How To Eliminate Fear
Fear of public speaking stems from the very basic need to feel accepted. We want to be seen to be doing well and we fear making fools of ourselves. In order to overcome this fear, most presenters do indeed spend a good deal of time preparing for their presentations, but their time allocation is heavily weighted toward their slide shows, rather than paying attention to how the message is being communicated orally and physically. This can lead to their “on stage” downfall. The Missing Ingredient In order to overcome this, it is vital to...
read moreFail To Prepare, Expect Disaster.
There are many ways to deliver a good speech. And there is more than one way to prepare a dazzling presentation. But it’s unusual to hear a good speech or presentation that did not involve preparation in one form or another. Here are some common scenarios: You’ve studied your topic and know your stuff. Your research spans a period of time. Very little further research is necessary. You can talk about it for a week if needs be. You’re the subject expert. You know which bits you’re going to share. You just need to organize those...
read moreTaking Yourself Too Seriously
In presenting terms, this is often the key difference between experience and inexperience. Our initial attempts at speaking to any audience are so focused on content that we focus on little else. Most of us don’t rehearse – it’s too much like hard work, and besides, there’s always one last slide to touch up. Those of us blessed with a healthy dose of vanity (a good thing, I say) will take the trouble to dress well for the occasion, and so you should. The visual impact is important, especially at the beginning while they’re sizing you...
read more