How to Speak Like the Pros
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Leading is more difficult if you can’t speak well.
Speaking ability enhances leadership potential. Public platforms provide opportunities to shape, direct, and motivate organizations.
Be as smart as this student:
Holly said she wasn’t excited about the presentations she was giving this semester. I followed up, “Do you have a speech class?”
She replied, “No, my instructors just want presentations. I’m not comfortable but need it. I plan to enter management. When I graduate I’ll be leading meetings and giving presentations.”
3 public speaking tips:
- Audience determines content and style, not you. Use one strategy for two year olds and another for the management team.
- Tell people what they need to hear not what you need to say. You may focus too much on facts and figures and not enough on feelings.
- Be personal. Don’t use names but look at and speak to individuals, even if the group is large.
Propelled to new levels:
Learn from famous mentors.
Radio talk show hosts can enhance your speaking style. I started copying their style while driving. I probably looked like a whacko to other drivers. Yes, I listen and then try reproducing their speech!
It’s amazing how much energy radio personalities put into speaking. They taught me diction, rate, and punch.
Additionally, learn from TV communicators.
Copy the most successful, not the obscure.
Watching and listening is not enough:
The light came on when I literally copied them, not until. Try it. My wife laughs when I copy TV game show hosts.
Remember:
The goal is learning techniques not becoming clones. Grab techniques that enhance rather than obscuring you.
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What public speaking techniques enhance your communication?
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More:
Here are eight public speaking tips from James Quigley, former global CEO of Deloitte, the largest private professional services firm on earth:
#7. Be yourself – authentic speakers connect. More…
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I´m gonna try it.. still the “be yourself” part is the one giving me trouble 🙂
Always thanks for the tips
Rodrigo,
It’s odd how being ourselves takes time. We are great at being what others want us to be but need time and intention to learn to be ourselves.
Best success,
Dan
some very good tips…
I question the tip about “COPY” Radio Talk Show hosts.
Most I have listened to are terrible speakers….
ah, well ah, uhm, and so many other “filler words”
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your comment.
The radio talk show hosts I’m speaking of have the top radio programs in the country.
I can see that you know what not to do… uhm…. 🙂
Glad you stopped in, come again.
Dan
Dear Dan,
I agree that leading is difficult when you cannot speak. It becomes even more difficult when we don’t assess audience. You need to understand the level of audiences. The whole idea is about connectivity. If you are not able to connect with the audience, you can not impress them. More than the language, it is the tone and content that matters. I also believe that it is not the quantity but quality that matters. You can express big ideas in few words. On the other hand, you may not express even simple ideas by using more words. So the logic is not using two words, where one word works.
I also believe that idea is more powerful than language. You can convey message with sign language but you cannot convey ideas with flowery language. It clearly means that idea is structure and language is plaster. Language beautifies the ideas.
I believe that you need to create picture in your mind before you actually speak. This creates confidence. Confidence is the key to successful communication. And confidence develops when you have clear command over ideas and its outcomes. The most important technique is do not assume what others with think about you, just deliver without fear.
Dear Ajay,
When someone asks a speaker to give a presentation the first question is, “who is the audience”
Love your insightful comment re: deliver w/o fear. Self-conscious speakers make the audience uncomfortable. I love it when I lose my sense of self-consciousness and get lost in the message.
Thanks for adding value,
Dan
I like that Dan – copying the pros. It (sometimes) even works when you’re trying to be a better tennis player (or at least so I’m told). 😉
We are smart when we steal from the best… 🙂
Hi Dan,
My best public speaking technique is to speak about what I know and OWN, and if I don’t know it and OWN it, I don’t speak about it, until I can get inside it, grok it, own it.
To do the latter sometimes it means interviews, clarifications, short and long term analysis of systemic relationships, and even “mini-presentations” to willing cohorts (did one on a plane last night on a new concept I developed and it was a great experience). For me to present a compelling perspective, I have to believe myself.
