IntroductionWelcome| 00:06 | Hi, I am Laura Bergells,
and this is Effective Public Speaking.
| | 00:11 | At some point in your life it's likely
that you are going to be asked to deliver
| | 00:14 | a speech or a presentation.
| | 00:17 | Too many courses begin by
focusing on the fear of public speaking.
| | 00:21 | However, I'd rather focus on how
terrific you are going to be when you develop
| | 00:25 | more confidence by using powerful techniques.
| | 00:27 | If you are a savvy presenter, you can
use the insights from this course as
| | 00:31 | a helpful reminder.
| | 00:33 | And if you are a novice speaker,
you'll find techniques that can help you
| | 00:36 | polish any presentation.
| | 00:38 | We'll discuss how to prepare,
both technically and emotionally.
| | 00:43 | We'll explore how to warm up
and open your presentation.
| | 00:46 | I'll show you delivery techniques,
including how to use visual aids and props.
| | 00:51 | We'll also talk about how to handle Q&A and
deliver a strong closing to your presentation.
| | 00:58 | Join me, to discover how to develop the
confidence and techniques you need to
| | 01:02 | become an effective public speaker.
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| Using the exercise files| 00:01 | During this course, I'll show you
many techniques for delivering an
| | 00:04 | effective presentation.
| | 00:06 | We've provided free exercise files
that can help you with developing and
| | 00:09 | preparing your talks.
| | 00:11 | These are available to all lynda.com members.
| | 00:15 | These files include a storyboard
template, checklists and worksheets.
| | 00:19 | I recommend you have these
on hand while you watch the course.
| | 00:23 | Now let's get started.
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1. Preparing Your SpeechIdentifying your audience| 00:01 | Pretend you are telling one of
your best friends about a first date.
| | 00:04 | Now imagine that you are telling one
of your parents about the same date.
| | 00:08 | Chances are you are probably
going to alter your story somewhat.
| | 00:11 | You are going to change your tone, your
word choices, and you are probably even
| | 00:16 | going to edit certain details.
| | 00:18 | Thinking in terms of your audience
is a critical step as you prepare for
| | 00:21 | crafting a speech or presentation.
| | 00:24 | Before you write one single word, spend
some time developing an audience persona.
| | 00:30 | An audience persona is an individual
representation of your entire audience.
| | 00:35 | Instead of thinking of a large faceless
group, think of one single person that
| | 00:40 | you'll be talking to.
| | 00:42 | Developing a persona can help you keep
a consistent tone, and putting a face on
| | 00:46 | one person instead of thinking of a
large faceless group can help you develop a
| | 00:50 | more personal connection to your audience.
| | 00:53 | To develop a persona, take steps to
understand your audience as thoroughly as you can.
| | 00:59 | This involves getting answers to
key audience identification questions.
| | 01:03 | I have included a list of starter
questions and a worksheet you can complete at
| | 01:08 | the end of this video.
| | 01:10 | The point of the exercise is to uncover
commonalties as well as a few rich details.
| | 01:15 | For example, an event coordinator for a
restaurant association asked me to give a
| | 01:20 | presentation about social
media at an annual conference.
| | 01:24 | One of the first statements I said to
her was, "Tell me everything you can about
| | 01:28 | the audience. Who are they?"
| | 01:30 | While this is a really broad, open-ended
question, it often quickly reveals the
| | 01:35 | most obvious insights.
| | 01:38 | In this case the event coordinator
told me that most of the audience either
| | 01:41 | owned restaurants or were top
management in the food service industry.
| | 01:45 | And most use Facebook to promote their
businesses but wanted to learn how to use it better.
| | 01:51 | So within a few seconds of asking this
very broad question, I had a much better
| | 01:55 | idea of what my audience all had in common.
| | 01:59 | To flesh out richer character-
developing details, I often ask other questions
| | 02:03 | like What do they do for fun?
or What TV shows might they watch?
| | 02:08 | For example, I once learned an offbeat
detail, most of my audience listened to
| | 02:13 | conservative talk radio programs in
their offices when they had the time.
| | 02:17 | Now, this detail had nothing to do with
the topic of my speech, but it played a
| | 02:21 | significant role in deciding which
anecdotes might help me better connect with a
| | 02:26 | largely conservative audience.
| | 02:29 | When developing a persona you are
looking for both broad commonalties as well as
| | 02:33 | rich personal details.
| | 02:36 | These details can help you imagine a
unique and interesting character to talk to.
| | 02:41 | Imagining one person makes writing and
delivering you speech easier, and it also
| | 02:45 | helps you emotionally
connect with your audience.
| | 02:49 | Take some time to develop an audience persona.
| | 02:52 | Look for broad commonalities as well as
some character-defining details that can
| | 02:56 | help you visualize one single person to talk to.
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| Understanding the venue| 00:00 | Once you've identified the audience,
the next thing you need to understand is the venue.
| | 00:05 | What kind of room you will be presenting in?
| | 00:08 | Whenever possible, make sure you take
a brief walk through to familiarize
| | 00:12 | yourself with your presentation space.
| | 00:14 | However, in many cases that's
just not possible or practical.
| | 00:18 | I can't count how many times I've been
whisked off a plane in a strange city,
| | 00:22 | stuffed into a cab, and tossed
in front of a live audience.
| | 00:25 | Sometimes business travel is so chaotic
| | 00:28 | we don't get the luxury
of two-minute walk though.
| | 00:30 | That's why I'm a huge fan of using a
room checklist before every presentation,
| | 00:36 | even a presentation closer to home.
| | 00:38 | A simple checklist can be very grounding.
| | 00:41 | It also makes me less likely to forget
tiny things that make a big difference,
| | 00:45 | like batteries and backup devices.
| | 00:48 | I've included a room
checklist in the exercise files.
| | 00:51 | You'll note that it includes three key sections:
| | 00:55 | room dynamics, audience
dynamics, and speaker equipment.
| | 00:59 | Under room dynamics, you'll see five broad
questions to ask a person who knows the room.
| | 01:05 | Generally, you'll want to know the size
and shape of the room, how many seats,
| | 01:09 | if there is a raised stage, or if
there is anything unusual you might want to
| | 01:12 | know about the room.
| | 01:14 | By unusual I mean anything that you
might have to work around, like a pole or a
| | 01:17 | support beam in the middle of the room.
| | 01:20 | Many hotel and conference centers'
websites provide room floor plans so that
| | 01:25 | you'll know exactly what to expect.
| | 01:27 | If it's possible, go online and look at
the floor plan, then speak to somebody
| | 01:31 | to confirm your findings.
| | 01:33 | It's also important to understand
audience dynamics. Will they be sitting
| | 01:37 | theater style, chairs only arranged in
rows, or will they be seated classroom
| | 01:43 | style, or will you be presenting
boardroom style all gathered around on table.
| | 01:48 | Also, find out if your audience will be
sitting in the dark or in the light, and
| | 01:53 | will they be eating and
drinking during your presentation?
| | 01:56 | All of these audience dynamics matter when
you're crafting a speech or presentation.
| | 02:01 | A large audience sitting theater
style in a darkened room is probably going
| | 02:05 | to be less conversational and
interactive than a small audience sitting at
| | 02:10 | tables in a well-lit room.
| | 02:12 | Finally, use the checklist to ask
about any equipment you might need.
| | 02:17 | For most out-of-town business
presentations, an event or meeting coordinator is
| | 02:21 | happy to tell you exactly what's available to
you and what you'll need to bring yourself.
| | 02:26 | Even when I'm really familiar with the
room, I like to print out a checklist
| | 02:30 | and use it when I pack,
| | 02:32 | just to make sure I haven't forgotten
any little detail that can enhance the
| | 02:36 | audience experience.
