Public Speaking Articles

Do you know what the purpose of public speaking is? Think about that for a moment. Too often, we are so consumed by our fear, our topic, or our delivery, that we often miss our reason for public speaking. You could be standing on a stage or in the front of a classroom or at the head of the conference table. Wherever your location, your purpose is to impart knowledge to a select group of people. Whether your intention is to inform or persuade, your reason for being in front of those people, be it to a group of 5 or a crowd of 500, is your audience.

You work out every day. You eat the right foods. Your hair is in the latest style. Your clothes speak well of you. However, when you open your mouth to speak, what comes out is anything but what your visual image is saying. Women are attracted to a deep voice and if you have a high-pitched, nasal, whiny, wimpy sound, then you are not turning your prospect on…you are indeed turning her off.

Victor Borge, the late, great, Danish comedian once said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Well, it can also be the longest yard in trying to make an audience laugh, as I tell you what happened to me when I once performed on a cruise ship. Remember: when it comes to public speaking start powerfully to get the “undivided” attention of your listeners and then build to a large close. I thought! Oh, my God... I-Am-In-The-Bermuda-Triangle-of-Humor!

One of the most important things as a speaker has to do to make an impact with their audience - is to control the environment they are in. Believe it or not, some speakers get the “gig” (aka the engagement) show up at the correct time and realize the seating arrangements or the lighting is off. Trust me: If your lighting or environment is not at optimal levels, your performance will suffer and you could get a poor evaluation.

One of the most annoying traits in speaking is the use of verbal tics. We have all heard them at one time or another. If you are aware that your speech is plagued with these filler words, it would be a good idea to work on eliminating them because they take away from your message: your audience loses focus on what you are saying. Instead, they begin counting! Words like um and ah are the most obvious. They are common; they are annoying; and, they mar your speech.

Do you know how many opportunities are missed by not striking up a conversation with someone in an elevator for example? How about when you are waiting in line at a popular restaurant? Maybe you are sitting at the airport in preparation for your flight. Perhaps you are waiting for the doors to open at a football stadium or hockey arena. You could be one of thousands of people taking the subway in New York or the El in Chicago.

Speakers and writers share one thing in common – they’re both susceptible to mind blocks. This is where your mind goes blank and you can’t think of anything new to write and speak about. You feel like you’re facing a blank wall; your creativity has left you. You’ve covered everything you know about and you don’t know what to do next. You’ve run out of ideas. YIKES! You are without inspiration. You are full of exasperation. You may even start to indulge in some procrastination!

When I was teaching public speaking at the college level, I would fail any student who opened his or her presentation with the words, “Today I am going to talk about….” That is not a memorable opener and that is not the way to begin a speech or presentation.

A surprising number of young men email me regarding the difficulty they are having being heard at the club scene. What is happening is that they are yelling and are ending up with sore throats. Is there a way to solve this problem aside from not speaking? The answer lies in learning how to place your voice properly in order to take the pressure – the strain – the wear and tear – off your throat and vocal folds (cords). The soreness, discomfort or even possible temporary loss of voice is known as vocal abuse.

One of the best pieces of advice I give to my clients when teaching presentation skills is to always be prepared for the unexpected and that goes for your clothing as well as your visual image. Without a doubt, what you are saying and how you are saying are the most important aspects of your presentation; however, your visual impact can either add to your image or detract.

Imagine you have just spoken for 10 minutes or 40 minutes about your business, an idea, your book or your products and you are receiving good applause. Yes, you just gave a good presentation. My question to you is whether your good presentation was electrifying? What is the difference? Many people are good at public speaking; not quite as many are electrifying. Those who can compel their audience, who can immerse their listeners with their words in such a way that their listeners lose all track of time and are sorry to see the presentation end, captivate.

There's no getting around it: The moment you bound onto the platform or stage your credibility is at stake. And one way to cement your credibility is to master the art of Q & A (short for Questions and Answers) Look at how Q & A's are done on the political battlefields. Remember the Hillary and Obama debates? These seasoned political pros knew at any time “one slip up” can hurt them in the eyes of their audience (in the studio and at home watching.) It a nutshell: How you respond to an audience member's Q & A can undoubtedly haunt or help your career for a long time.

