local Toastmasters International club – they are really good about helping you break your filler habits. (I had around 60 “Ahh’s” and “Mmmm’s” in my first speech I delivered at Toastmasters. By the time I gave my 7th or 8th speech I had zero fillers.) Once you are aware of your tendencies of using certain fillers, you can consciously take steps to eliminating them.

4. Don’t overwhelm your audience with too much information! Do you want your audiences to leave with a sense of “This was great! Today I learned something?” Then narrow down the information you want to present in a way that will not overwhelm your audience. Ask yourself “What is it that the audience really needs to know about this topic?” Then break down that info into chunks that will fit the length of your presentation. At the end of your presentation give your audience information on how they can learn more about the topic – hopefully, by buying your book(s), tapes, CD, extended course, etc.

5. Build your presentation in an easy to follow format! Whether you are using PowerPoint, flip chart, or other methods to stay on track and to keep your audiences on track, make sure that you tell them in the introduction what points you will cover, then stick to the “plan” as close as possible. An easy way to accomplish this is by giving out handouts where participants can follow your train of thought. One of the most effective ways would be to have the main points spelled out on the handout, then have some fill-in-the-blanks fragments relating to each particular point.

6. Time yourself! When you practice, time each segment of your presentation and prepare a little cheat sheet (a 2 X 4 card, for example) that you will keep in your sight while you speak, right near a timer or watch. With this little “tool” you’ll always know whether you are on track. If you are running out of time, speed up or skip parts of your presentation and conclude with your rehearsed closing.

7. Keep eye contact! One of the biggest difficulties of novice public speakers is keeping eye contact with the audience. However, this is a very crucial element to come across as a great speaker. When a speaker keeps looking above the audiences head, the ceiling, the floor, etc., after a while the audience starts wandering “Who the heck is this guy talking to?” The easiest method to keeping good eye contact with your audience is by finding one smiling or friendly face and keep eye contact most of the time with that person… Then as the presentation moves on, start making eye contact (for a second or two) with some other audience members, but always returning to your smiling/friendly face. Then once you find another encouraging audience member, start keeping eye contact for some time period with this second person, while also wandering away to make eye contact with other audience members for a second or two. By following this method, usually one finds themselves more and more encouraged and the confidence gained that way will result in an easier flow of the message and more and more audience members will become engaged and be transformed into “friendly and smiling” faces.

……

Public speaking can be one of the most rewarding experiences. When applying the above 7 tips should make it more enjoyable for anyone, including your audiences who definitely do not want to see a speaker fail, mumble, talk to the walls, etc. People listen to a speaker to learn something or to get entertained; so follow the above tips and give your audience the great presentation they deserve.

————————————————————————————— © Copyright E.G. Sebastian, 2007. All rights reserved.

To hire E.G. to provide Public Speaking/Presentation Skills training – for groups or for individuals – call him toll-free at 877.379.3793, or contact him by E-mail at info@egsebastian.com.

E.G. Sebastian is an international speaker (speaks 6 languages), Certified DiSC Behavioral System trainer, and is an Authorized Inscape Distributor.

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As a ‘recovered’ sufferer of public speaking anxiety myself, I can empathize with people that are sufferers at the moment. The phobia itself is ‘all in the mind’ however it really does have a physical part to play too, allowing us to sweat, shake and get palpitations – sometimes even just thinking about it! I even remember reading a case history once of a young man in his twenties suffering a heart attack due to the stress and pressure that he was under with his public speaking anxiety. It really can cause a massive effect on the person that it is hounding.

Most sufferers will unfortunately just come to terms with it and allow it to limit them in future life choices such as getting a promotion at work or just giving an after dinner or best mans speech. If you do suffer from this condition you can think back now on just how many opportunities that you have missed out on due to this irrational fear. Some of you may have just tried facing it, only to make the phobia stronger after a failed attempt! Wherever you are at the moment – with the correct approach you can get the success that you both desire and deserve.

I help all of my clients that come to me for help with public speaking anxiety with hypnosis and self hypnosis. In fact in my clinic and with my downloads and my book I have helped thousands to overcome this fear with great success. Simply put – hypnosis reprograms the part of the brain that houses all of the behaviours and beliefs that make this phobia. This part of the brain is called the sub-conscious mind. Hypnosis works on every aspect of the phobia giving the client the results that they want and need.

Get help with public speaking anxiety right now! Get more info on public speaking from Richard’s site now.