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| Developing personal credibility| 00:00 | You are standing up in
front of a group to speak.
| | 00:03 | You only have a few seconds to
convince your audience that you are
| | 00:06 | worth listening to.
| | 00:08 | How do you develop
personal credibility so quickly?
| | 00:11 | Often you can earn credibility
before you even open your mouth.
| | 00:16 | Many presenters rely on an
introduction to earn credibility.
| | 00:20 | You see this technique often in
show business and in conferences.
| | 00:23 | An MC will introduce a performer with a
little hype or a moderator will read a
| | 00:28 | speaker bio outlining experience,
education, and other credentials.
| | 00:33 | If you don't have a colleague to help
develop third-party credibility, you are
| | 00:37 | going to have to do it yourself.
| | 00:39 | But you can't simply start
reading your bio or bragging about
| | 00:43 | your accomplishments.
| | 00:44 | Rather, you are going to build
credibility in a few seconds by demonstrating both
| | 00:49 | confidence and competence.
| | 00:52 | Let's start by talking about confidence.
| | 00:55 | Since you only have a few seconds,
this is mostly achieved by displaying
| | 01:00 | three non-verbal cues.
| | 01:03 | First, dress to inspire confidence.
| | 01:06 | The key is to dress appropriately
for the audience in front of you.
| | 01:10 | If you are speaking to a large group of
colleagues, business casual might be exactly right.
| | 01:15 | In another situation, like a formal
press conference, you might have to up your
| | 01:20 | game to a business suit.
| | 01:23 | Before you agree to speak, find an
insider who will tell you what kind of
| | 01:27 | apparel is appropriate for your audience.
| | 01:30 | Second, use non-verbal
skills to build confidence.
| | 01:35 | Before you say a single word
simply look at your audience.
| | 01:39 | Stand up straight with your hands
relaxed and at your sides. Make eye contact
| | 01:44 | with an audience member.
| | 01:46 | Allow a second of silence before you talk.
| | 01:49 | Let the audience look at
your confidant body language.
| | 01:52 | There is no need to be in rush to speak.
| | 01:55 | Use a second or two of silence to
grab the attention of your audience.
| | 02:00 | Third, sound confident.
| | 02:02 | The first words out of your mouth
need to be bold, clear, and strong.
| | 02:07 | Before you hit the stage make sure
you've completed vocal warmups and enjoyed a
| | 02:11 | sip of room-temperature water.
| | 02:14 | Your look, your non-verbals, and your
vocal quality are three ways to quickly
| | 02:19 | demonstrate confidence,
| | 02:21 | but to develop a personal credibility
you are also going to have to quickly
| | 02:25 | demonstrate competence. Here are two tips.
| | 02:29 | First, never agree to speak on a
topic that you know little about.
| | 02:33 | I was recently asked to speak to a
student group about job interviewing skills.
| | 02:38 | Since I haven't personally
interviewed for a job since 1999, I didn't feel
| | 02:43 | qualified to speak to a modern
audience about interviewing skills.
| | 02:47 | I told the event coordinator that I'd
be happy to talk about body language and
| | 02:50 | confidence building, but that I could
personally claim no firsthand experience
| | 02:55 | in successfully interviewing in
this job market, in this century.
| | 03:00 | And my second tip: tell the
audience why you are competent.
| | 03:04 | The simplest way is to find one or two
pertinent details in your background that
| | 03:09 | relate to the subject matter.
| | 03:11 | The audience doesn't need your
complete resume, just a brief detail or two.
| | 03:15 | For example, I might start out a
presentation on caring for tropical fish by
| | 03:20 | saying "I've kept tropical fish since 1976.
| | 03:24 | I'm Laura Bergells, and let me tell you
what I know about keeping fish healthy."
| | 03:27 | See, I don't need to mention
my education or job experience;
| | 03:32 | none of those qualifications are relevant.
| | 03:34 | But in under ten seconds I've
demonstrated competence in the topic.
| | 03:39 | Take some time to jot down specific
details in your background or experience
| | 03:43 | that relate to subject-matter competence.
| | 03:46 | When you demonstrate confidence and
competence, you can develop personal
| | 03:51 | credibility in a matter of seconds.
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| Generating ideas for your presentation| 00:00 | Think of your brain as a computer.
Like a computer, your brain stores and analyzes data.
| | 00:07 | However, your brain is much
better at analyzing data than it is at
| | 00:10 | accurately storing it.
| | 00:12 | Your ideas for talks are your data,
and you need a place outside your brain
| | 00:16 | to keep these ideas.
| | 00:18 | Some of the best places to
collect your ideas are low-tech.
| | 00:21 | For example, I carry around an idea notebook.
| | 00:25 | I jot down ideas, articles,
and stories on a daily basis.
| | 00:29 | I also keep super sticky notes
in my car and purse at all times.
| | 00:33 | The stickies can also come in handy
for storyboarding ideas, which we'll talk
| | 00:37 | about in another video.
| | 00:40 | I also use higher-tech
approaches to idea collection.
| | 00:42 | For example, when I know I'm going to
craft a speech, I instantly create a cloud-
| | 00:47 | based word processing file
with the title of my presentation.
| | 00:52 | This does two things. First it
activates my creative brain to start looking for
| | 00:56 | ideas that might relate to the topic.
| | 00:59 | Second, every time I encounter an idea that
relates to the topic, I enter it into the file.
| | 01:05 | You can use any word processing
program of course, but I like to use a cloud-
| | 01:09 | based program because I can access it
from any device that I might happen to
| | 01:14 | have in front of me.
| | 01:16 | The key is to first open your mind to
receiving ideas as you go about your day
| | 01:21 | and secondly, note these
ideas as they cross your mind.
| | 01:24 | If you don't write ideas down, I can
almost guarantee that you'll forget them
| | 01:29 | once you sit down to write
your speech or presentation.
| | 01:32 | But what kind of things might you write down?
| | 01:36 | Generally, I look for three categories of ideas.
| | 01:39 | Number one, look for facts and information.
| | 01:42 | Often I'll bookmark and link to
articles, white papers, books, and blog posts
| | 01:47 | that can enrich my speech or presentation.
| | 01:50 | Second, look and listen for stories.
| | 01:53 | These may be stories you hear people
tell each other, things you see in the news,
| | 01:58 | or your stories may simply be
recollections of past experiences.
| | 02:02 | Third, look for anything offbeat
or unusual that simply inspires you.
| | 02:08 | It may or may not belong in your presentation,
but the fact that you noticed it is important.
| | 02:13 | If it resonated emotionally with you,
it may help you connect with your audience.
| | 02:18 | And one final thought: you'll be collecting
lots of ideas, so think of this as brainstorming.
| | 02:23 | You probably won't use every idea
you jot down, and some of them may be
| | 02:27 | even crazy or silly. But remember,
| | 02:30 | when you finally sit down to assemble
your presentation, your creative brain
| | 02:34 | will love playing with the
giant toy box filled with ideas.
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| Finding your story| 00:01 | Let me tell you a story.
| | 00:03 | Those six little words, let me tell
you a story, rivet your attention.
| | 00:08 | We humans learn through storytelling
Whether you are a two-year-old child or a
| | 00:13 | seasoned professional, the mere promise of a
story can capture your interest and attention.
| | 00:19 | But what exactly is a story, and how
do you find a story buried in a file of
| | 00:24 | facts, statistics, and
seemingly dry information?
| | 00:29 | What you want to do is look for a story
trigger, and the most basic story trigger
| | 00:34 | is this: something happens to someone.
| | 00:38 | That's your simple step one of
identifying the potential for a story:
| | 00:42 | something happens to someone.
| | 00:44 | For example, at a quarterly update
meeting, you may feel obligated to state the
| | 00:50 | fact that sales increased by 19% over plan.
| | 00:53 | While that's certainly a bit of
factual information, but it contains a story
| | 00:58 | trigger, something happened to someone.
| | 01:01 | In this case, sales increased 19% over plan.
| | 01:05 | That's the something, and it
happened to someone, your company.
| | 01:10 | Whenever you hear or see a story trigger,
your immediate next step is to ask why.
| | 01:16 | Why did sales jump, and why
did it happen to your company?
| | 01:20 | In other words,
what's the story behind the number?
| | 01:24 | What did your company do to enjoy that success?
| | 01:28 | Did one of your salespeople
enjoy a particularly successful month?
| | 01:31 | What did she do differently?
| | 01:33 | Did one of your comparators go out of business?
| | 01:36 | How did you take advantage of your misfortune?
| | 01:38 | Did something unexpected happen with
the weather, the economy, or other social
| | 01:42 | phenomenon? What happened?
| | 01:45 | Using the simple "something happened to
someone" inspires you to find out why and
| | 01:50 | then what and how and when and where.
| | 01:54 | After that, it's a matter of
sharing those details with your audience.
| | 01:58 | As you answer these who, what, where,
when, and why questions, you'll want to
| | 02:02 | keep your eye out for two kinds of story plots.
| | 02:05 | In one plot you can tell how
someone overcame an obstacle. Many timeless
| | 02:10 | classics contain this type of plot.
| | 02:11 | Think of how the small child defeats the
big giant, the climber reaches the peak
| | 02:16 | of the mountain, or how your top
salesperson defied a failing economy to
| | 02:20 | personally increase sales by 37%.
| | 02:24 | In another classic plot line,
you'll look for evidence of creativity. How did
| | 02:29 | the detective solve the mystery?
| | 02:31 | How did the hero save the
town when no one else could?
| | 02:35 | Your audience loves to learn from
tails of ingenuity and creativity. They'll
| | 02:40 | certainly learn and remember more from a story
than from a dry recital of facts and numbers.
| | 02:46 | When designing your presentation,
look for every opportunity to tell a story.
| | 02:51 | As you look at your idea file, you may feel
obligated to share a fact with your audience.
| | 02:56 | Sharing a fact is fine,
but every detail needs to tell a story.
| | 03:01 | Make sure to tell a story
that supports that fact.
