Public Speaking: Storytellers wanted
As of late, I have been asked for pointers on how to speak in a public venue. I thought I would share with you a few things I have learned over the years that may help if you find yourself thrown into the fire!
Before you open your mouth, remember the audience has no preconceived notion of your abilities. What I mean is this, you get the chance to be as good at this as you want because they have no idea that you may have limited experience. You are your worst critic trust me! Just because you think you don't have what it takes doesn't mean they do. So start out your speaking engagement becoming the person you want to be not the person you think you are, the audience won't know the difference and you get to put on your public speaking batman costume and blow them out of the water!
You have probably heard that starting your speaking engagement with a joke is a good thing to do. I agree, but it needs to be completely natural and organic to the moment. You don't start a speech off with so these three guys walk into a bar (unless you are speaking for a group of bar owners!) Simply look around you and pay close attention to what is going on in life right in front of your eyes. Life gives us such humor and can be our best friend when hitting your audience with an opening line.
Along with a funny line, what I have found to be an effective method of connection is to either ask a question or have the audience participate in some way. This easy to do tactic is good for people who are nervous. What it does is take the awareness off of you as the speaker and puts it on the audience. People instinuctually will look away from you as the speaker and towards whatever they are about to do. This allows you to ease into the engagement, giving you that last second, to make sure you have everything in order on your platform or to wipe away the last few drops of sweat from your trip to the stage. What's great is they won't even be watching you!
Preparation of the talk is very important. How you prepare is completely personal. I like to write out everything I want to say in story form, as it comes from my heart so it is personal to me. I like to think of it as I am telling a good friend a story. Your presentation if you do it right can be the same way. You don't have to practice it so much in the mirror because it is simply you speaking from your heart.
Be vulnerable. I find when I am speaking that people will listen to me because I come to them in a state of humility and sincereity. Once you get your audience to come along with you on an emotional level, the perfection of your presentation is less important to them. If you aren't connected to your presentation on an emtional level, then don't present it. What I am saying is this. If you are chosen to speak on a certain topic for a particular event there is a personal reason they chose you. Find that emotional connection to your piece before you open your mouth. If they see you have bought into what you are saying they will too!
Be natural. Don't fake it or you'll break it. If you are funny, then be funny but if you're not, be honest with yourself and try something else to connect to an audience on a emotional level. I have known many speakers that can engage an audience well without ever saying a funny thing. Humor is not the only emotion that connects.
Lastly, if you are called upon in a moments notice to give some remarks or speak about something you had not previously been warned about, here's some secret sauce.
Look at your audience for a minute, understand the importance of the moment, then think of one great sentence to say about it. This thought then becomes a starter for about a 2-3 minute monologue. Tell them the story just like they were an old friend sitting in the easy chair next to you. Everyone loves a good story teller.