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1. Visual 2. Vocal 3. Verbal

These components together convey the total believability of the message you are delivering. Let’s define them. The Visual component is everything you see or don’t see. It included movements that begin with the way you get out of your chair and how you return to it. It included how you are dressed, how you stand, walk, gesture and appear in front of the audience. It included any visual aids you use as well. The Vocal component includes not what you say but HOW you say it. It compromises the tone of your voice, the volume at which you speak, the rate at which you speak and the pauses you include or don’t include in your material. The Verbal component is comprised of the actual words or verbiage that you say. The words that you spent so much time writing and preparing and that are probably on the page you have in front of you to read.

Unless you are on the phone and have no visual appearance to the audience, your presentation will have these 3 components. They are the tools you have to deliver 100% impact and believability to your audience.

Now, we also know something else very important. Each of these 3 components has a completely different weight in the overall 100% believability of your message. They are astonishing!

The weight of each component follows:

VISUAL 60% VOCAL 30% VERBAL 10%

Surprised? These numbers are absolutely critical to your delivery of an exceptional presentation. It means that your visual appearance and how you say what you say matter 9X more than simply the word you speak. No wonder politicians with great poise, charisma and a convincing tone get elected so often!

The problem remains that we invest our energy in getting all the words and sentences right without paying attention to our skills in the preparation and delivery. This simply can and does not work based upon how we know human beings take in and digest information. We must follow the rules of the 3 V’s to deliver a presentation that has impact. Yes, it is work for us as a speaker, but there is a payoff.

An old, wise and very seasoned speaking coach once conveyed one of the most important messages I have ever heard on delivering presentations. This has been some of the most valuable advice I have ever received on the topic. I will share that advice with you now:

“The audience can never and will never be more excited about the presentation than the presenter.”

If you expect the folks sitting in front of you to stay with you and take an interest in your material, then you best heed the rules of thumb we are discussing here. I didn’t invent them. No one did! We just must deal with them as a presenter to deliver excellence. Most presenters want to go up in front of the audience and simply do what they feel most comfortable doing and deliver their own way. The audience pays with disinterest and boredom. You must deliver an audience centered presentation. The presentation is after all for them isn’t it? If it doesn’t work for the audience, then you are wasting their time. And time is something no one seems to have a lot of these days. You can’t change the rules. But, you can change the way you deliver your material. Practice these skills by taking a presentations skills course to drastically improve your effectiveness. It will be one of the best things you have done for yourself both personally and professionally!

About the Author

With more than 20 years experience in corporate turnaround environments, John Males brings expertise to clients in the areas of management, sales and negotiations. His customers include some of the world’s most successful firms and recognized brands. John can be reached at info@fathomtraining.com or http://www.fathomtraining.com

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If you are the person in the front of the room sharing important information that your audience wants to hear, they will be excited to learn what you have to teach them. You have instant credibility just by being the person asked to speak as an expert on a particular issue. Further, when you’re finished, many in your audience will want to hear more. People will line up to talk to you because they want to know what you think about their personal story. Or they have an example they didn’t want to share in front of the group. What a perfect opportunity for you to begin developing a business relationship!

Not sure where to begin? Here are some tips to consider as you develop a presentation that will wow any audience and get them interested in doing business with you.

1. First, start off with something powerful that makes your audience sit up and think, “This is going to be good. I can’t wait to hear what’s next!” Known as an attention-getter, the first words out of your mouth are crucial to getting your audience interested and engaged with you right away.

2. Next, know and address your audience. Who is there? Be sure you’re speaking their language and addressing the topics your audience wants to hear. For example, if you’re a parenting coach be sure you share stories of your kids or kids you have known or parents you have helped. If you’re a computer or technical expert speaking to a room full of non-tech people, make sure you avoid any language that will confuse your audience and speak “plain English.”

3. Have no more than three to five main points, regardless of how much time you have to speak. This will help your audience follow along with you. If your topic has a lot of areas to cover, think about how you can combine several areas, or sub-points, under one main heading so that you still end up with three to five main points. Be sure to guide your audience through your speech using transitions, clearly moving from one area to the next as you present your information.

4. Make it interactive. Come up with a way that you can involve your audience in your presentation. One simple way to get the audience’s involvement is to asking for questions in between main points, which will also serve as a nice transition. Here are three questions to try: (1) “Before I move on to my next point, what questions do you have about my first main point?” (2) “Is there anything you were wondering while I was presenting that information?” (3) “What else would you like to know about my first main point?” You could also ask a question and look for a show of hands and then ask someone with her hand up about her experience with whatever it is you’re sharing.

