Public Speaking Tips

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a number of professional functions featuring both professional and highly regarded business people as keynote speakers.

It amazes me still how wonderful, enlightening and motivating some speakers are, and also how lacking in presentation others can be - no matter whom the audience, how much they are being paid to speak or what the "warmth" of the room is like.

Here are a couple of the tidbits I found that PROFESSIONAL speakers, motivators and trainers do that they really shouldn't! I know - I'm guilty of a couple on occasion myself!

• Jiggle change in their pockets - Please empty your pockets of all change, and keep your arms in a comfortable posture either in front of you or behind you.
  
• Speak clearly - and in some cases slowly. It's hard to provide your audience with the full effect of a joke when they can't hear you for your marble-mouth! Speak up! That's why you are standing in front; because everyone wants to HEAR what you have to say.
  
• NEVER turn your back on your audience (unless it is part of your act) Turning your back on your audience can be misinterpreted for disrespect. Show respect to your audience and keep facing them
  
• Avoid leaning for long periods of time on the podium - this can be used effectively as an emphasis prop, but when you spend the entire hour leaning on a podium, you look lazy, and de-motivating.
  

Well...that's a good start - I'm sure there are many other items that can be added here so check back for updates and other tips on public speaking, presentations and training.

The Three R’s of Learning

As adult learners, we decide whether to accept information presented to us based on three things:

• RELEVANCY
  
• RELATIONSHIP
  
• RESPONSIBILITY
  

We require that the training we receive be relevant to our work or personal life. If it is not relevant and cannot be used, then it is considered to be a waste of precious time.

Adult learners require that lines be drawn to demonstrate the relationship between what we are learning and what we "DO" and how that relationship will meet our needs.

Finally, as long as we can prove that the relationship between what we need to know and what we already know is valid and is presented in a timely and relevant manner, then we will accept the responsibility to learn that material.

Of course there are many other factors that affect adult learners, these three R's are simply an example of how educators can work to ease the information transition.

Dealing with Off Topic Questions

As a public speaker and trainer you will likely have faced the difficult task of answering questions that may be either outside of the scope of the seminar/course you are instructing.

An effective way to deal with questions that may be outside of the area you are presenting is to do the following:

• Thank the participant for their question. Let them know that it is an excellent question.
  
• Acknowledge that the question is one that others may have as well, but in order to stay on topic ...
  
• Suggest that you get together at a break or after the session to discuss this question in more detail.
  

I would say something like this:

"Thanks Mark. That is an excellent question about communication. Unfortunately due to time and topic constraints for this session, I am not able to address that question - why don't we get together after the session and discuss it in more detail?"

I have had great success with this method - I wish you luck incorporating this method of dealing with off-topic or difficult question in your presentation.

Posture IS Important

Remember back to the days when your parents or grand parents would holler at you and tell you to stand up straight...

Here is a practice exercise:

Next time you are standing up, make note of your posture. How you stand, how you hold your head, how your arms rest and the positioning of your feet. If possible, ask someone to take a picture of you standing naturally.

Just as timing is important for a joke or punchline, good posture is important and effective for demonstrating a point.

For instance, when you have something you want to convey as confidential, an excellent technique I have used is to lean into the crowd, lower your upper body position hunching over a bit as if you were telling a child a secret - then when the information has been passed, standing very straight with shoulders back is an excellent way to communicate that something very important is going to be demonstrated.

How you stand, and how you move when you speak can be signals to the audience that you have something important to tell them. Posture can also be an effective tool for reigning in a boisterous class.

As you rehearse your presentation, rehearse effective posture and stance to help with the impact of your words.