Bottom line for me is: if I can interest people anywhere, in formats from a one-liner, to an elevator speech, to a 90 minute presentation, to a full-day workshop—as if it’s just you and me having a comfortable conversation—I own it enough to present it. 🙂
Great point. The more intimately you know the material, the easier it is to present. If you’re a subject matter expert, you can do it extemporaneously. You still have to organize and frame it for the audience, but you can focus on mechanics if you have the content pat.
Be one with the material Mark? 😉 Definitely a truth there. If you believe it belongs to someone else, then why are you talking about it? Others can talk about it more knowledgeably. However, if you can identify with and in the material and bring another positive perspective, then dive in. (Great little Heinlein reference too Mark!)
Hi Mark,
I find when I start verbalizing some of the stuff I thought was great was actually dumb…
Test the material first… brilliant!
Thanks for enhancing the conversation,
Dan
Great topic, Dan. Someone said to me recently, “People who can speak well have a lot of power.” He was frustrated because he was unable to be persuasive for his point of view in a meeting, while a silver-tongued colleague convinced the group to go another direction.
I speak a lot — multiple times a week, for as long as 30 minutes at a time. I’ve learned to spend most of my preparation time on the opening and the close, so I can do those parts smoothly without notes.
I also prepare a manuscript, review it multiple times, but then highlight the pertinent points so I can use it as notes during the presentation. I never read from the manuscript when presenting, but writing it out is a great way to frame my thoughts. I’ve tried just preparing notes, but find myself stumbling over transitions.
Best advice I ever got: Start at the beginning, go through to the end, and then stop. Most folks have the hardest time with the last step.
Greg,
You remind me of the joke about a preacher.
He told a member of the church he prepared the first 1/2 of the sermon and let God fill his mouth for the second half.
The congregant said, “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“Why” the preacher asked.
“Because you are doing so much better than God!
Your comment re: the beginning and ending is prrrrfect!
What are the components of a great beginning?
Best to you,
Dan
Love the joke. Reminds me of the time someone told our pastor, “God said the same thing in about four verses.”
I won’t attempt to list all the components of a great beginning, but will say that I challenge myself to have everyone’s complete attention by the second sentence.
Good stuff, Dan. Being able to speak publicly, make presentations, lead groups is often the key difference in the opportunities we experience professionally. Some folks think it is about knowledge and competency, and indeed those are key, particularly early on as you are demonstrating your ability to bring value. But…the ability to convey an idea, concept, story, knowledge, or understanding in a meaningful way to small, medium, or large groups is gold. Lots of folks have knowledge and do a job well. Fewer people have a way of instructing and inspiring numbers of people in meaningful ways. I have found that time spent cultivating this skill can make all the difference in the world in building greater competency as a leader.
Best…Jim
Jim,
Right on man.
Technical skill takes us to the point where communication skill is required…
If we can’t communicate we’re stuck.
It’s a pleasure reading your comment,
Dan
Reblogged this on Inspiration Avenue.
Thanks Dan, I’m teaching in an MBA school next week and this is a good reminder!
I wish you success as you teach. Cheers, Dan
Hi Dan, I’m just laughing at the picture of you practicing talking like talk radio hosts. I’m going to have to try it though dutch and French aren’t my strong suits. Preparation, preparation, preparation. Get that right the rest is easy. Easy. 🙂
Hey Croadie,
I can count on you to enjoy a good joke or funny story… 🙂
The trinity of prepare is a must…
Thank you for chiming in. Always a pleasure,
Dan
As a teacher, one of the things I tell students pursuing the education track is that when they get out there teaching, remember their three best teachers and when they get in a jam, think to themselves ((What would those teachers do in this situation?)) then follow that advice. It has worked well for me over the last 15 years. I am sure that it works for public speaking ability too. I love the idea of copying the most successful public speakers! I remember a story of a young pastor who knew he didn’t write great sermons…so he memorized sermons given by great pastors and then delivered them with passion! His congregation was at first astounded at the change, but soon, things began to move and his church grew. At some point someone criticized him for not writing his own sermons. And his response was that each of them became his own sermon by the time he delivered it, but that starting with the original great sermon helped him along the way!