5. Finish strong. After you’ve completed your final main point, review what you’ve presented and remind your audience of a couple of important details you shared. Now is the time to tell your audience about your product or service. Have a sign-up sheet (I always have multiple sign-up sheets) and offer to send anyone who signs up a free article, report, or e-course about your topic. People love free stuff and this is a way for them to continue to learn what you have to offer. After you make your offer, tie your final remarks back to your attention-getter. This will give your audience the feeling that you have taken them full-circle, you’ve shared all the important facts about your topic with them, and you’ve brought closure that makes sense.

While knowing how to put together a great speech won’t necessarily make you less nervous, that’s ok. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Once you take your show on the road a few times and you see for yourself the great results that come with giving a well-prepared, powerful presentation, you may even begin to like public speaking– and start to look forward to your next opportunity to excite an audience. By following these tips as you prepare your presentation, you’ll be well on your way to seeing more business from your next public speaking presentation.

About the Author

Felicia J. Slattery, M.A., M.Ad.Ed., is a Public Speaker, Author, and Communication Expert with more than a decade of experience teaching people powerful communication skills in order to achieve their happiest and most successful lives. In addition to helping people put together public speaking presentations, she offers a free e-course at her website: http://www.TransformativeJourneys.com. Sign up now!

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Today, there are many people that work in a public setting that involves communication among peers. Many employers like banks, schools, sales and marketing companies and the like may have certain requirements for you to be considered for employment. In an office setting that you may find at employers like these is an environment where humans are supposed to interact, relate and communicate with one another to complete a task or to convey an idea or a series of ideas.

This is where public speaking comes into play. Although you can take a speaking course in high school and college, public speaking skills are best developed by speaking to others at an office meeting or presentation where you, as the speaker, communicate your ideas to the extent your listeners understand them. More often than not however, is that most people feel uncomfortable speaking in front of 20 or so people. Some end up speaking with a lack of self-confidence, thus hindering the communication effectiveness and also how you are perceived professionally in the workplace environment.

So, how do you develop the skills required to speak publicly and to speak with confidence? It is a very important skill to have after all, since a good speech with effective communication delivered with confidence can carry the day. What follows are some tactics and techniques that you can employ to help optimize your public speaking and to hone your skills.

If you work at an employer or in an environment where you may have to give a speech or speak publicly, you should thoroughly research what you are going to be discussing. The research should be done at such a level, that when you have completed it, you know the subject matter backwards and forwards, inside and out. This will give you confidence when your speech is delivered. Writing your speech out on paper is good a good idea too as this helps you learn and memorize specific things you may want to point out when you deliver your speech.

It is also a good idea to do a dry run of your speech to family members or friends so that they can give you some constructive criticism for improvement. When they give you suggestions for improvement, implement them in your speech material if you think they are sound and will actually improve your speech. Ask your dry run listeners to ask questions about the subject you are presenting so you can get feedback on the level of confidence you have in your answers and explanations. Also, remember to present your dry run speech using the tools and resources you will have available when you deliver your actual speech.

If you are speaking to children make sure to work on the tone of your voice. Children are more likely to pay attention to your speech if you sound enthused and knowledgeable. Try to involve your young listeners in your speech by asking their opinions of things you are discussing with them. When speaking to children or teens, make sure you dress casually and make your eye contact to show your interest in how they think and feel about your subject. It is also a good idea to make small jokes to fill a pause or to break your speech up a little. This also shows them that you are relaxed and comfortable speaking to them. http://www.elmerfizz.com/PUBLIC_SPEAKING_NEWS.html

Public speaking is a very important skill you must have to achieve your goals, especially in a working environment that caters to well developed communication skills. It is necessary for survival in obtaining employment, encouraging others and social interaction and development. Public speaking is best perfected with practice and as you get better, your peers will motivate you to even higher levels of achievement.

For a Free Weekly Newsletter on Public Speaking please visit: http://www.elmerfizz.com/PUBLIC_SPEAKING_NEWS.html This article may be reprinted on a website or blog if all content remains unchanged and links remain active.

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As the Fine Arts Chair of St. John’s, it is Pat Dolan’s responsibility to prepare young men and women for the stage. As a teacher and mentor, his lessons are invaluable for life beyond the stage. He requires rehearsals with dedication and commitment. In the process of teaching communication skills he imparts confidence. In the process of challenging students to design the stage he unveils hidden creative talents. In the process of teaching his pupils how to act, he teaches them how to be.

