7 Tips To You Put Your Best Speech Forward in Your Career
Over the years, a number of my coaching clients have expressed a desire to improve their public speaking abilities – especially if they’re being called upon to make presentations at work.
For many, speaking in front of a live audience is a daunting proposition. Some clients have admitted to feeling like “a deer in the headlights” when speaking to groups.
As someone who gives presentations regularly, I can say, from experience, that it’s only natural to feel butterflies before giving a talk. However, if you find that your nerves are a serious impediment when it comes to giving a speech, these seven strategies can help:
#1 – Memorize Concepts Not Content – Carol Roth, contributor at Entrepreneur, recommends using bullet points for the content, stories, data and key takeaways you want to convey in your presentation – then speak naturally about them. I find this method especially helpful – since memorizing can end up sounding over-rehearsed and unnatural. Also, if you forget something, having the lines memorized can throw you off track and into a panic.
#2 – Practice, Practice, Practice! – I find it very helpful to rehearse out loud – incorporating any audio/ video elements I’ll be using as well – when preparing for a talk. It’s also helpful to rehearse in the actual space where you’ll be giving your presentation, if possible. Being well prepared, through practice, demonstrates a true respect for your audience, not to mention, for yourself.
#3 – Know Your Audience – The more you can relate with your audience in terms of their interests or concerns as a whole – the better the connection. Talking with audience members before your speech, and incorporating information gleaned from those conversations, can also add to the connection and intimacy of your presentation.
#4 – Meditate/Visualize – Take time to meditate before giving a presentation by putting creative visualization to work. Imagine the end result of your presentation – seeing in your mind’s eye your audience smiling and applauding.
#5 – Stretch – In her TED Talk, “Your Body Shapes Who You Are”, Harvard researcher, Amy Cuddy discusses the power of “alpha poses” – spreading out the body’s wingspan to its fullest extent– as a proven method to increase confidence during a presentation. Cuddy says that striking power poses (ie: Wonder Woman stance with hands on hips/ legs spread apart or runner’s Victory ‘V’ with arms in the air) for just two minutes before a presentation can help you convey a stronger presence.
#6 – Focus on the Mission – Putting your attention on the objective of your talk, and how it will serve your audience can help take the focus away from any anxiety you may be feeling.
#7 – Be Interactive – The more you can involve the audience in your presentation, the better. Posing a question or two to the group/ asking for a show of hands, using audio and video components, as well as props, can help make your speech a more engaging and entertaining experience.
You can hone your presentation skills by practicing at home, or by joining presentation and leadership organizations such as Toastmasters International. The more speeches you give, the more comfortable you’ll be “taking center stage” and the more you’ll be able to share important information in an exciting and engaging manner.
