I speak to groups from time to time, and am constantly striving to “dial in” improvements in my speaking style and execution. Recently, Harvard Business Review published a short piece called “How to Become an Authentic Speaker” by Nick Morgan. Some of his key ideas struck a chord with me. Let me share them with you.
Be Open to Your Audience: Practice your speech by envisioning what it would be like to give your presentation to someone you are completely comfortable with. The person could be your spouse, a close friend, or a business associate. Take note of what this feels like, and try to replicate that emotional state when you deliver the speech. (In a way, it’s similar to the old saying to “imagine you audience in their underwear.”) This posture leads to more natural body language, such as smiles and relaxed shoulders. And the behaviors in turn lead naturally toward more candid expression of your thoughts and feelings.
Connecting with Your Audience As you practice your speech, think about the concept of engaging directly with your listeners. Imagine that a young child you know well isn’t heeding your directions. You want to capture—and keep—his attention however you can. In such situations, you don’t strategize; you simply do what feels natural and appropriate. For example, you increase the intensity or volume of your voice or move closer to your listener. During your actual speech, these behaviors will happen naturally and with the right timing.
Being Passionate about Your Topic While rehearsing, ask yourself what in your topic you feel most deeply about. What is at stake in your topic? What results do you want your presentation to produce? Focus not on what you want to say but on why you’re giving the speech and how you feel about it. Let the underlying emotion come out in every word you deliver during rehearsal. You’ll infuse the actual speech with some of that passion and come across as more human and engaging.
Listening to Your Audience To practice this, think about what your listeners might likely be feeling when you step up to begin your presentation. Are they excited about the future? Worried about bad news? As you practice, imagine watching them closely, looking for physical signs of their response to you. During your presentation, then, you’ll be more prepared to identify the emotions your listeners are sending to you via nonverbal means. And you’ll be able to respond to them appropriately. Things such as picking up the pace, varying your language, asking an impromptu question, or even eliminating or changing parts of your talk.
Public speaking is never easy. But practice can make perfect; and there is no such thing as too much practice, so don’t short-change your preparation. And when possible, speak from an outline, not a script. Following these few tips will deliver noticeable results. Trust me.
Why doesn't the fellow who says, "I'm no speechmaker," let it go at that instead of giving a demonstration? ~Kin Hubbard