After individuals and understudies are selected to play roles, each person begins the arduous task of learning the script by rote. The lines are rehearsed with constant repetition until the very words become memorized as a reflexive response to auditory stimulus, speaking without thinking. By the time that the actors achieve this level of emotionless repetition, Mr. Dolan begins to work his real magic.

Three Lessons

As a first step, the cast was instructed to lay down on the floor motionless. With eyes closed, each member of the cast was instructed to tell the other members of the cast about one new sound that they could hear in the silence. At first this seemed absurd. However, once everyone was quiet, someone noticed the faint sound of cars outside. After a few moments, as the other most obvious sounds were identified, members focused with intent concentration on the most sublime sounds. Someone identified the sound of the wind on the windows, and another person quickly noted the sound of footsteps and laughter in the distance. As we became intensely aware of our surroundings, we started to notice the sound of each other breathing and the faint shuffle of someone moving. With all other stimulus removed, we noticed the pulse of our own heartbeats. It is amazing to realize how much we overlook and choose to tune out when we are focused on specific thoughts. How many clues and input do we miss from the world around us when we are concentrating on what we are about to say?

As the second step, the cast was instructed to sit on the stage in darkness. Completely motionless and with eyes closed, the entire play would be spoken aloud in the empty hall. Each of the players listened intently to the rise and fall of the other voices as they echoed in the otherwise empty chamber. The fluctuations, tones and subtle nuances of the voices became heightened once all other senses were stilled. How much did we learn about the inflection of our own voices and the ability to convey emotion in the sound of the spoken words?

As the third step, Mr. Dolan instructed us to act out the entire play in our own words. The simple rule was to complete the entire drama from beginning to end without using any of the scripted language. This sounds simple right? It is not. Imagine knowing what needs to be said and knowing that you can not use the very words that have been memorized. It was necessary to express the feeling, intent and purpose of the words without using the predetermined words to create actions and response. The feeling and intent had to be our own, the purpose was prescribed even though the words were forbidden. How much of what we say or hear in meeting or presentations is scripted or prepared in advance? How well can we convey our feeling and intent by adjusting our language to the listener, rather than our own prepared script?

On Stage

During one production on the stage, we had an opportunity to apply this training in action. The play was based on the legendary Sherlock Holmes, and in one critical scene the great Doctor Watson was to be threatened at gunpoint by the leading lady. Unfortunately, upon walking on stage, in front of friends, family and strangers, the leading lady encountered a severe case of stage fright. As Dr. Watson delivered his lines with perfection, the leading lady froze, motionless and staring at the sea of eyes. Undaunted, Dr. Watson repeated his lines, and then tried to break the spell. He waved one hand in front of her eyes, but she remained as a statue. This moment would surely put the training by Pat Dolan to the test.

The great Doctor Watson began the most amazing one man show off Broadway. He adapted his soliloquy to incorporate both ends of the conversation. He uttered questions aloud and crafted a story that was as mesmerizing as it was spontaneous. As the story expanded, he wrapped the plot around a game of charades, pretending that the leading lady was a famous statue from ancient Greece. From time to time, Dr. Watson would guess at the name of goddess, giving the leading lady a chance to rejoin the activity. He juggled props on the stage and gracefully twirled his bowler hat from the top of his head to the tip of his fingers. He enthralled the audience with his stories, guesswork and animated activities.

As the good Doctor Watson was in mid-stride across the stage, the leading lady suddenly came to life and blurted out her scripted line. Needless to say, it had absolutely no connection whatsoever to the soliloquy that Dr. Watson had created. The audience responded with a stunned silence. Pausing for a mere breath, Dr. Watson shouted with excitement, “Ah ha, Galatea! The statue comes to life! And I, fair lady, shall be your Pygmalion. You win the charade fairly and squarely, and now on to matters at hand.”

The audience erupted in laughter and applause, and then the play continued as if never interrupted. The transition between the statuesque stage fright and back into the scripted activity was so entertaining that it was transparent. Even the director, Mr. Dolan, did not recognize that the play had taken an unexpected detour. The audience, cast and crew were so engaged in the dialogue that everyone thought it was part of the play.

In the Boardroom

Fast forward several years to boardrooms, stage and customer presentations. How many times have these thespians drawn on the lessons learned from Pat Dolan? No matter how well scripted or rehearsed, there is nothing more engaging than performing and living in the moment. Adapt your style of communication to the audience and to the moment. Incorporate meaningful dialogue based on the surroundings, the people and interactive communication.