Hi Burl,
Think of what a mentor/expert/trusted adviser would do… Brilliant.
Love the story… “make it your own.”
You brighten the conversation, thank you.
Dan
Ever been to a presentation that hasn’t been a ‘present’? Keeping that word variation in mind, make sure your presentation is a useful gift.
Dan’s point of, be personal, is great ice breaker, a personal story that fits the material early on helps connect.
Your first point of ‘know your audience’ may be the key Dan. As much pre-planning (pre-/post- questionnaires are a good tool) as possible. If leadership contracts you, know their focus and also learn who else is the audience and what’s their focus. It could be dueling foci. Even if you are asked to come ‘tell your story’, it’s still not about you. See deeply how your story might align with the audience and their stories.
As you are presenting, keep ‘knowing’ your audience, read their attention, make sure you pause and if at all possible ask leading questions to engage and connect.
Greg’s prep points are golden, drill down on your own, then find the highlights. Have heard practicing a presentation, start to finish, 20 times locks it in pretty well so you don’t read your script. Film editors do 20-50:1 for film. Kubrick would sometimes do 100:1. We all have the technology within smartphones, etc., to video our presentations before we present…do it, you will learn more than you want. That is an excellent way to practice and filter the umms, ahhhs, etc.
Speaking of reading…anyone get irritated when a speaker reads Powerpoint slides to you? Maybe its just me…
I agree with the Powerpoint irritation. I worked with a women who would walk out of any presentation in which the speaker had handed out the slides and was then reading them. She figured she had all the information the speaker was going to give so why stay?
HI Doc,
You are a present help in time of need… you can take “present” both ways. 🙂
Here’s a tip I was given. When you’re scheduled to present to a new group, contact members of the audience and get to know them well before your talk. Great way to connect.
Cheers,
Dan
Those people who read their own slides do that because they violate the rule stated so well by so many here: Know your stuff!
I shape everything I have to say as a story. So I tell lots of stories. I love listening to compelling stories… so I try to put myself as the mais character OR the audience OR someone in the audience.
Hey Bad,
Put yourself, the audience or someone in the audience in the story… thats gold!
Cheers,
Dan
A caution on the know your audience point. Sometimes when doing a public presentation to a new group, the information you were given on that group may not be as accurate as it could be. When that happens Dan’s tip about be personal becomes more important. If the audience is lost, you may need to re-evaluate your presentation while in the process of giving it to make sure that your points are getting across.
I work with a man that is the best I have ever seen a reading a room and completely changing his presesntation on the fly to get his audience behind him. It is amazing to watch. I have learned to read the audience as I go but I am still working on the ability to re-cast the material on the fly.
Hi Bonnie,
Great caution re: knowing the audience. Sometimes the person booking the event has a personal agenda. Or, they have biases about the audience.
Bob Hancox, my coach, taught me to get permission to directly contact members of the audience.
Success to you as you become an agile speaker…
Always a pleasure seeing you,
Dan
A couple of tips:
1. Take a class in voice and diction that teaches you how to use your voice. Find the pitch and register that helps you not only project your voice, but also that helps you speak with authority and conviction. This is especially true for women and, to a somewhat lesser extent, to men with softer voices.
2. If you tend towards “up speech,” practice, practice, practice until it goes away. Up speech is the kind of speech far too present in young people who end most of their sentence on a higher pitch, turning them into questions. It makes the speaker sound uncertain, as though he or she is asking for affirmation rather than imparting crucial information.