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| Building storyboards| 00:01 | I'll confess: I'm a terrible artist.
| | 00:03 | My drawings look like chicken scratches.
| | 00:06 | However, I usually start every speech or
presentation by drawing a rough storyboard.
| | 00:12 | Storyboards help me organize the flow
of my presentation, and they also help me
| | 00:17 | recall key details without memorizing a script.
| | 00:20 | Let me explain how storyboards can work for you.
| | 00:24 | In the exercise files, we've
provided an example of a blank storyboard.
| | 00:29 | A storyboard contains a place for you
to put a picture as well as a place for
| | 00:33 | you to write your words.
| | 00:35 | In the picture area, you may choose to
draw or insert a representation of what
| | 00:39 | the audience may see as you're speaking.
| | 00:42 | In the area where you can write words,
you can choose to scribble a short
| | 00:46 | synopsis of what you'll be discussing,
or you may choose to write your entire script.
| | 00:51 | Let's start with how to
build a general storyboard.
| | 00:54 | Like many people, I tend to think visually.
| | 00:56 | If I see a photo, drawing, or graph,
I can usually recall an entire story to
| | 01:01 | tell about that image.
| | 01:03 | Instead of writing a detailed script to
accompany a photo, I might instead draw
| | 01:07 | a picture of a guy in a top hat and
write "Tell the story about how you dress
| | 01:10 | casually for a formal
event and how it made you feel."
| | 01:14 | I mentioned in another video that I
often use super sticky notes to gather ideas.
| | 01:19 | On one occasion, I had only a few
hours to develop a short speech.
| | 01:24 | I quickly grabbed some of my super
stickies out of a notebook and arranged them
| | 01:27 | in a quick storyboard order.
| | 01:29 | Each sticky note represented a short
anecdote that I could tell the audience.
| | 01:34 | It was easier to think of my speech as
six small stories than it was for me to
| | 01:39 | sit down and write the
text for a complete speech.
| | 01:42 | Now that's a very quick example of a
general storyboard for a simple speech.
| | 01:47 | Other storyboards, by their very
nature, need to be highly complex.
| | 01:50 | For example I was hired to produce a
recall video for a technical product.
| | 01:56 | An audience of technicians needed to
accomplish highly detailed and very specific
| | 02:00 | steps in order to remove
and replace a component.
| | 02:05 | For this storyboard, every step of the
process needed to be carefully worded,
| | 02:10 | and the accompanying visual image had
to reflect what the technician would see
| | 02:15 | and feel during the replacement process.
| | 02:19 | Depending on the complexity of your
presentation, your storyboard may be very
| | 02:23 | simple, loose, and general, or it
may be very detailed and precise.
| | 02:29 | In general, I like to start with a
loose storyboard to provide a sense of
| | 02:32 | flow and structure.
| | 02:33 | As the presentation develops, I might
discover that I need to provide richer details.
| | 02:38 | Too many people do not storyboard, and it shows.
| | 02:44 | Use the storyboard approach to
visualize the flow as well as important details
| | 02:49 | of your presentation.
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| Rehearsing| 00:01 | Let's discuss six frequently
overlooked rehearsal tips that can enormously
| | 00:05 | improve the emotional power
of your final presentation.
| | 00:09 | First, make sure your rehearsal is as
close to the real thing as you can get.
| | 00:13 | I want to rehearse an important
presentation standing up only to be given a
| | 00:17 | chair at the meeting.
| | 00:18 | Had I known I was going to deliver
while sitting down, I would have definitely
| | 00:23 | rehearsed while seated.
| | 00:24 | Find out if you'll be sitting or standing and
rehearse in the position you'll be assuming.
| | 00:30 | Second, remember, they don't
call it dress rehearsal for nothing.
| | 00:34 | Don't rehearse in your pajamas unless you
intend to give your presentation in your jamies.
| | 00:39 | Instead, rehearse in the actual clothes
you'll be wearing, right down to your shoes.
| | 00:44 | You'll be amazed at how much
better your performance will be, just by
| | 00:47 | understanding how your
body feels in full costume,
| | 00:51 | even if your costume is a formal
business suit instead of business casual. Small
| | 00:56 | details make a big difference here.
| | 00:59 | Third, get an audience for your rehearsal.
| | 01:02 | Ideally, rehearse your presentation
with people in the room. An audience gives
| | 01:07 | you emotional energy.
| | 01:09 | If you don't have real people handy,
hang pictures of friends, family, or
| | 01:13 | colleagues, and pretend you are talking to them.
| | 01:15 | Looking at faces of people you know and
like gives your voice and body language
| | 01:20 | more confidence and emotional power.
| | 01:22 | Fourth, record yourself on video
during rehearsal. Watch to find areas where
| | 01:28 | you can improve.
| | 01:29 | Remember this video is for your eyes only.
| | 01:32 | It doesn't need to be professionally shot.
| | 01:35 | A video will truly help you
see yourself as others do.
| | 01:38 | Fifth, listen to yourself.
| | 01:43 | I like putting my audio track on a
portable device and then taking a brisk walk.
| | 01:48 | One time I found an area of my
presentation that dragged so badly I barely
| | 01:53 | registered a heartbeat.
| | 01:55 | I went back to the office for a
rewrite and added more powerful visuals.
| | 01:59 | Listening to audio only helps you spot
pace and pitch problems, but listening
| | 02:04 | also helps you later recall the words
and inflections that really work well.
| | 02:09 | Sixth, rehearse in real time.
| | 02:13 | If you are giving a one-hour
presentation, you need to record a one-hour video
| | 02:17 | of yourself, not five
minutes here, twenty minutes there.
| | 02:20 | Start at the beginning, rehearse till the end.
| | 02:24 | After all, you don't have the
opportunity to chop up your presentation in
| | 02:27 | front of a live audience, so don't chop up
your rehearsals into little segments either.
| | 02:33 | Further, if your presentation is
at 7:00 AM, rehearse at 7:00 AM.
| | 02:37 | If it's at 3:00 PM, rehearse at 3:00 PM.
| | 02:41 | Most people find their morning energy is
completely different than afternoon or evening energy.
| | 02:47 | These six tips represent more
of the soft skills of rehearsal.
| | 02:50 | They may seem obvious, but they are
often so obvious they are overlooked.
| | 02:54 | By focusing on just some of these soft
skills, you can become more confident and
| | 02:58 | your audience will
appreciate your attention to details.
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2. Warming UpWarming up| 00:03 | Ahem. What a terrible way to start out a
presentation, with that clearing of your throat.
| | 00:08 | Here are the very basics every presenter
should know about warming up the voice.
| | 00:13 | Let's start with morning presentations.
| | 00:15 | For me, early morning
presentations are often the toughest.
| | 00:19 | My voice isn't quite warmed up yet, and
since I don't want the audience to hear
| | 00:22 | me clear my throat or suffer
through my craggy morning voice,
| | 00:26 | I need to make sure my pipes
are ready before I present.
| | 00:29 | I have three basic tips for
early morning presentations.
| | 00:33 | Number one, get up and get moving.
| | 00:36 | The steam from a hot shower
can help you clear your voice.
| | 00:39 | Two, avoid cold drinks.
| | 00:42 | Remember, you want to warm up
your pipes, not cool them down.
| | 00:45 | Room-temperature water is best for
clearing any morning roughness you may
| | 00:49 | feel in your throat.
| | 00:51 | Three, make sure to use your voice
before you deliver your presentation.
| | 00:56 | I like to sing in the shower or in
the car on the way to the presentation.
| | 01:00 | And if you're not the singing
type, you can always simply talk.
| | 01:04 | It can help to practice the opening
lines of your presentations out loud.
| | 01:07 | Sing, talk, hum, do whatever works for you.
| | 01:13 | Now if I'm presenting later in the day,
I have a different set of vocal challenges.
| | 01:18 | In the afternoon or evening my
voice may sound tired or ragged.
| | 01:22 | If you are presenting in the afternoon or
evenings, keep two vocal basics in mind.
| | 01:27 | Number one: save you voice. Talk sing or
hum a little throughout the day to keep
| | 01:33 | your voice warm, but try not
to talk too much during the day.
| | 01:36 | Two, room-temperature water
is still your best friend.
| | 01:41 | Avoid drinking more caffeine than normal.
| | 01:44 | If you're tired, it can be tempting to
enjoy a cup of coffee or an icy cold cola,
| | 01:49 | but you may find that each has a disadvantage.
| | 01:52 | Coffee tends to dry out my already
strained voice, making it sound a little worse.
| | 01:57 | The caffeine also tends to compound
any pre-presentation jitters I might have,
| | 02:01 | making my voice sound shaky.
| | 02:04 | Also, avoid cold beverages,
especially carbonated ones.
| | 02:09 | Any carbonation may cause you to at
least micro burp a little while you are
| | 02:13 | talking; you'll want to avoid that.
| | 02:15 | A few basic vocal warm ups can prepare
your voice for an outstanding delivery.
| | 02:20 | They don't have to be fancy, but
make sure your voice is ready the moment
| | 02:25 | you begin to speak.