The old adage is to ‘open with a joke’. The underlying purpose to this approach is to make a connection with the audience. Regardless of the size of the audience, the purpose is to recognize and engage your audience with some commonality and shared sense of being. Your audience may be as small as one person, in which case it is much easier to get to know the person and adjust your script to be a conversation. If your audience contains tens of people or hundreds, then it is a more challenging task to quickly identify a shared sense of purpose, mutual interest and method of communication, but it can be done.

Do not fear eye contact, interaction or individual connection when you are presenting. This is the goal, not to be avoided. It is as important to express the feeling and the intention as the purpose. It is as important to be interested as it is to be interesting. It is in recognizing response that you confirm connection, being aware of your surroundings and of your audience.

Another old adage is to imagine your audience in underwear. This is intended to mitigate fear by removing the intimidation and reducing the humanity of the audience. On the contrary, it is the humanity that you should be trying to reach with conscientious consideration. Do not fear your audience, but speak to them respectfully as if each person is a recently rediscovered acquaintance and long lost friend. Imagine yourself shaking hands with each individual as you speak to them and look them in the eyes. Welcome the audience into your presentation and make them an active participant, even if they remain in their seats. Be authentic with your audience, adapt your script to accommodate their style of communication, and live in the moment.

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Words of Wisdom

“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…” – William Shakespeare

“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, ‘The Beatles did’.” – Kurt Vonnegut

“Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.” – William Penn

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John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

Technorati Tags: Presentation Skills, Public Speaking

It is actually commonplace. Come to think of it, there can sometimes be nothing more frightening than having to stand up and speak in front of a group of people who could very likely shout at you, laugh at you, or leave while you are in the middle of talking. Even actress Debra Messing of the hit show Will and Grace surprisingly had this fear all her life. And she is a professional actress! Imagine how much worse this could be for those who have not even had the chance to go up on a stage at all in their lives.

Thankfully, public speaking is a fear that can easily be overcome. If you are not exactly paralyzed by fear, but you think you still have room for improvement on it, then you are realizing the fundamental truth that is facing us all. You can improve your public speaking skills quite easily by following the beginning tips mentioned below.

Remember to be prepared and get your practice. The value of preparation can never be overemphasized. It adds confidence and substance to your speeches and presentations. Research the topic you will talk about and try to find the best way to present it (angle-wise). Outline your major points and use cue cards if necessary/available. Practice your speech-delivery to make sure that your talk will not exceed the time allotted for you, and so that you could also asses your delivery from your own perspective. If you are to be the lead-speaker in a very important engagement, try to practice your speech in front of someone who could properly assess how you have done… and is able to provide honest feedback to you.

Also, Know your audience… technically, this is still part of being prepared. However, it is just so important that it calls for a separate mention. Knowing your audience provides you with valuable insight on the angle and perspective of presentation that would appeal best to them. It guides whether you can be casual and funny or whether you would be better served to be serious and analytical. It also gives you great input in streamlining your speech by suggesting what you need to include and what you can do without.

Also critical is to dress the part. As much as we refuse to admit it, image can sometimes be everything. How the audience responds to you can highly depend upon how they perceptually perceive you. Generally, you would appear as a more convincing speaker if you are dressed as business casual or business formal. Also, since the audience will have to look at you anyway, you might as well make your appearance a pleasant one for them.

Keeping the KISS in mind. Keep It Short and Simple. Even geniuses have limited attention spans… no special talent for the A.D.D. afflicted needed at all. Do not bore your audience to death with a speech that is too long. The faster you can get your message across, the better. A short and simple message also appears smarter while preventing you from being perceived as someone who came unprepared and is fumbling through their presentation. It also allows your listeners to retain what you have said easily. Including the opportunity for you to perform valauble rephrasing of your concepts – for added comprehension by your audience.

In addition to these quick tips, your public speaking skills will also be improved if you practice establishing periodic or constant eye contact with your audience. Also, if the occasion and your resources will permit, you can use visual aids such as slide presentations, handouts, product samples, etc to stimulate your audiences attention. To finish off your presentation, you should plan to answer the audiences question confidently and with a caring and informative attitude.

Remember that there will really come a time when you will have no other meaningful choice but to speak in public. So you might as well be ready for when that time comes. It could be either a disastrous or a pleasant experience for you; and you have all the power and abilities to make the most out of it. Follow the tips above and you will surely be on your way to becoming a natural at public speaking.

Dedicated to Your Public Speaking Success – http://www.EZPublicSpeaking.com

Technorati Tags: public speaking skills