3. Know thyself. Know who YOU are. Listen for all the tips, work on your vocal mechanism, know your material, and then put it to work for you. Be authentically you. If your authentic energy is to crack a joke out of nowhere that shifts the energy in the room and charges it up, use that. If your authentic energy is receptive and a little regal, use that by inviting your audience (through your energy) to fall into that. Etc. No one will ever show up in a room the way I do (and the world is kind of grateful for that). But I can never show up in a room the way my brilliant brother and sister-in-law do. If I try, I come across as inauthentic and I lose people.
Hi Jeanny,
I see the voice of experience in your comment.
Also, in my world “a couple” is two. You gave us three. Under promise and over deliver… I would have called that a bonus.
My friend Wally Bock said an class in Improvisation really helped him.
You added tons of value to this conversation.
You have my appreciation,
Dan
I’m laughing about “a couple” meaning two. I do fall prey to the “Oh! Just one more thing!” syndrome all too easily.
Thanks for the way you get us started, Dan.
Its a joy 🙂
Jeanny, thanks for providing the name of the most irritating habit I have come across in years – Up Speech. Seems practically everyone under 30 years old has this habit. Great tips!
The most important lesson is really not about speaking, but about recognizing a need to change, identifying incremental action steps toward positive change acknowledging that in the beginning you may feel and look foolish to others. You will not master the change immediately, but through experimentation and timely feedback, you will develop.
Hi Bruce,
I’ll chime in on timely feedback.
I’ve been speaking for years but never really grew till I started seeking and receiving feedback.
First part of feedback = tell them what the presentation to accomplish.
Best,
Dan
Great advice from everyone but the most important thing is to just lighten up. Odds are the audience want to get through your talk as painlessly as you do.
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for your comment. You remind me that speakers need to start on high positive notes even if they have serious material to cover.
If you start serious or heavy it’s pretty hard to lighten everyone up.
Enjoy it!
Thanks for joining in,
Dan
Start in the middle of a story that applies to your topic. Don’t bother with a “joke” written by someone else. Don’t bother with saying, “I’m honored to be here today.” You’ve already lost your audience when you resort to that. Start in the middle of a story and your audience will be rapt.
Let your stories make your point whenever possible. Your audience will get quiet and attentive anytime a story is used.
Try not to go into “speaker” mode. You will become wooden and be less effective. Talk with the same variety of hand motions and speech variations you would use with a friend. When you are comfortable, your audience is also comfortable. They don’t have to worry about your success and they then can hear what you have to say.
Dauna Easley
Dauna…
Yes, I like this one too! I tend to begin with a story, and use personal anecdotes all the way through where appropriate… much more fun for me AND the group I’m with…
Mark
Dauna,
I can tell you’ve given presentations before…
Start in the middle of a story is terrific.. Ka Ching!
Starting in the middle means the action is already moving…I just love that!
I owe you one,
Dan
I am going to be on a local tv station this Thursday to talk about my Year of the Detox. Very helpful, thanks!
You have my best wishes for success. Dan
Here’s the interview.
http://youtu.be/3XSUfNi_Anc
Hope I did you proud 🙂
Great advice. Here’s more of what helped me:
* My dad the minister, international organization CEO, and GREAT speaker told me “tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, and finally – tell them what you told them.” It always worked.
* Accept that people in the audience want you to do well. They are eager to hear what you have to say. Most will be kind. Focus on them.
* Know your material REALLY well. I did this by writing a speech, then rewriting it in bullet points, and then copying the bullet points again onto large index cards or in large type on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Then I highlighted the key points. When it came time to speak, I was able to go off text, and refer back to notes to move to the next section. Because I knew the material cold, I could then deliver it with passion, humor, and natural cadence – as if I were simply speaking to an individual.
Bill Clinton was an amazing speaker when he went off text. Not so amazing when he was reading. Mario Cuomo was the same. I imitated them, much as you imitate broadcasters.
Hi Julia,
Thank you for your tips. They are great.
It took me years to realize I need to make my notes BIGGER.. Doh! So simple but so useful.
Thank you for offering such useful advice. I hope you come back soon.