Because high quality speech writing and presentation is quite a refined art, I have decided to write this article as a series so that all aspects of speech writing and presenting can be covered in suitable depth. The reader can then determine what level of requirement they have and reference the required sections.rnPart one will cover speech structure A) Speech StructurernA good speech must have a definite structure which allows the audience to easily follow the presentation

Instead of trying to eliminate or put an end to your nervousness, would you be interested in one simple remedy that will allow you to grab on to your nervousness and take it for a ride? That is the feeling you get when you are in control of those nervous jitters and not the other way around. Bear in mind, everyone gets nervous (or should) in public speaking. If your nervousness is in control of you, however, then the outcome of your delivery is highly questionable. Instead, why not allow your adrenaline to feed your body rather than deplete it?

Whether you're speaking to an audience of one or many, it's important to make eye contact in order to connect. Eye contact demonstrates your willingness to connect to the audience on a personal level. It also shows that you are confident and proves that the information resides in your head, not your notes or the slides. When you present, you are talking to individuals, not an impersonal mass of people. You want each person to experience the communication one-on-one. How long should you maintain eye contact with each person?

Find a mentor. Mentors can help you cut years off your growth curve. They can save you from making mistakes they made or seen others make. You are then free to learn from new mistakes. A mentor is someone - perhaps a family member, friend or business associate - who is more experienced in the business who is willing to give you some of their time, advice and support. Mentors never do this for money. They enter into the relationship because they want to help you. They see some potential in you and maybe a little of themselves in you. They want to help and you must be ready.

From an audience perspective, there is nothing more boring than listening to somebody drone on and on, using correct but unexciting language and ruining what might otherwise have been an interesting subject. And there is nothing more mind numbing than having to listen to somebody drone on and on and whether or not they try to make their talk lively and interesting, (we’re still not quite sure what on earth they’re talking about or what point they’re trying to make.)

I hear it all the time: women phoning me and complaining that their voice sounds like that of a child. If you have this problem, then the image you are projecting is not one of confidence or maturity. The good news is that you have a better voice inside of you which is resonant and more mature in sound. I found mine when I was in graduate school and it landed me the jobs I wanted in New York City as well as jobs I wasn’t seeking.

If you're like most people having a colonoscopy might be a more pleasurable activity than giving a public speech. However, this activity will rapidly become one of your favorites when you let it give your career the huge boost it has given mine. If you're an author, consultant, trainer, life coach, small business owner, or any client based business owner--- you know better than anyone that the success of your company will hinge on how you market and get your branded message out to your targeted audience.

Speed in public speaking, or for that matter, in any type of communication, is very similar to that in driving a vehicle. If you move along at 100 miles an hour, you stand a greater chance of having an accident than if you are doing 75 mph.

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Victor Frankl Did you see the HBO movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers? Sellers was always transforming himself. The man slipped into a persona as easily as you or I would slip into a pair of gloves. While watching the movie, I was reminded that, in today's turbulent and competitive job market, thousands of Americans reinvent themselves every day. Many do it so they can move up in their careers.

It would be nice to think that the companies on the leading edge of work/life balance programs are simply being good citizens and doing the right thing! But, the fact is that these programs make good business sense. In addition to increased productivity and employee satisfaction, companies can retain valuable employees in a competitive environment, and attract new employees with these programs.

I've been studying and as a copywriter writing for the financial markets for quite a while now. Of course, I am not an expert, more than anything I come from school of hard knocks. So here are some aspects that you should think about when and if you want to take the prudent approach to financial planning. First off: If you are still thinking that financial planning is only for the rich ,you might just want to change your mind on that now.

Striking out on our own can be liberating and a bit scary. I don't know of anyone who has taken a real jump and regretted it, but I haven't talked to everyone who has either. I have talked to several who wound up going back to the corporate cubicles, licking a few wounds, but they still didn't regret the leap. What do we need? On the whole you may find you need very little to start a home office, or even a small office. Most freelance and self-employment ventures are service based, rather than manufacturing or retail. You don't have to worry about a warehouse, or a workr

You know the drill. You're supposed to follow your mentor's formula for writing your "elevator speech" or 30-second intro. And then deliver it with enthusiasm to everyone who will stop long enough to listen. Right? OK. You're following instructions. You've rewritten the thing at least 17 times. You've rehearsed it until you're blue in the face. Then why do people's eyes still glaze over? Try Something Different It's possible that what you really need is a new approach - not a new speech.

You know for years we have held the majestic eagle as our sign of a good leader. It soars so high above everyone else, has a beautiful wingspan, eyes that can see it's prey from miles away and uncanny accuracy in getting it's food. Definitely a leader. Definitely something we should admire and look up to. Definitely the way we should be if we want to lead, right? Wrong! I think eagles are one of the worst animals we can model after as leaders. You see, they don't play as a team. They build their nests in cliffs where no one has access to them. They take care of their young only.

