7 Habits Of The Best Public Speakers
Whether it’s a keynote
speech for thousands or a sales meeting for a dozen, we’ve all seen speakers
who keep the audience hanging on every word—and those who have their audiences
counting the minutes until they can leave the room. Some folks at the front of
the room are charismatic and engaging while others leave us dreading the next
time we have to listen to anyone speak.
Public speaking, whether it’s on a stage or in a conference room,
isn’t some magical, innate skill, says renowned speaking coach Joan Detz,
author of How to Write and Give a
Speech. When you look behind
the curtain, you’ll see that many great speakers have similarities in how they
present and perform.
"The single most
important thing a great presenter does is carve out a quiet space before
stepping out onto that stage or platform," Detz says. You need some time
to mentally rehearse and get ready so you’re energetic and focused instead of
frazzled and distracted, she says.
Even before that, you need to spend time understanding and
organizing your material, says Ruby Newell-Legner, president of the National Speakers Association and founder of 7 Star Service—a "fan experience"
consultancy. The better you know your material, the freer you are to engage
with the audience and be yourself. Newell-Legner pays particular attention to
the first and last 30 seconds of her presentations.
"They’re deciding
whether they like you or not in the first 30 and you want to plant the seed for
the most important thing to put in their heads in the last 30."
"They’re deciding
whether they like you or not in the first 30 and you want to plant the seed for
the most important thing to put in their heads in the last 30," she says.
The best speakers tailor
their message for their audiences, Newell-Legner says. Sure, you have
information that you want to get across, but why should they care? As she
designs her speech or presentation, she keeps three questions in mind for after
the end of the speech:
·
What do I want them to know?
·
What do I want them to feel?
·
What do I want them to do?
In order to hit the mark
in all three areas, she says she gathers information before the talk to find
out about the audience, what their concerns are, and what motivates them. If
you put some of this legwork into even a small gathering, you’re going to be a
more effective speaker because people will see that you understand their
perspective and aren’t just talking at them, she says.
Body language is
important for speakers, Detz says. Once she’s in front of her audience, she
plants her feet to give her a physical sense of balance, which gives her more
confidence. Feeling unbalanced by standing on your toes or shuffling your feet
can make you feel less confident and will often make you look less confident to
your audience, she says.
Speaker and consultant
John Paul Engel, president of Sioux City, Iowa-based Knowledge Capital
Consulting, began his speaking career by briefing members of the Clinton
administration about employment numbers and economic data. Over the years he
says he’s learned that an enormous amount of the message is transmitted through
non-verbal cues. Using some of the same body language cues that you use in
conversation, but in a more exaggerated way, can be useful to reinforce what
you have to say. For example, move when you’re transitioning to a new message.
Step forward and bend slightly toward the audience as if you’re telling them a
secret when you’re delivering an important point. Use appropriate gestures like
holding up three fingers when you have three points to make.
A bit of silence can be
a speaker’s best friend—embrace it, Detz says. If you’re nervous, pause for a
minute. Slow down and take a beat to gather your thoughts or to let a bout of
nerves pass.
Engel says that silence
can build anticipation for your next message and get people to refocus if their
attention has started to drift. "Most people are afraid of the silence, so
they fill the silence with vocal pauses( words like "and" and
"so"). Instead of using those vocal pauses, if you can use an actual
pause, that accomplishes a couple of things.
If you’re pontificating
for more than 20 minutes, you’ve lost your audience.
"First, you're
drawing in the audience on an almost subconscious level because you're going to
get their attention if you just don't say anything for a little while...they're
going to wonder what's going on," he says.
If you’re giving a
lengthy presentation, mix up your presenting style. You don’t want to be a
talking head for 30 minutes or more. Newell-Legner has what she calls a 20-butt
rule. The brain can only absorb what the butt can endure—and if you’re
pontificating for more than 20 minutes, you’ve lost your audience, she says.
Ask your audience questions or have them ask you questions, get them moving, or
otherwise change up how you’re interacting with them based on how long you feel
you can keep them engaged.
Whatever you do, don’t
be a phony, Newell-Legner says. People will sense when you’re pretending or
adopting a style that really isn’t you. Instead, be the best you possible when
delivering your message.
"The authenticity
you bring to the story lets you relate to the audience," she says.
GWEN MORAN
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