Best regards,
Dan
As an opera singer and singer teacher of fifteen years, I’ll give you a secret here: one of the fastest routes to mastering speaking is a month of singing lessons. Learning how to use your body as your instrument and and live more comfortably inside your voice is key to expressing yourself well.
All you’ve got is vowels, consonants and air. Getting completely comfortable with exactly how you make noise, and doing it right, will have you making much better noise in a fraction of the time! A great voice and diction coach is essential for anyone who wants to be a great public speaker. You have to be understood (verbally) to be understood powerfully!
Excellent advice! I don’t sing opera, but I do have some training, and sing often, and when I use my knowledge in that area when speaking, things go much better, and my voice thanks me for it!
“Getting completely comfortable with exactly how you make noise” what a marvelous thought, thanks Athena…Priceless.
As someone who has taken voice lessons, I agree completely. The other thing voice lessons does for you: You learn to get on track quickly after miscues and just keep rolling. Great comment!
Teaching online through live broadcasts for the past 10 years has helped (i.e., forced) me hone my delivery since all of my students only hear my voice and see my MindMaps. I avoid PPTs. I always liked watching and listening to Steve Jobs introduce new Apple technology even though he used Keynote (Mac version of PowerPoint). For me, his message consisted of lots of detail with a strong minimalistic twist.
Jim,
Presenting online is an intriguing topic. One of these days I’ll have to post on it and then look for your insights.
Thank you for another interesting complexity in the leaders online presenting skills. I suppose we should add conference calls too.
With appreciation,
Dan
Great tips! Public speaking has always been a trouble area with me, but I know that it is an essential skill to have in the corporate world. I’ve learned that the more practice you have, the easier it gets. I will try your suggestions!
– Aimee
Aimee,
I’m a bit high strung as a presenter. In some ways I think it does get easier, at least from the emotional/fear side.
I can also see that the more I know about great presentations the more work it takes to give them.
The way to get better is to do it. Never turn down an opportunity to speak. Go to community gatherings, meetings, clubs and organizations.
I wish you success on your journey,
Dan
When I teach bar mitzvah students, I tell them their goal is to LEAD the service, not GIVE the service. The goal is to make it easy for the congregation to pray.
Similarly, when prepping a presentation, the goal is to make it easy for the audience to hear and understand what you have to say. That means using terms, examples and metaphors familiar to them; giving them just what they need, but be prepared to answer questions with at least one more level of knowledge than you’ve presented; and being familiar enough with the presentation that they are not squirming on your behalf.
There are probably more, but these come immediately to mind.
Hi Dan,
Another helpfull post. I’ve done 30+ presentations over the last 45 days (basically telling groups ranging for. 30 to 800 persons) that more than 35%will loose tehir jobs). My wife gives me great tips, like reminding me it may be my umpteent time, but it’s their first. So I will always adapt every powerpoint to the public, even if it’s only the first slide.
And it does help to do my Kermit the Frog imitation in the bathroom jus before I do the presentation. Using the beathroom in advance is another goor tip b the way ;-).
Sorry for all the typo’s. Must be because it’s Burns night?
All excellent comments and takeaways here. I will add that besides what has been mentioned I try to engage the audience in some way. Obviously knowing some of the audience is a great help. I also have stepped away from the PPT presentations and just use visual graphics to help bridge the different content areas of the discussion. I also as has been mentioned use stories a lot and the more personal I can make them the more the concept resonates. If I have a data filled presentation I still usually use graphics and provide handouts at the end and I religiously get there early, super check the AV equipment, the physical space and finish on time providing a Q&A and what I have found most enjoyable for me and usually for the audience as well is to refrain from being behind a podium and navigating the room seemingly having conversations with different groups. Although the audience may not speak they still feel more engaged and relate more personally with speaker. Caveat: if you meander know the “space” rules so everyone stays comfortable. And lastly as has been said but I think can never be repeated enough, know your material cold. 🙂