Context and Premise: Self-confidence has long been thought of as an important determinant of performance, aliveness, and fulfillment. Self-confidence for the most part is viewed as a feeling. Inner strength comes to mind or a person's belief that he or she can succeed. This generates feelings of competence, which in turn reinforce confidence. “If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.” rn~Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Confidence is a matter of certainty. Rather than seeing confidence as a feeling, I have for many years presented it as certitude instead.

If you are soft-spoken, how do you think others judge you? Do you think they regard you as being confident, assertive, and self-assured? If you are conce ed about the image you project, then your soft-spoken voice is definitely not projecting those qualities. Instead, your lack of volume is ...

Books Atkinson, 1894-1984, American jou alist, said, “This nation was built by people who took risks - - pioneers who were not afraid of the wilde ess, business men who were not afraid of failure, scientists who were not afraid of the truth, thinkers who were not afraid of progress, and dreamers who were not afraid of action.” What happened to us? Did an illusion of security lead us to a wilde ess of half-truths, lies, and stupid decisions? Did we allow unworthy politicians to take control? What became of truth, honesty, and the American dream?

He walked into the room to deliver the news that the company was going to be looking at the possibility of outsourcing parts of their IT services. It was actually a part of their database management that IT hated and openly talked about hating. So he knew they would be glad to hear that the company would consider outsourcing it. He walked into the room, delivered his news, and was soon flooded with the resignations from his top talent. What happened? Another CEO wanted to get closer to all of the employees.

If you are scheduled to give a speech or presentation, plain speaking should be your choice so as not to appear affected, superior, or on exhibit. Plain speaking, simply put, is the ability to speak and be easily understood by all in attendance. And, it goes hand-in-hand with the theory of treating your audience as if you were having a conversation in your living room. Lengthy sentences, long words, flowery speech, or highly technical terms do not lend themselves to plain speaking.

Their company was on the rise. They had gone from $50 million in sales to $250 million in just 10 years. They had a softball team, a family picnic every year, and a Christmas party that was so loved by everyone that groups of people would get blocks of rooms and stay the night to party together. Almost every Thursday the entire office would end up at a local bar for a few drinks together. Most of the Senior Vice Presidents made it on Thursday night as well. And then the CEO decided to retire.

As an executive it is crucial that your body language always matches your words so people correctly interpret what you said. If people have to chose between your body language and your words they will intuitively listen to their gut reaction to your body language, not your words. So here are five quick tips on how to be perceived as a strong and confident leader: 1. Strong Stance- your weight should always be evenly balanced between both of your feet and your shoulders should be strong yet relaxed, not sloped.

Lately, I've been hearing from a lot of people who have been asked to present at a meeting for a different department or group. Essentially, they're told (by phone or email), "be there at 1 pm to talk for a few minutes about your project." That's not enough information. If you're asked to present, here are the questions that you should ask the organizer to ensure that you convey a message that is useful and appropriate to that audience: • Who is in the audience? What is the purpose of the meeting?

While fear of public speaking is the first major hurdle for many who must address an audience, breathlessness is most definitely the second. It is surprising how many people are affected by this easily remedied problem.

Change is an unavoidable event in a person's life. There is no getting around it. The question is will you change by design or default? Will your change be for better or for worse? As long as you live, move and breath you will be confronted with the need to make the changes necessary to evolve as the situations in your life require. The more ambitious you are the more frequently you will be called upon to shift and adapt to higher levels of operating. To ensure that you make changes in the right direction, you can actively control the process of change in your life.

45% of your company’s reputation is based on the public’s view of your CEO. Staggering isn’t it? To think that ONE person can wield that kind of influence over your company’s stock, your employee turnover and your public image. Yet it is true. Burson-Marsteller’s Maximizing CEO Reputation research has proven it. So the question is, where do you stand as a leader? What is your company’s reputation? What are you doing that is negatively impacting the company? I know of one company that the head person was having an affair.

What does the movie Coach Carter, the book The Tipping Point, and great leadership have in common? Every Executive I work with wants to be a good, positive, and strong leader. When I ask them what they would like to change in order to make their life easier they often say things like, “it would be great if my team could think more independently to make the best decisions possible WITHOUT me involved!” But how do you do that? In order to answer that all we need to do is look at the above question because the answer is right there.