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| Saying yes to the microphone| 00:00 | If someone offers you a microphone,
use it. Test it first and if it works, by
| | 00:06 | all means, use the mic.
| | 00:07 | Don't wait to ask the audience,
"Hey, can you hear me okay?"
| | 00:11 | That's not a strong opening statement.
| | 00:13 | Plus you are wasting everyone's time.
| | 00:15 | You need to take a few minutes to
set up and test the mic before you present,
| | 00:20 | not after you start.
| | 00:22 | In my experience, the main reason
presenters become microphone shy is because
| | 00:27 | they are secretly afraid
of it. This make sense.
| | 00:30 | We are most accustomed to hearing
our own voices without amplification.
| | 00:34 | With a mic our voices can sound
loud and imposing to our own ears.
| | 00:39 | If you are not familiar with the sound
of your amplified voice, it can sound
| | 00:43 | intimidating or even too loud.
| | 00:45 | Just remember, it may sound loud
to you, but not to your audience.
| | 00:50 | So, how can you lose your fear
and just say yes to mic support?
| | 00:54 | It's simple. Take a few moments before your
presentation to get familiar with the mic.
| | 01:00 | This is why running an audio check
prior to the presentation is so important.
| | 01:05 | The sound check isn't merely to make
sure the equipment is working; it's often
| | 01:09 | even more important to make you
comfortable with using the microphone.
| | 01:13 | So take a few moments. Let an audio
technician or event coordinator help make
| | 01:18 | you look and sound good.
| | 01:21 | In many large-scale public-speaking
venues, I have been asked to use a
| | 01:25 | wireless lavalier mic.
| | 01:27 | I like using the lavalier.
| | 01:29 | It helps keep my hands free and lets
use me a broader range of body motions.
| | 01:34 | If you are shy, you might want to
hook up the mic in a private place like a
| | 01:38 | restroom, since you are likely be
dropping wires underneath your shirt.
| | 01:43 | And as much as I like to wear dresses,
I know that dresses and lavalier mics don't mix.
| | 01:48 | The battery pack portion of the
microphone needs to hook on to a firm belt line,
| | 01:52 | so only sturdy skirts or pants will do.
| | 01:57 | Finally, consult a mirror or ask a person
you trust if your lavalier mic looks okay.
| | 02:02 | Since wires in the pack are often
behind your back, it can be difficult to see
| | 02:06 | exactly where you might have
gone wrong with any self-setup.
| | 02:09 | I have also been in situations when I have
been given a handheld mic before a presentation.
| | 02:16 | You usually need to say a few sentences
to get comfortable and to understand how
| | 02:20 | far away to hold the mic from
your mouth. Here is a hint.
| | 02:24 | It's usually a lot closer than you think.
| | 02:27 | And because I have always got a mic in
my hand, I need to understand how this is
| | 02:32 | going to affect my physical performance.
| | 02:33 | I have also been in situations where an
event coordinator will ask me if I want
| | 02:39 | to use the mic or not.
| | 02:41 | Remember, the answer is always yes.
| | 02:45 | Bottom line, if someone requests
that you use the mic, don't argue.
| | 02:49 | Get comfortable with it during your audio
check and you'll end up sounding and
| | 02:53 | looking more confident.
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| Coping with anxiety| 00:01 | Even though I speak in public all
the time, I still feel nervous before
| | 00:05 | many, many presentations.
| | 00:07 | And I'm actually okay with that.
| | 00:09 | I know that pre-performance nerves are natural.
| | 00:12 | I also know that many of your favorite
singers, actors, and other entertainers
| | 00:17 | get an attack of the
jitters before their performances.
| | 00:20 | Ironically, accepting is the
first step to handling anxiety.
| | 00:24 | Once you know that this is a natural
part of performing, you gain confidence, and
| | 00:29 | the more confidence you develop,
the less likely you are to be thrown.
| | 00:33 | Until you gain more experience,
you can work on improving your body posture.
| | 00:38 | Some on-stage body postures can
actually make you feel more afraid, while others
| | 00:43 | can help you control your nerves.
| | 00:44 | One of the worst and unfortunately
the most typical body postures for very
| | 00:49 | frightened speakers is this.
| | 00:53 | This posture signals fear, not just
to your audience but to your own body.
| | 00:58 | It only makes your nerves much, much worse.
| | 01:02 | Instead, if you're feeling very
nervous and you're new to public speaking, try
| | 01:06 | doing the exact opposite.
| | 01:09 | Instead of keeping your hands in
front and your head down, place your hands
| | 01:13 | behind your back and look up.
| | 01:15 | This instantly makes your
physical presence seem bigger and bolder.
| | 01:20 | This is a quick temporary fix.
| | 01:22 | This pose not only signals more
confidence, but also lets you take in more oxygen
| | 01:27 | for better control over your speaking.
| | 01:29 | Here is another tip.
| | 01:32 | I have students and even seasoned
professionals tell me that they're often so
| | 01:36 | nervous before a
presentation they feel nauseous.
| | 01:40 | If you ever feel this, I have one
easy and discreet pre-performance tip.
| | 01:45 | Try blowing on your thumb as if it is a
birthday candle and you're trying to put it out.
| | 01:54 | This quick breathing exercise works
because it tends to calm your diaphragm
| | 01:59 | while narrowing your focus.
| | 02:01 | Remember, your pre-
performance jitters are natural.
| | 02:05 | Just knowing this may
help you feel more relaxed.
| | 02:08 | Experience is the number one way to rise
above the natural phenomenon of anxiety.
| | 02:13 | As you gain more experience in front
of an audience, you'll discover other
| | 02:18 | techniques to build on-stage confidence.
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|
|
3. OpeningExploring five strong openings| 00:01 | How can you use your words to grab the
attention of your audience right away?
| | 00:06 | The very first words out of your
mouth are incredibly important.
| | 00:09 | Let's explore five techniques that exploit
the power of what we'll call the cold open.
| | 00:15 | In the cold open, you simply begin by beginning.
| | 00:18 | There is no hemming. There is no hawing.
| | 00:21 | You don't start by saying "welcome" or
"thank you" or any trite polite platitude
| | 00:26 | that almost guarantees you'll
lose your audience in seconds.
| | 00:30 | What do you do instead?
| | 00:31 | Well, let's take a look at
these five cold opening techniques.
| | 00:35 | Number one, I often like to
start a presentation by asking an
| | 00:39 | open-ended question.
| | 00:41 | In this video for example, I started
with "How can you use your words to grab
| | 00:45 | the attention of your audience right away?"
| | 00:48 | This question creates a mini mystery.
| | 00:50 | It opens the knowledge gap and makes the
audience wonder about how you'll close it.
| | 00:55 | Now, notice I didn't ask a yes or no question.
| | 00:58 | For example I didn't ask "Can you
use words to grab the attention of your
| | 01:02 | audience right away?"
| | 01:04 | A close-ended question like
that doesn't create any mystery.
| | 01:08 | The audience can either answer yes or no
inside their heads and quit paying attention.
| | 01:14 | Instead, use an open-ended question to
create a knowledge gap that you'll later
| | 01:18 | close in your presentation.
| | 01:21 | Second, you can effectively start a
presentation with a story or anecdote that
| | 01:26 | illustrates a key point of your presentation.
| | 01:29 | Starting with a story serves two purposes.
| | 01:31 | Number one people really perk up and pay
attention whenever somebody begins to tell a story.
