Public speaking can be a daunting task for young professionals. For some, putting themselves in a position where they may make a fool out of themselves in front of others is panic attack-inducing. Whether we like it or not, however, public speaking is an increasingly important part of our YP lives, either for work presentations, at weddings and through the abundance of public speaking opportunities offered at YP networking events.
When it comes down to it, public speaking is very much an art. The speaker is the vehicle through which the key messages are communicated; if the audience does not remember the speaker, they will not remember the message. Though an art, it is really not as difficult as one would think if some basics are kept in mind.
Know Your Audience
Do your homework – understand the audience’s perspective, backgrounds and experience. If you are not sure, take a few moments to assess once the crowd begins to filter in, with proper back up plans in place to account for slight changes. Make sure your jargon, jokes and even language are things that the audience understand. What is the best way for the audience to learn and remember the messages? If the audience is an artistic group, for example, perhaps they would appreciate more visuals than others. A more conservative group may not share the same boundary-pushing humour as you.
Key Messages
Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on the message and the audience – not the medium. What do you want the audience to take away from your presentation? Barry Kuntz, Managing Director of Black Isle Group in Toronto – a company that specializes in leadership communications and the development of public speaking skills – highlights a basic pyramid model as a guideline for effective communication. The first thing to do, he says, is to write the conclusion. He suggests thinking of the message you want the public to take away in the form of a headline of a press release or a news article, with a subtitle underneath. If the speaker states the conclusion first, no matter what happens (even if a presentation or speech needs to be cut short last minute), the key messages are being communicated. Next, include supporting messages to back up your claims: the Who, What, Where, When and Why.
Don’t Speak to the Audience, Engage with Them
To ensure key messages and ideas resonate, the job of a speaker is not to talk at the audience but engage them and make them think. The most effective public speakers mimic natural conversation and think in terms of having a natural conversation with the audience. When it comes to public speaking, it is common among YPs to get stuck in the trap of playing someone else instead of being the unique person he or she is in natural conversation. “I always find it remarkable that certain individuals can be social, engaging and stimulating in a casual-like setting at a bar or coffee shop,” said Kuntz, “yet when you do something as simple as ask them to stand up and share their story with the room, they immediately switch their demeanor.” As he points out, in everyday dialogue, we very seldom speak in complete sentences, do not use impeccable grammar and we pepper our dialogue with pauses (we vary the length to stress the importance of an idea or when we are thinking of the next thing to say). We don’t speak to commas, colons or even periods in some cases and shouldn’t just because we are speaking publicly. An individual’s own conversation style is always the most genuine and thus the most engaging.
Control Your Pace
To make the most impact, Kuntz stresses the importance of the two elements of pace: the rate of words (the normal pace at which one speaks) and the rate of ideas (to the pace at which ideas are stressed). A major challenge of public speaking is to present these ideas at a digestible pace. It is thus important to pause before and after key messages in the delivery of ideas. The first pause reveals that you are in control, thinking about what you are going to say next, are knowledgeable and command respect. The second lets the audience digest and think about what you just said. This, coupled with necessary end-of-thought eye contact, emphasizes your key message. Strategic pauses force the audience to think along with the speaker instead of trying to learn and think at the same time.
Confidence
Like anything else in our YP success, confidence is key. Remember that the audience is on your side and wants you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. Of course, to be confident, you need to know your stuff – so practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using along with a timer, allowing a cushion of time for the unexpected. It is natural to be nervous, but don’t let that take away from your confidence. Notable.ca’s Founder and Publisher, Julian Brass, is a regular speaker at events of all scopes and sizes. He says his trick is to channel all of the nerves and butterflies that he still gets every single time he speaks in public (nervous energy) into excitement and positive energy that he can share with the audience. “I tell myself that it’s only fair to share with the audience rather than keeping it all for myself,” he says. Finally, appearances matter, especially if you are going to be standing in front of a group. Confidence comes with looking your personal best. Spend time carefully selecting (and perhaps even shopping for) your outfit and wear clean and polished shoes. Wear fresh, but not overpowering, perfume or cologne and, if necessary, get a haircut or shave.