by Lapo Adeyemi | Feb 13, 2020 | Coaching
If your job or career requires public speaking, and it is not one of your strong points, these requirements can be overwhelming. At the same time, you might need public speaking skills if you want to further your career. Either way, you are on the right track by investing in a public speaking coach.
People like actors, singers, and performers make everything seem so easy on a stage. The reality is very different. Because when you become the sole focus for an audience, it really puts on the pressure.
This pressure gets your head spinning in a million directions. And before you know it, you can’t remember a single line from the quick speech you wrote. But if you get help from an expert, you can develop the following skills:
Instills Confidence
Confidence is very important for public speaking. It is also how you demand attention from your audience without forcing anything. Unfortunately, building confidence to give a commanding speech is not exactly something that happens in a day. There are certain things that need to happen, as well as areas where your effort is critical.
Helps To Prepare You For Speaking To An Audience
For those who have yet to speak in front of a large crowd or audience, the experience is very different once you step into the spotlight. And if you’ve had the liberty of public speaking, you’ll know exactly how daunting it can be, which is probably why you are looking for some expert advice.
If your first time did not go well, the challenge to try again is so much harder. But a public speaking coach can give you a good idea of what to expect and what to focus on. Then you naturally have more confidence.
Learn Strategies and Methods
Certain methods of preparing for public speaking are more effective than others. If you want the best strategies for preparing, it is best to work with an experienced individual. You want someone who has been there and who can show some manner of success in public speaking. And once again, the suggestion falls back to investing in a coach. Through personal sessions, you can learn how to properly prepare and add to your level of confidence.
Better Engage Your Audience
In order to be memorable with public speaking, it is critical to grab the attention of your audience and to maintain it. This is one of the toughest aspects most people struggle with. But you do not have to be born with a natural talent if you want to be a good public speaker. Everything depends on the work you are willing to put in.
There are certain tricks of the trade that makes public speaking somewhat easier. But you will only learn these tricks when you work with an experienced professional. Only someone in the business with a good reputation can enlighten you on strategies you won’t just read in any book. You just have to decide how serious you are about being the best public speaker you can possibly be.
by Lapo Adeyemi | Feb 13, 2020 | Principles and Skills
Although many people may either love or hate public speaking, it’s a skill that anyone can improve. Whether you relish the opportunity to attract the eyes and ears of everyone in the room or not, there are many ways to enhance how you deliver speeches and presentations.
Throughout the years, expert speechwriters and orators have focused on a select few key principles of public speaking that guarantee better tone and delivery. Here are tried and tested principles you should always keep in mind when delivering your next speech or presentation.
It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It
Most famous speeches in history wouldn’t be anywhere near as significant if it weren’t for the charisma of the individual delivering the speech. Imagine some of the most memorable and influential speeches in history delivered in a monotone, stuttering, and quiet voice. Clearly, regardless of the substance of the speech, it is very unlikely to attract the right kind of attention.
You must realize that half the battle of effective public speaking is how you deliver your message, such as your tone. Many speeches by world leaders are sprinkled with oratory techniques that dictate their tone, cadence, and tempo throughout their delivery.
In one sense, you can think of speaking as a performance. Nobody wants to listen to a dull and sluggish speech. If anything, you should focus on making your delivery as dynamic and memorable as possible before considering the actual substance of the message you’re trying to convey.
Fight Perfectionism and Forget Mistakes
You’ll notice that many of the world’s most famous speakers do not memorize their speeches word for word, nor do they deliver the same address every time. One key characteristic of high-quality orators is the fact that they often use dot points and cues rather than speeches memorized word for word.
Perfectionism regarding saying every single word in the right order when presenting will almost always lead to mistakes. It’s widely agreed upon that it’s much easier to memorize critical ideas and cues rather than memorize a two thousand word speech.
Whether you memorize the entire speech or use key points to direct your presentation, there will always be mistakes. However, errors can easily be brushed off as totally insignificant if you use the right tactics.
The biggest mistake an orator can make is to dwell on a mistake they’ve made, which attracts even more attention to their mishaps. Many times, if your delivery is confident and robust, nobody will even notice that you’ve made a small mistake.
It’s only when you obviously indicate via actions such as trying to rephrase what you’ve already said, that the audience finally catches on to your blunder. Always continue with the speech as if the error never happened, if you do so elegantly and confidently, you might realize that the listeners never noticed in the first place.
Combining key principles of public speaking such as avoiding perfectionism and confidently dealing with mistakes, your delivery will improve substantially. Without having to worry about saying the right word during every single moment of your presentation, you’ll have a lot more wiggle room to convey your message without restraint.
You might find that you can spread your message better in the moment than what you had written down earlier. Further, ignoring small mistakes by continuing your delivery with conviction and dynamism will always lead to a better reception among your audience.
by Lapo Adeyemi | Feb 13, 2020 | Training
When people think of a good orator, the image that comes to mind is a person with a silver tongue. This is a person who keeps your ears focused, eyes mesmerized and toes on edge whenever they are on the podium.
It is the image of a person who commands attention simply by rising up to speak even when they have not uttered a single word. Are you looking to become a great orator? It all starts with honing your oratory skills. We will discuss some of the simplest yet most effective tips on how you can become a captivating public speaker.
Prepare Adequately
In order to captivate your audience, you have to be able to anticipate their needs and give them exactly what they are expecting. The best way to do this to always be ready when stepping out to speak to people. Remember that perfection and proficiency is best achieved through preparation and practice.
Some of the things that you should do when preparing to speak include:
Research your audience before getting on stage. Understand what they are most likely to respond to when speaking. Add interesting bits that will keep your audience wanting to hear what you have to say next. When speaking in front of people, remember that its all about the listeners and as such, craft your message in such a way that it resonates with them.
When speaking, organize your ideas so that you are easy to understand and your message comes out concisely.
Great orators speak directly to the audience. As such, memorize most of the things that you want to say to your audience. This will allow you to pay more attention to your audience when speaking. Ensure that you are looking at your audience when speaking and that you divide attention across your entire audience to make everybody feel involved.
Even the best orators’ practice in front of a ‘ghost audience’ before actually stepping on stage! Before stepping on stage, practice what you are going to say a few times. If you cannot find a practice audience, do it in front of the mirror. It may look silly but in retrospect, it will prove highly beneficial when you step on stage.
It is Normal to Feel Jittery
It is normal to have jitters when getting on a stage to speak to an audience. What sets great orators apart is that they know how to control the jitters when they eventually step out before the audience. If you have jitters before speaking, consider trying some relaxing techniques such as taking deep calming breaths.
Use Audio and Visual Cues
To improve your public speaking skills, try and incorporate audio and visual cues as much as possible when speaking. This means that you should change the tone of your voice to match the points that you are putting across.
Nothing makes a speaker more boring than monotony. To make your talk livelier, engaging and captivating, move around the stage and use gestures. Keep in mind that the best orators do not just speak, they perform.
Learn from the Best Orators
One unbeatable way to hone your oratory skills is to learn from the best. Before speaking in front of an audience, watch videos and listen to some of the best orators. Identify the main reasons why you think your chosen orator has great public speaking skills and try to emulate them on stage.
It is, however, important to remember that even the best orators were not born good at public speaking. In most cases, true proficiency comes through a lot of practice.
