The Vulnerability Of Public Speaking Uh oh… your chest feels like it’s going to explode, your throat constricts and your face is burning. Strong emotions are rising and about to overwhelm your carefully constructed boundaries. Oh no, not now! Now you need to look good. You need to convey strength, confidence and above all, professionalism. Too late. A tear escapes
Imagine Your Eyes Are In Hammocks… So many people avoid making eye contact in groups, it’s almost an epidemic! Ease with making eye contact is all about relaxing. When you relax, your audience relaxes too. And relaxed people are more receptive to hearing your message. It really is in your best interest to learn how to make gentle, sustained eye
Introverts and Extroverts Have Their Own Advantages Extroverts and introverts make outrageous assumptions that public speaking is a walk in the park for extroverts. They’ve got all that confident outgoing energy, verbal gymnastics and think fast on their feet, don’t they? Not so. Extroverts may be more willing to jump up and talk in front of a group, but they
There Is A Fear And It’s Called: Microphonebia! The symptoms include sweating, a dry mouth, a blank stare and a squeaky voice. Some people regard public speaking as a fearsome pursuit – hand them a microphone and it turns into a phobia. Why does this simple metal device inspire so much horror in so many? Would it be so scary
Countdown To Your Next Relaxed Presentation I’m often asked, “What’s the best way to handle my speaking nerves when I prepare to speak?” I recommend creating a personal countdown to help you get ready emotionally, physically and mentally for the big event weeks or months in advance. Take the time to get clear about your purpose, audience and number one
After the initial euphoria of your brilliant public speaking wears off, does your mood sink lower than a snake’s belly? Do you shrink from stride to slink?
Get The Right ‘You Me’ Speaking Ratio Have you ever wondered why some people have the power to galvanise you into action? What these people get right is their use of the You Me Speaking Ratio when they communicate. Excessive use of “I” and “me” turns listeners off quick-smart. I love the joke about the actress who says: “Enough about
Yes! Those Claps Are For You That glorious moment has arrived! You have finished your speech. Oh, the relief of making it through without a major stuff up. Of course, there was that moment when you stumbled and words evaporated into a curious blankness. Hopefully your face did not betray your bewilderment… Though, you thought you glimpsed a confused look
These are the 9 great public speaking books I recommend to my clients on a regular basis. All contain useful exercises, inspiring stories and a compassion for humanity to transform a fear into a joy.
In a nutshell, pausing and slowing down is about quality of human interaction. Quality, not quantity.