A voice that lacks color is dull and uninteresting. It also says something about you, as the speaker, which may or may not be true. If you speak in a monotone, how do you think others perceive you? A few words that come to my mind are cold, indifferent, and unemotional. Do those words describe you? If so, there are 5 steps you can take to immediately change that perception.

While presenting at the National Speakers Association (NSA) Convention in Orlando, I was able to hear dozens of presentations and speeches. The experience led me to think about what makes a presentation or speech effective, which I define as the ability to communicate your message clearly in a way that is meaningful to the audience. Here are the 10 factors that can make you effective when you present or speak: 1. You know your subject.

It seem that the only time people are open to change is when what they have always done no longer works for them. In other words when our needs are no longer being met by previous ...

Leonardo da Vinci said “some times genius does best when it works the least.” Now I don’t think he meant we should all hit the mall or park and just hope work happens. Nor did he mean we should slop through our work. Instead I believe he meant that often the best ideas and inspirations hit us when we focus our attention elsewhere and allow our subconscious mind to work for us. For me this means that today I am at the library. It is a totally different environment and as such, has caused my mind to look at things from a new perspective.

Nothing is more frustrating for me than listening to those who talk through their nose. And, you don’t have to be from New York to speak with excessive nasality. There are various pockets both in the United States and Canada where nasal talk is the norm. If you are plagued by too much nose, consider changing that habit because it is irritating for your listeners. Learning to speak with less nasal ‘qualities’ is easier than you may think. It requires retraining your inner ear to recognize the excess and enunciating your words lower in your mouth.

There is nothing more frustrating than listening to someone who speaks with an excess of nasal sound. In a study done some years ago on how people react to a nasal voice, it was reported that it is frequently associated with less-than-average intelligence and a sign of immaturity. Ridding yourself of excess nasal sound is not difficult; however, you will need to practice and retrain your inner ear to recognize the difference between what is nasal and what is not. (See my former article - Do You Know Which Sounds Are True Nasals? - in which I discuss both types of sound.)

“I am organizing an Easter Egg Hunt for the neighborhood today and I wanted to know if your children will be coming?” said the confident voice on the other end of the phone. With a smile on my face I told Megan that absolutely Rory and Ce’Anna would participate. I was told to bring nothing but the children and to be there at one o’clock. When the clock chimed one the kids and I set out with plastic bags stuffed in my pockets for their treasures. When we arrived at Megan’s house I saw all the other neighbor kids lined up with their parents anxiously dancing around.

One of the most frustrating experiences we can all face is how to make effective decisions especially when you feel there is a lot of risk at stake. You wonder how much risk you should take on without putting yourself out on a limb or how much risk you share without looking like you are trying to pass accountability or be too cautious. It is one of those situations that can make you feel like you are boiling in a pressure cooker that will explode as soon as the top is lifted off. There are four distinct personality styles and they each approach decision making very differently.

As A voice specialist, I teach people not only how to improve the sound of the speaking voice but also how to be a dynamic public speaker. Below are listed the 5 most important things you should do that will allow you to control your nervousness as well as deliver a dynamic presentation. ...As A voice specialist, I teach people not only how to improve the sound of the speaking voice but also how to be a dynamic public speaker. Below are listed the 5 most important things you should do that will allow you to control your nervousness as well as deliver a dynamic presentation.

Do you get tongue-tied while speaking to strangers or office-colleagues? Or, the thought of giving a presentation/speech to a group of people sends a rattle snake up your spine? Your voice turns viscous, your knees go weak, and your spirit leaves you to stroll on another planet?nnDon’t worry; you are not in a minority.nnThe greatest of men and women have gone through this harrowing experience. The fear of speaking is rated as only second to the fear of snakes and before the

The Super Bowl is fast approaching and there is one result that I can predict: hoarseness and sore throats. Some may even experience loss of voice by the end of the night. This problem is known as vocal abuse and it can lead to serious problems for your speaking voice. There are those who can yell or shout on a daily basis and never do any damage. The majority of the population, however, cannot.

It has been interesting for me to hear how many people think they have a nasal voice when in fact they do not. The reason this happens is because the voice they hear in their head when they speak (which is how they think they sound) is deeper in pitch than the one they hear on their answering machine, voicemail, or some other form or recording equipment. And, once they hear their recorded sound, the higher pitch makes them believe – rightly or wrongly – that their voice exhibits nasality.