Yesterday I facilitated an online Speaking Off the Cuff webinar with a national leadership program. It was a great success with people leaving the session smiling and the interest to repeat some of these activities the next time we all meet face to face as a group. Many people fear public speaking. Do you? Few are immune. Spiders? Fine. Flying? Yep can do this! Public Speaking? Ohhhh nooooo – sweaty palms and you look for the nearest exist. It got me thinking about how the world is missing out on hearing from so many people, just like you, because you are paralysed by the thought of speaking in public.
So in today’s newsy I want to share some reminders to inspire you to find your voice and speak up and speak out. Please let me know how you go.
“If you can speak, you can influence. If you can influence, you can change people’s lives.”- Rob Brown
I’ve chosen 5 ways that will make a difference and I really think these will make a difference to your leadership too. I’m not coming from a place of perfection by any means. My knees knock as much as yours probably do, but I do know that the world deserves to hear our voices so it’s important to find some ways to reduce anxiety, dispel myths and improve your communication / performance.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
1. Know your audience – Your presentation is about them not you! The more you know about your audience the easier it will be to develop your presentation and ensure it’s of value to them. Prepare and then test your ideas. This will give you confidence.
2. Organise your thoughts – Spend time brainstorming and organising your thoughts. No one can just speak perfectly without organising your thoughts, words and material. Always focus on your purpose when speaking and stay on point.
3. Let your personality come through – Allow yourself to show up when you speak. Allow your friendly personality to shine through. This way you can speak from the heart and speak in a way that connects easily with your audience. If you try to be someone that you’re not you won’t show up authentically. Be yourself.
4. Tell stories – People connect with examples, data and can see themselves in stories. Work these out to add value to your presentation and take time to test them before your speech. A story could be as simple as two sentences or it could be 2 mins long. Stories are easy for people to listen to and connect with and can be truly heartfelt with an emotional connection that will be remembered long after your finish speaking.
5. Ask for engagement – I’ve left the best til last! This is my favourite. Think of something you can ask your audience to do. Maybe it’s to raise their hand in answer to a question you ask OR to close their eyes and think of the last time they XXX. These need to be relevant to the topic you’re talking about. I like these as they require your audience to connect, listen and share in your speaking. It gives the feeling we are all in this together and importantly it also helps your audience to stop and reflect. This is the beginning of the change process.
Over to You
Do any of these resonate for you? Could any be helpful to support you the next time you’re asked to speak or your have a topic that you want to speak about?