| | 01:37 | Further, a well-told story
often creates a sense of mystery;
| | 01:41 | your audience will wonder how the
content of your presentation will relate
| | 01:45 | to your opening story.
| | 01:47 | Third you can start your
presentation or speech with a bold statement.
| | 01:51 | I might have chosen to
start this video by saying
| | 01:54 | "The very first words out of your
mouth can make or break your presentation."
| | 01:58 | Now that's a bold statement.
| | 02:00 | It signals confidence, and it also primes
the audience to expect to hear how I'll
| | 02:04 | be backing up such a strong assertion.
| | 02:07 | Fourth, tell your audience to
imagine something. Tell them to think of a
| | 02:11 | situation, pretend to be
somewhere, or imagine someone.
| | 02:15 | For example, imagine you are in a
giant auditorium filled with hundreds of
| | 02:20 | people waiting to hear your first words.
| | 02:23 | Almost instantly, the imagination open makes
your audience a part of your presentation.
| | 02:29 | They are actively empathizing and
engaging with the content of your speech
| | 02:33 | because they are actually
putting themselves in it.
| | 02:36 | And let's face it, the moment
somebody tells you to imagine something, it's
| | 02:41 | almost impossible not to.
| | 02:44 | Fifth, you can start with hard evidence,
usually in the form of a quote or a documented fact.
| | 02:50 | Starting with hard evidence is a
riskier approach than the other four
| | 02:53 | cold opening techniques.
| | 02:55 | The danger of starting with a quote
is that many times it comes across as
| | 03:00 | tired or hackneyed.
| | 03:01 | If you decide to start with a quote,
make sure that the content, context, and
| | 03:06 | author offer credibility to your presentation.
| | 03:11 | In a similar vein, starting with a
documented fact can also be risky. An obvious
| | 03:16 | fact may not be enough to
grab your audience's attention.
| | 03:20 | If you are starting your presentation
with a fact, make sure it's a surprising
| | 03:24 | or unexpected fact that defies common knowledge.
| | 03:28 | Your fact must have enough of a shock
value to ensure a powerful opening statement.
| | 03:33 | When you work on developing your
next speech or presentation, try this
| | 03:37 | eye-opening exercise.
| | 03:40 | Sit down and write a cold open for the same
speech that uses each of these five approaches.
| | 03:45 | Of course you can only use one cold
open technique in your final presentation,
| | 03:50 | but going through this simple exercise
may help you discover a stronger opening
| | 03:56 | than you previously thought possible.
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| Introducing your agenda| 00:01 | Most people won't even attend a meeting
unless they know the agenda. I know I won't.
| | 00:06 | But when is the best
time to introduce an agenda?
| | 00:09 | The most effective way is
actually well before your presentation.
| | 00:13 | Your agenda needs to have the
purpose of the presentation, what will be
| | 00:18 | discussed, who will be
participating, and how long it will last.
| | 00:22 | For most business meetings and
presentations, make sure your audience has this
| | 00:27 | agenda in writing before you present.
| | 00:31 | For this video, you saw the title and
the length of the presentation before
| | 00:35 | you decided to view it.
| | 00:36 | Well guess what, that's the agenda.
| | 00:39 | You already know what topic I'm
discussing, the learning objective, and the
| | 00:43 | length of the video.
| | 00:45 | If I started by saying "In this video
we'll cover how to introduce an agenda,"
| | 00:49 | well that would be redundant.
| | 00:51 | I'd risk losing your interest
and attention almost immediately.
| | 00:55 | In most cases, if your audience
can see a written agenda before your
| | 00:58 | presentation, you don't need to introduce it.
| | 01:02 | You can simply refer to it during your
presentation to help keep everyone on track.
| | 01:08 | During the presentation it's always a
good idea to briefly remind your audience
| | 01:12 | about where you are going.
| | 01:14 | This is where the teaser approach works well.
| | 01:17 | The goal of the teaser is to build
interest in upcoming agenda items.
| | 01:21 | You do this by giving the audience a
little bit of information that makes
| | 01:24 | them want to know more.
| | 01:26 | For example, you might say "We have
some exciting news from our HR department,
| | 01:31 | which I'll share with you
after we discuss quarterly results."
| | 01:35 | Make sure your audience knows the
overall agenda before your meeting or
| | 01:39 | presentation. Provide them with
key details in writing. Then look for
| | 01:45 | opportunities within your
presentation to tell your audience what they have
| | 01:48 | to look forward to.
| | 01:50 | Use the teaser approach to keep
your audience alert and interested.
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| Handling common opening mistakes| 00:01 | The first words out of your mouth
are the most important words of your
| | 00:04 | entire presentation.
| | 00:06 | This is where you have the best
opportunity to earn the attention and interest
| | 00:10 | of your audience, right away.
| | 00:12 | In another video we
discussed five strong openings.
| | 00:15 | In contrast, let's talk about the four
worst things that often come flying out
| | 00:20 | of a speaker's mouth during the
all-important first few seconds of a business presentation.
| | 00:24 | One of the most surprisingly taboo
statements is to say a few trite sentences.
| | 00:31 | Here is an example. "Hello!
Thank you for the warm introduction.
| | 00:35 | It's really great to be here."
| | 00:37 | How many times have you heard a
speaker say something like this?
| | 00:41 | An audience tends to mentally check out
during those first few awkward sentences.
| | 00:46 | Instead, try this exercise.
| | 00:49 | Record the first few minutes of your
speech. Start by saying a few polite words
| | 00:54 | and then try using a more
powerful cold opening technique.
| | 00:59 | Once you see, hear, and feel the
difference, you'll never go back to offering
| | 01:04 | your audience an awkward or insincere
nicety when you can wow them with your
| | 01:08 | power and confidence.
| | 01:11 | A second unfortunate way to begin a speech
is with ahem, the clearing of the throat.
| | 01:17 | No one wants to hear that, especially
not as the first noise out of your mouth.
| | 01:22 | Often people clear their throats as a
sign of nervousness or as a persnickety
| | 01:26 | way to get attention.
| | 01:27 | Make sure your voice is
warmed up before you hit the stage.
| | 01:30 | A third terrible way to open your
presentation is by drawing your attention to
| | 01:35 | technical insecurities.
| | 01:37 | "Hey, is this thing on? Can you hear
me in the back? Should I use the mic?
| | 01:42 | I think my voice is pretty
strong. What do you think?
| | 01:44 | Can you see my slides okay."
| | 01:46 | These kind of opening comments are
extremely disrespectful to the audience.
| | 01:52 | It signals that the speaker didn't bother
to do AV checks before the presentation.
| | 01:57 | Don't waste your audience's time.
Make sure you've ironed out your technical
| | 02:00 | issues before your presentation.
| | 02:04 | The fourth and final way you'll want to
avoid opening your presentation is with a joke.
| | 02:09 | If your friends and colleagues often
tell you that you have a great sense of
| | 02:12 | humor, that's terrific.
| | 02:14 | But remember, there is a big
difference between having a sense of humor
| | 02:18 | and telling a joke.
| | 02:20 | Displaying your unique sense of humor
during your speech can be great, but
| | 02:24 | starting with a joke generally bombs, big time.
| | 02:27 | I have heard more groans and nervous
laughter after a business presenter begins
| | 02:31 | with a joke than I have ever
heard genuine gut-busting laughter.
| | 02:35 | And either way, it's harder to
smoothly transition to a speech after your
| | 02:39 | audience is either
groaning or laughing hysterically.
| | 02:42 | So even if you are really, truly,
supremely funny please leave jokes to comedians.
| | 02:49 | And remember, your first words are important.
| | 02:52 | Use a strong cold open technique to
immediately capture audience interest.
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|
|
4. DeliveringDeveloping vocal variety| 00:00 | Some of my friends who have small
children sometimes express exasperation.
| | 00:04 | They've read their child a dozen bedtime
stories and their child will not fall asleep.
| | 00:09 | They always want just one more story.
| | 00:12 | I like to tell my friends that they are
probably being far too interesting and
| | 00:16 | entertaining to put their children to sleep.
| | 00:19 | We tend to use more vocal
variety when we talk to people we like.
| | 00:22 | A few friends have challenged me to
come over and read their child a bedtime
| | 00:26 | story and when I do, I make sure
to speak in soft singsongy voice.
| | 00:33 | Now, as an adult listener, you might be
tempted to run out of the room screaming
| | 00:37 | if I talk to you like
that in a business context,
| | 00:39 | yet you'll find some speakers
performing what I call the business speech
| | 00:42 | equivalent of a lullaby.
| | 00:45 | A monotonous tone and a lack of dynamic
range can make your audience fight to stay awake.
| | 00:51 | Instead, think of using
vocal variety in three key areas.
| | 00:56 | The first key area is volume, or dynamic range.
| | 01:01 | The most fundamental way to gain
anyone's attention is to break a pattern.
| | 01:06 | Look for appropriate areas to vary the
volume of your voice within your speech.
| | 01:11 | A sudden quiet, dramatic pause in
your speech can capture just as much
| | 01:18 | attention as if I suddenly spoke loudly.
| | 01:21 | Where might you add a dramatic pause?
