Let's Talk About Public Speaking...

I'm often asked for tips about public speaking. Obviously it's always good to practice your speech as much as possible so you're really comfortable with your topic. But sometimes we become so focused on the material that we forget to address our mindset.

Think about it: Isn't it easier to do anything when you're feeling good and positive? And something you dread doing seems to last forever.

What I see happen is a well prepared person (in terms of material) has a really tough time presenting because he or she is in a very negative state of mind. Before long our flight or fight response goes off and we react to an audience the same way our ancestors would to a charging bear.

Fortunately, it's unlikely you'll ever give a speech to a room full of bears. But you may still have an intense physical and mental reaction to your presentation.

So why not create a pre-speaking routine that puts you in a good frame of mind. Actors do it, as do athletes. To give you some help with this process, I've created this short presentation:

(If you can't see the presentation, go to: http://bcn.brainshark.com/title.aspx?pid=505012062 )

Most of all a pre-speech routine can give you a sense of control over a potentially challenging situation.

Presentation Preparation

When I deliver a speech, I want it to be informative, entertaining, and something people will continue to think about for days. Right now, I'm preparing for an upcoming presentation so I'm revisiting my material to see if it's still relevant. Lately, I've been adding a lot more elements about dealing with unexpected change. Our economy has provided a lot of it in the past year and I know it's produced a lot of anxiety. While I'm not an economist, I am an expert at taking a negative and turning it into a positive and I think audiences will appreciate my experience.

Next, I need to figure out the best way to convey the information. If all you talk about are facts and figures, you'll likely lose your audience very quickly. Facts are good but you need to mix them in with stories, quotes, and audience engagement exercises. It's all about creating a connection with the crowd, making sure they know that you've got something important to tell them.

And while a good speech appears effortless, a lot of practice goes into it before you say your first word to your audience. Here's a short video of my practicing just ten seconds of my hour long talk:

(If you can't see the clip, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGG3CyxWbqM)

These ten seconds come about a minute into my talk and I want them to catch the audience's attention. I want them to know that my speech won't be like all of the others they've seen before.

When it comes together, a moment like this may seem spontaneous but actually is the product of hours of rehearsal. And it's worth every minute.

The Change of a Few Degrees

Recently I spent some time with family in Ohio. For me this was a bit of shock as I left near 80 degree highs for single digit temperatures. Another thing I noticed was how gray the frozen landscape was. Between cloudy skies and frozen earth, it looked as if the area had been bleached of color.

But after a few days, temperatures warmed up, hitting highs in the 40s. Almost magically, the landscape became more colorful. It was as if someone had taken out a box of crayons overnight and touched up the area. The grass was greener and even leaves seemed a little brighter.

Once again this was a reminder of the power of small changes. Very often it's hard to make a change in our lives because it seems that it will take too much time and too much energy. Instead focus on a little thing you can do today to put you a little closer to your goal. You might be surprised at what happens.