Fear of speaking in public can be a major obstacle if you want to develop your career. Here are some public speaking tips and a recommendation if you are looking for a public speaking book. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language. Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline. Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.
Add some style: If you are using presentation slides, then make the most of them. More than being pretty, the slides should be functional, but adding a bit of fun and colour usually doesn’t hurt. Here are three quick tips to improve slides: Keep the words on each slide to a minimum; Ensure any words or visuals are large enough to be seen at the back of the room; Only include images, videos and animations to help clarify your points. (Don’t add them if they have the opposite effect!); You don’t want to have everything you are going to say in the slides. Just prompts to help remind you what to talk about and audio/visual media to enhance any point you are making. The best way to deal with the (sometimes unfortunate) need to speak publicly is to embrace it, realise how it will help you and your audience, and enjoy the conversation that it sparks. Read more info Public speaking trainer.
Take long pauses. Similar to slowing things down, make a point to take long pauses. And make them longer than you even think is appropriate. It can have a great impact on emphasizing key points and emotionally connecting to the audience. Practice tone and projection. Don’t just eek your way through a speech using the same tone and volume. Tone and projection add a layer of entertainment and help keep the audience fully engaged from start to finish. These too must be practiced religiously.
What people say ? That was an ah-ha moment for myself, to inspire others with our words. He also advised… “If you change your perspective, invest in your preparation, and take time to practice, then I promise you, you will overcome your fear of public speaking.” Basically, look at it from another point of view and that preparation is key! He spoke of a heartfelt time when he was led to give hope to a community of approximately 3,000 people who experienced a tragic loss of 5 neighbors. Grief brought them together and his courage to speak gave them peace. The Amazon book can be obtained here: Speak with no fear ebook.
Redefine your audience: Redefine your audience generally means changing how you see your audience. Instead of seeing them as lecturers who are evaluating you, maybe you can convince yourself that they are all fellow students who are in queue to present after you. They are all equally nervous so there is no reason why you should be too. Or perceive them as long lost friends that you haven’t seen for 10 years. This way you can maintain eye contact trying to figure out where you have seen him before. To the audiences, they will see a very friendly and personal presentation.
Mike Acker is a communications coach, speaker, and author with over 19 years of experience in speaking, leadership development, and organizational management. Known for his authenticity, humor, and engaging presence, Mike specializes in fomenting personal and organizational awareness, allowing clients to create their own personal growth track. His approach is earnest, informed, and holistic, leading to a more satisfying balance in work and life. His expertise in communications and leadership has attracted politicians, business entrepreneurs, educational leaders, and executive managers. Source: https://thepublicspeaking.school/.