Can you whisper an aside to the audience?
| | 01:27 | Is there going to be a moment when
you can possibly raise your voice?
| | 01:31 | It's hard to put your audience to
sleep when you look for appropriate areas
| | 01:35 | to vary your volume.
| | 01:37 | The second key area to consider
for vocal variety is in your tone.
| | 01:41 | Often your tone of voice is driven by emotion.
| | 01:45 | For an offline exercise, try saying one
short sentence with various levels of feeling.
| | 01:50 | For example, try saying "I won the sales contest."
| | 01:54 | Say it as if you are very
excited. "I won the sales contest!"
| | 01:58 | You can also try an incredulous tone.
"I won the sales contest?"
| | 02:03 | Try saying this with various other emotions.
| | 02:06 | You'll hear how much variety in your
tone of voice is driven by your feelings.
| | 02:11 | A key idea to using an effective
tone of voice is to match your genuine
| | 02:15 | emotion to your words.
| | 02:17 | Examine the emotion behind
the words you choose to speak.
| | 02:20 | You'll often find your facial gestures
and body language will also reflect the
| | 02:24 | emotions you are projecting.
| | 02:27 | A third key area is with your pace.
| | 02:30 | Sometimes it makes a world of sense to
speed up your delivery, and sometimes it
| | 02:35 | makes even more sense to slow down.
| | 02:39 | I don't always need to keep the same pace.
| | 02:41 | I can always pick up the pace a bit
to demonstrate a sense of urgency or
| | 02:45 | excitement, or I can slow it down
for just a bit of dramatic emphasis.
| | 02:51 | Volume, tone, and pace: these are
three key areas for you to practice
| | 02:56 | vocal variety.
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| Eliminating crutch words such as um, er, and uh| 00:00 | How can you stop yourself from ordering
verbal tics like um, er, ah, like, and so?
| | 00:08 | Before we dive into how to stop
verbal tics, I'd like you try three
| | 00:12 | mindfulness exercises.
| | 00:14 | First, practice awareness as
you go about your normal daily,
| | 00:18 | regular conversations.
| | 00:20 | Listen intently for any circumstances
where you might say a filler word or sound.
| | 00:25 | Under what situations are you
most likely to say filler words?
| | 00:29 | Make a note of any patterns you find.
| | 00:32 | Secondly, practice awareness as you rehearse.
| | 00:35 | When you review the video of your
rehearsal, note when you use filler words.
| | 00:39 | What patterns arose? How did your use
of filler sounds compare to your use of
| | 00:43 | fillers in everyday conversations?
| | 00:46 | Third, give yourself a break. A few
ums and ahs are probably not going to
| | 00:51 | ruin your presentation.
| | 00:53 | It's even likely that they
will go entirely unnoticed.
| | 00:56 | It's only when you persistently
overuse a filler word that they become
| | 00:59 | distracting for your audience.
| | 01:02 | Practicing these three mindfulness
exercises may be all you need to do to
| | 01:06 | significantly reduce verbal tics from
your speech. Many people find that simply
| | 01:11 | being aware of their own verbal
text helps prevent their overuse.
| | 01:14 | If you'd like to dive a little deeper
into preventing verbal tic abuse, consider
| | 01:20 | these three insights.
| | 01:21 | One, if you notice that you tend to use
more filler words when you are nervous
| | 01:27 | or you feel under pressure, relax;
it probably means you are normal.
| | 01:32 | Most people who undergo mindfulness
exercises find that they increased their
| | 01:36 | um rate when they feel stressed out.
| | 01:39 | I like to give myself a positive remainder.
| | 01:42 | I'll say to myself internally, okay,
that's your last um for the day. If I say
| | 01:47 | that to myself, I can't help but smile a little.
| | 01:49 | Reducing the stress with a little
positive reinforcement reduces the ums.
| | 01:55 | Secondly, you can reduce the
situations that cause you stress.
| | 01:59 | So if you're thinking, oh!
| | 02:01 | But it's public speaking that gives me
stress, so I'm doomed. Well, guess again.
| | 02:05 | You can greatly minimize the stress of
public speaking by preparing and properly
| | 02:09 | rehearsing your presentation.
| | 02:11 | As a result, your filler
word rate will go way down.
| | 02:15 | Lastly, I want to share a story with you
about the danger of using bullet points
| | 02:20 | in your presentation.
| | 02:21 | When I ask students to come to the head
of the class and share the results of a
| | 02:24 | group brainstorming session,
most begin by reading a list.
| | 02:29 | Before every item on the list, they
usually say, um; however, when I ask the
| | 02:34 | student to tell me a story that
illustrates a point on the list, the verbal
| | 02:39 | fillers almost disappear.
| | 02:41 | When we share stories, we are much
less likely to use those filler words.
| | 02:46 | However, when we read or memorize lists,
we are far more likely to add filler words.
| | 02:52 | Go through your presentation. Find any
areas where you might be reading a list
| | 02:57 | or using bullet points.
| | 02:58 | Eliminating bullet points not only
eliminates the ums from your presentation,
| | 03:03 | it helps you to better engage your
audience with more powerful storytelling.
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| Developing great body language| 00:01 | I get asked about body language quite a bit.
| | 00:03 | Rather than get into the specifics of
every possible posture, for the most part
| | 00:08 | you are better off not to
thinking about your body language.
| | 00:11 | You don't want to become self-conscious.
| | 00:13 | Instead, practice speaking
from a place of confidence.
| | 00:17 | When you emotionally connect with
the words you are saying, your body
| | 00:20 | naturally knows what to do.
| | 00:22 | If you are having trouble finding your
confidence, I have four other insights
| | 00:26 | for you to help discover
more professional body language.
| | 00:30 | First, you will want to
adopt a confident posture.
| | 00:34 | Stand up straight. Make eye
contact with the audience.
| | 00:37 | For an extra boost of confidence, find a
few audience members who seem to like you.
| | 00:42 | Look to them for support
throughout your presentation.
| | 00:45 | Their positive energy can
help you feel more upbeat.
| | 00:49 | Secondly, avoid doing anything
with your body that's distracting.
| | 00:53 | With novice speakers, fidgeting is a huge issue.
| | 00:56 | Tugging at your hair, stuffing hands in
your pockets, toying with jewelry: all
| | 01:01 | of these behaviors can draw
attention away from your message.
| | 01:05 | Even seasoned speakers can become so
comfortable with an audience that we
| | 01:08 | start to get sloppy.
| | 01:09 | As I get older, I notice that I have
this annoying tendency to shuffle from one
| | 01:14 | foot to the other instead of standing still.
| | 01:17 | And a colleague of mine has started
shoving his hands in his blazer pockets and
| | 01:21 | fumbling with his keys.
| | 01:23 | Young or old, no one is
immune from picking up bad habits.
| | 01:27 | It takes awareness, however, to eliminate any
distracting habits you may have picked up.
| | 01:33 | Third, record and watch your rehearsals.
| | 01:36 | When you do this, you'll be the first
one to notice anything distracting you
| | 01:40 | might be doing with your body.
| | 01:41 | Whether you are new to speaking or
a seasoned pro, get in the habit of
| | 01:46 | recording your rehearsals.
| | 01:48 | And fourth, write believable content.
| | 01:52 | Authentic body language
tends to flow from great content.
| | 01:56 | When you feel confident about what
you are saying, your body language will
| | 01:59 | reflect that feeling.
| | 02:01 | It will seem more natural and believable.
| | 02:04 | Don't try to adopt specific body
postures to accompany your words;
| | 02:08 | it almost always looks forced and unnatural.
| | 02:12 | Instead, focus on developing
terrific presentation content.
| | 02:16 | When you emotionally connect to the
words you are saying, your body language
| | 02:20 | becomes more authentic and believable.
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| Using props and visual aids| 00:00 | How can you effectively use a prop
or visual aid in your presentation?
| | 00:05 | The answer may lie inside this envelope.
| | 00:08 | I'll reveal its exciting
contents at the end of this video.
| | 00:12 | Until then, if you are going to use
props in your presentation, make sure you
| | 00:16 | have a very good reason to do so.
| | 00:18 | In general, there are three great
reasons why you might want to use a prop.
| | 00:23 | The number one reason is demonstration.
| | 00:25 | It's a basic truth:
| | 00:27 | for most demos, showing is far
more effective than telling.
| | 00:32 | If you want to have a little fun over lunch,
try asking a friend what a xylophone is.
| | 00:37 | It's almost a sure bet that your
friend won't be able to use only his words.
| | 00:41 | He might start playing an invisible
xylophone to help make you understand.
| | 00:45 | Audiences long to see and even
interact with a prop that's being demoed,
| | 00:49 | even if it's imaginary.
| | 00:51 | The second reason you might want to use
a prop is to provide a concrete metaphor
| | 00:56 | for an abstract concept.
| | 00:58 | If you want to talk about marketshare
at your company for example, you might
| | 01:02 | want to show your audience a pie chart.
| | 01:05 | Props like graphs, charts, and photos,
they can help an audience visualize
| | 01:10 | abstract and numerical concepts.
| | 01:13 | The third reason you might want to
use a prop is for dramatic effect.
| | 01:18 | Use a prop when you want to
provoke an emotional response.
| | 01:22 | It's one thing to simply tell an
audience that mosquitoes cause malaria;
| | 01:26 | it's quite another if you bring out a
quart jar, open it, and tell your audience
| | 01:31 | that you have just released a
few mosquitoes into the room.
| | 01:34 | Microsoft founder Bill Gates
did just that in a TED talk.
| | 01:38 | He effectively used a prop to
illicit a very emotional audience response.
| | 01:44 | Number one, rehearse with
your prop. Practice relentlessly.
| | 01:49 | This is especially important for demonstration.
| | 01:52 | If you are presenting yourself as an
authority on how to use the prop, you
| | 01:55 | better know exactly how it works,
and how to recover if things go wrong.
| | 02:00 | Number two, remember, every slide in your
PowerPoint presentation is actually a prop.
| | 02:06 | If your slide or prop isn't
demonstrating something, serving as a metaphor,
| | 02:11 | or adding dramatic effect, you probably need
to eliminate it entirely from your presentation.
| | 02:17 | Number three, the way you
present your prop can enhance its
| | 02:21 | overall effectiveness.
| | 02:23 | In one of his legendary Mac World
presentations, Steve Jobs told his audience
| | 02:27 | that a new product was so thin it
could fit into an interoffice envelope.
| | 02:32 | He held up the envelope and then he
slowly revealed the new product, a MacBook
| | 02:39 | Air, and the crowd went wild.
| | 02:43 | Keeping your prop hidden and
performing a slow dramatic reveal can build
| | 02:47 | anticipation and add to the excitement of
a new product or an award announcement.
| | 02:53 | Remember, if your prop isn't necessary, cut it.
| | 02:56 | If you are going to use one, use it for
a great reason, and always rehearse with
| | 03:01 | your props relentlessly.
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| Dealing with technical mishaps| 00:00 | Once I showed up to speak to an
audience of three hundred and there was no microphone.
| | 00:05 | Another time the remote wouldn't
advance my slides. And still another time, the
| | 00:10 | projector bulb blew up in
the middle of my speech.
| | 00:13 | Technical mishaps happen.
| | 00:15 | It's how you deal with the
mishaps that will reveal your level of
| | 00:19 | professionalism and confidence.
| | 00:21 | Here are three pro tips to help
keep you cool when you feel let down by
| | 00:25 | technology or equipment failures.
| | 00:29 | Number one: when it comes to
presentation technology, over prepare. Use a
| | 00:34 | checklist to make sure you have
everything you need to present, including
| | 00:38 | backups. Show up early and test everything.
| | 00:42 | I can't count how many times event
coordinators have told me that they would
| | 00:46 | provide absolutely everything--computer,
remote, projection system--only to find
| | 00:52 | an item or two that simply didn't work.
| | 00:54 | If you can, pack some of your own items.
Bring your own laptop and remote for example.
| | 01:01 | Even if you don't need them for your
presentation, having them on hand gives you
| | 01:05 | a quick backup plan in case
somebody else's equipment fails.
| | 01:09 | Secondly, know your presentation cold.
| | 01:13 | If your presentation technology
goes into total meltdown during a live
| | 01:17 | performance, you can always go on without it.
| | 01:20 | I was delivering an out-of-town
training session when the projection bulb blew
| | 01:24 | up about fifty minutes into
an hour-and-a-half class.
| | 01:27 | Since we were on a tight schedule,
I couldn't stop to fix the bulb.
| | 01:31 | Instead, I asked the tech staff to work on
the problem while I continued the session.
| | 01:35 | They never did fix the problem,
but I kept right on going.
| | 01:39 | Always know your material.
| | 01:41 | You'll look like a polished
professional when you rise above any technical
| | 01:45 | glitch you might encounter.
| | 01:47 | And third, when you feel that
technology is failing so badly that there's
| | 01:51 | absolutely nothing you can do
to salvage the presentation,
| | 01:54 | there's still one thing you can do:
get your audience involved in the problem.
| | 01:59 | Remember, a business audience can be
extremely empathetic to technical problems;
| | 02:03 | they have happened to everyone at some point.
| | 02:06 | I remember when a building's extremely
loud alarms went off during a tornado warning.
| | 02:10 | I asked the audience how they wanted to proceed.
| | 02:13 | We all decided to call our families to
make sure they were okay. We marched to
| | 02:18 | the basement and went on with the show.
| | 02:20 | Get your audience involved in your most
dire technical or situational problems.
| | 02:26 | Instead of being completely flummoxed,
you can use some of worst technical
| | 02:30 | issues to create a memorable
emotional bond with your audience.
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|
|
5. ClosingHandling Q & A (question and answer) sessions| 00:00 | My favorite part of any presentation
is usually Q&A, the question and answer
| | 00:05 | portion of the program.
| | 00:07 | As either an audience member or as a
speaker, I like Q&A because I get to hear
| | 00:11 | different voices and perspectives.
| | 00:14 | Done well, the Q&A period is an
interactive and lively part of the program.
| | 00:19 | To keep your Q&A session energetic and
enlightening, keep two planning tips in mind.
| | 00:25 | One, if you are planning a Q&A, let
your audience know this near the very
| | 00:29 | beginning of your presentation.
| | 00:31 | For many small boardroom or classroom-
style presentations, you might tell your
| | 00:35 | audience to just jump in
and ask questions at any time.
| | 00:39 | For more formal presentations your
audience is often better served when you tell
| | 00:43 | them you'll answer their questions near the end.
| | 00:47 | By announcing that you'll have Q&A
near the end, you almost ensure that the
| | 00:51 | audience will think of
great questions to ask you.
| | 00:55 | Secondly, hold your Q&A
session near the end, not at the end.
| | 01:01 | You don't want to close your
presentation with Q&A; instead, tell your audience
| | 01:06 | that you have one final
thought to leave them with,
| | 01:08 | but before you do, you'll
open up the floor for questions.
| | 01:12 | This near-the-end-not-at-the-
end approach does two things.
| | 01:17 | Number one, in the unlikely event that
no one has any questions, you can smoothly
| | 01:21 | go to your closing statement.
| | 01:24 | Number two, this approach lets
you take control of the final words.
| | 01:28 | Don't leave those final words up
to the whim of the last questioner.
| | 01:32 | The last words the audience needs to
hear is your voice and your message.
| | 01:36 | As audience members start asking you
questions, you'll want to keep three in-the-
| | 01:41 | moment tips in mind as you answer.
| | 01:44 | First, depending on the room and the
size of the audience, you'll often want to
| | 01:49 | repeat or reframe the question out loud.
| | 01:52 | If you are speaking to a larger
audience and the person asking the question
| | 01:55 | isn't using a microphone, repeating the
question lets the rest of the audience hear.
| | 02:01 | Also, if the question is awkwardly
framed, instead of merely repeating the
| | 02:05 | question, you can put it into words that
the audience might understand a little better.
| | 02:10 | Secondly, keep your answers very brief.
| | 02:14 | The best Q&A sessions are lively and
interactive. You'll want to engage as
| | 02:18 | many people as you can.
| | 02:20 | Answer a question in a minute or less.
| | 02:23 | If you don't think you
can answer briefly, say so.
| | 02:25 | A bit of humor can help you.
| | 02:28 | You can acknowledge that it's a
complicated question and a comprehensive
| | 02:31 | answer might take an hour.
| | 02:33 | Instead, tell your audience you'll
give them the short answer and that in the
| | 02:36 | interest of time, you'll take another question.
| | 02:40 | Thirdly, keep in mind that every so
often you'll get an audience that asks you a
| | 02:45 | long incoherent, rambling, or
completely off-topic question.
| | 02:51 | Inside my head, I call these
people Q&A hogs. Know this:
| | 02:55 | the rest of the audience wants the Q&A
hog to stop talking just as much as you do.
| | 03:00 | If a person can't ask a question in
under thirty seconds, you need to politely but
| | 03:06 | firmly shut them down.
| | 03:09 | Tell them that you are going to interrupt them.
| | 03:11 | Don't ask if you can interrupt them. Tell them.
| | 03:14 | Remind them that time is limited and
that out of respect for the audience, you
| | 03:18 | are going to need to move on to
another question or close the presentation.
| | 03:23 | Now this may sound harsh or rude,
but your audience will love you for doing it.
| | 03:29 | And if you truly feel that this
approach is too harsh, you can try softening
| | 03:33 | it by adding that you will be available to
take their question after the presentation;
| | 03:39 | however, only do this if you actually
have the time and inclination to meet with
| | 03:43 | the person afterward.
| | 03:45 | Q&A is often a vital part of your presentation.
| | 03:48 | If you are planning one, tell your
audience right away when and how you'd
| | 03:51 | like to take questions.
| | 03:53 | That way they'll be in a frame
of mind to ask great questions.
| | 03:57 | And remember, never leave Q&A until the
very end; rather, make sure it's near the
| | 04:03 | end so that you can take
control of your closing words.
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| Having a strong close| 00:00 | Think of the grand
finale of a fireworks display.
| | 00:04 | There is absolutely nothing wimpy about it.
| | 00:06 | The ending offers a spectacular
display of firepower and drama.
| | 00:11 | And that's the analogy I'd like you to
think of when it comes to closing your
| | 00:15 | speech or presentation.
How can you close with a bang?
| | 00:19 | There are dozens of ways to
effectively end your talk, but let's look at six
| | 00:23 | simple closing ideas you
can consider right away.
| | 00:25 | The first and perhaps the easiest
way to close is with a short summary.
| | 00:30 | For example, if your presentation
features three key takeaways, close by
| | 00:35 | reminding your audience
what those three points were.
| | 00:39 | Secondly, you can try the title close.
| | 00:42 | If you've given your speech a
provocative or entertaining title, you can close by
| | 00:47 | dramatically restating or reframing the title.
| | 00:49 | For example, in a presentation called
Achieving Your Goals, you might close with
| | 00:55 | "Thank you! Now go out achieve your goals."
| | 00:59 | Thirdly, try closing with a call to action.
| | 01:03 | This is particularly effective if you
want the audience to do something as a
| | 01:07 | result of your presentation.
| | 01:09 | If you designed your speech to inspire
an audience to take action, make your
| | 01:13 | last words very clear.
| | 01:15 | Close by telling your audience exactly
what to do as well, as how and when to do it.
| | 01:21 | Fourth, ending with a personal
tagline can be very effective if you often
| | 01:26 | present to the same audience.
| | 01:28 | I know a sales manager who ends every
sales meeting by saying "Sell value."
| | 01:33 | The constant drumbeat of a few choice
words can make you and your message more
| | 01:38 | memorable to your audience.
| | 01:39 | It also lets the group know that
you've wrapped up your presentation.
| | 01:44 | Fifth, closing with a quote can be a
satisfying option for the audience.
| | 01:48 | Unlike an opening quote, an
effective closing quote does not offer any
| | 01:52 | surprising new insights.
| | 01:55 | Rather, an effective closing quotation
summarizes the main thrust of your presentation.
| | 02:00 | If you decide to close with a quote,
make sure that the content, context, and
| | 02:05 | author offer credibility, as well
as closure, to your presentation.
| | 02:10 | Sixth, try closing with a final story.
| | 02:13 | A final story needs to be emotionally
powerful or provide closure on a story
| | 02:19 | you may have opened up earlier in your speech.
| | 02:22 | Remember, since you want your final words
to be memorable, make sure to write them out.
| | 02:28 | As an exercise, try writing at
least three types of closings.
| | 02:32 | You can only use one, but going through
the exercise of writing three may help
| | 02:37 | you find a stronger ending than
you previously thought possible.
| | 02:41 | And finally, practice saying your powerful
closing words and then looking at your audience.
| | 02:47 | Embrace a moment of silence. Then nod,
bow, or use other appropriate body
| | 02:53 | language to let your audience
know that your speech is over.
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| Getting feedback| 00:00 | Most of us feel defensive when we
hear criticism or get negative feedback,
| | 00:05 | but feedback can be one of the greatest
gifts in helping us to become better speakers.
| | 00:10 | Over the years I've received helpful feedback
and I have received not-so-helpful feedback.
| | 00:16 | How can you tell the difference?
| | 00:18 | There are two indicators of a helpful
review: truthfulness and specificity.
| | 00:23 | Let's take a look at each.
| | 00:25 | The first indicator of
worthwhile feedback is its truthfulness.
| | 00:30 | If you receive written feedback that
reads "Don't stand in front of your slides;
| | 00:34 | it's distracting" and you later recall
that you stood in front of your slides,
| | 00:38 | that can be valuable feedback.
| | 00:40 | You'll learn not to do that again.
| | 00:43 | On the other hand, if you receive
feedback that reads "all the misspelled
| | 00:46 | words on your slides made you look
really unprofessional," and you don't have
| | 00:50 | any misspelled words,
| | 00:52 | well, there isn't a whole
lot you can do with that.
| | 00:54 | It says more about the
reviewer than it does about you.
| | 00:57 | If your performance critique is
truthful, you can learn from it.
| | 01:01 | If it isn't, don't sweat it for a second.
| | 01:04 | The second indicator of a
good critique is its specificity.
| | 01:08 | If someone is punctuating their
critique with lots of exclamation points and using
| | 01:11 | general words like "brilliant" and "love" a lot,
| | 01:14 | you are probably not getting really specific
advice about how to improve your performance.
| | 01:20 | Getting positive and general feedback
can be great for your ego and confidence,
| | 01:25 | but try not to take it too seriously.
| | 01:28 | Similarly, you might get a rant.
Someone may have written words like "hate" and
| | 01:33 | "stupid" with the same gusto that
somebody else wrote "love" and "brilliant."
| | 01:38 | Once again this lack of
specificity is not really helpful feedback.
| | 01:42 | Worse, getting that kind of
criticism can hurt your confidence.
| | 01:47 | Don't let it get to you.
| | 01:49 | Whoever wrote it was not trying to be helpful.
| | 01:52 | It's safe to dismiss both rants and
raves because neither offer specific advice
| | 01:57 | on how to improve your next performance.
| | 02:01 | No matter how well you think you did--
and indeed, you may have delivered a knock-
| | 02:05 | out performance--you are
not going to please everyone.
| | 02:08 | It may be that you are delivering a
message that's difficult but important for
| | 02:12 | the audience to hear, or maybe somebody
in the audience hasn't had enough to eat
| | 02:16 | and he is just playing crabby.
| | 02:18 | If you receive a few negative
evaluations that differ drastically from the bulk
| | 02:22 | of your reviews, it's not
you that's has a problem.
| | 02:25 | Don't waste a minute of your life
worrying about a few negative evaluations.
| | 02:31 | However, if you find that your audience has
found areas you can improve, good for you.
| | 02:36 | An honest critique means that you
can use this feedback to help improve
| | 02:39 | your next presentation.
| | 02:41 | And most importantly, please take note
of all the specific things you do well.
| | 02:47 | When you learn and grow from a
positive and balanced place, you'll be in a
| | 02:51 | fantastic position to connect with
your audience for every presentation.
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|
|
ConclusionFinal inspiration| 00:00 | Throughout this course we've covered a
number of techniques that can help you
| | 00:04 | become a more effective speaker.
| | 00:06 | I often emphasize the
importance of developing confidence.
| | 00:09 | Your confidence will grow
as you gain more experience.
| | 00:13 | Remember, you don't have to
be perfect when you present.
| | 00:16 | In fact, perfection is highly overrated.
| | 00:19 | A few mistakes here and there make you human.
| | 00:23 | So if you've made a
presentation misstep, go easy on yourself.
| | 00:27 | A flub or two in delivery
probably won't make or break your career.
| | 00:31 | Instead, learn from your mistakes and move on.
| | 00:35 | Learning and growing from your
experience is exactly how you develop the
| | 00:39 | confidence you need to become
an effective public speaker.
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