Notes on Public Speaking

In message csbruce@ccnga.uwaterloo.ca (Craig Bruce) writes:

> Okay, I'd like to know more about how to keep people interested in public
> speaking,

I presume you mean formal presentations, rather than say, telling your mates about what you've got planned for someones birthday next week...

Well, I might as well chuck in a few words here. Being a uni student, a lot of what I do involves sitting in lectures, and giving some. The main thing is variety. If you can get your audience to think for themselves, while still keeping their anonimity, then they'll enjoy (and learn) what you're telling them. Firs off, there's actual technique of the lecture. Use different mediums - don't just put up slides, or copy your notes onto a white board, or stand there talking all the time. Mix them. Use different media at the same time - for example, if you're explaining plus and minus points to a process, explain them, and summarise by writing on an OHP as you make each point. Don't just put up a slide with the points on, and go through them. Ideally, you want people to listen to you, rather than sit copying material. If they need a written copy, hand out a photocopied version later.

Next thing is to sound interested in what you're saying. There are two extremes here. One is standing in front, reading off a copy of your notes (or reading them and writing them to the board). People get very bored very quickly if you do this. The other extreme is to try and remember everything you want to say, and repeat it by rote. This is bad too. In either case, if you get lost you'l get flustered and maybe panic. Either way, it's not fun for you or the audience. The best thing is to do it 'on the hop'. Know what you want to say before hand, but don't learn it word for word. Keep a piece of paper (no more than A4 for a 30 minute talk) with your subject headings on, in case you get lost. Don't write down sentences on there - maybe the odd key word to go with each heading, as a sub heading. Hopefully, since you'll be making up the exact words as you go along, the ideas you're trying to get across will sound a whole lot more interesting - and thus, they'll understand it better.

Try to avoid going into deep numerical detail (unless you absolutely have to) in tables, charts, etc. Tell them what the chart shows and means, and give them the detail in an appendix you hand out later.

The final result you want is that you look like you're having a conversation with the audience. Move about if you can, look around the whole audience (not one poor sucker in front). If a projector is blocking your view of some, then move so that you can see them now and then. Ask questions if you wish, but treat them as rhetorical ones.

The final thing is, don't worry about being nervous. If you forget something, don't panic, just move on - they'll never know you forgot it, unless you spend 5 minutes stammering trying to remember that ONE SENTENCE you KNOW you HAVE to get in. If it really was something essential to your talk, then you can go back to it when you do remember. Ideally, a certain amount of running through (practise) before hand should help you avoid forgetting anything really important - besides, you've got a list of headings to remind you. Remember, the audience can't see your hands shaking, or that you're sweating buckets, or that you'd rather be out playing tag with a hungry tiger. As long as what you're saying is interesting (and of course it is - you wouldn't be saying it otherwise!) and it's dleivered in an interesting and varied way, they'll listen to it, and remember it.

Obviously there's lots more, such as specific body language, practical prexentation technique etc, but I won't go into it. Best to look at one of the many books out there.

HTH,

James

-- 
 'Ah drat dear, I'm just grave.'
       
                  e-mail: j.gater@zetnet.co.uk
                  www: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/~ee95jjg

I've been working on my public speaking ability for more than twenty years. I took Forensics in high school, also Spanish club. I did a lot of speeches, but I was always terrified, with a quavering voice and stilted posture.

What helped me overcome the stage fright completely was a change in attitude. My prior attitude had been one of feeling like I was being judged by the audience. I felt like they had power over me, and I was being tested by them.

After learning some anthropology, I decided that I would try another tactic. I would reverse the power structure in my mind and decide that I was the one who was in control. I was the alpha. They had to sit down quietly while I spoke, and I could do what I wished with the time that I had. I might have to go back down at the end of the talk, but while I was up there, I was dominant.

This took a great deal of what felt like arrogance to pull off. However, it worked alarmingly well. All trace of fear vanished, and I enjoyed myself tremendously. I also did a very good job.

Now I don't have stage fright at all and enjoy public speaking.

-- 
Eric Pepke
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute
Florida State University
pepke@scri.fsu.edu

Haven't read the book....

I've gone through different spells of stage fright.

The only thing that seems to help me is repetition.

Whether it was playing the piano in church, speaking at a Rainbow Girls meeting, runway modelling, speaking up in a meeting at work, teaching people in higher positions than me how to use their computers......

Repetition. Just keep muddling right on through. Missing piano keys, stuttering, turning bright red, wobbling on high heels.....

One time I even started crying because I was so frustrated and scared and embarrassed, but I kept right on, with tears streaming down my face. I'm sure they all thought I was nuts, but that was several years ago. A couple of people afterwards told me how impressed they were that I just kept on trying... huh! who woulda thunk it?

What's the thing mom used to say that drove us all nuts?

practice practice practice

dammit they were right. (don't tell them I said so!!!)

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wombn
   "An' ye harm none, do as ye will."
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**** take the "s" off the end of my email address ****

I know of two things that may help:

1. The more preparation you can do ahead of time, the more confident you'll be when you get out there. Anticipate questions that might be asked, and have an answer ready. It doesn't have to be brilliant. All you have to do to make them happy is answer their question.

2. Don't dwell on your nervousness. Concentrate on the task at hand. Remember that you will notice your nervousness much more than anyone in the audience will, so any problems with your breathing will be more noticable to you because you are watching for them, but they're not.

I know this is hard to believe, but maybe you can run a few experiments with friends and acquaintances before the big speech. Just tell them you want to do a dress rehearsal before the real thing. Ask them how nervous you seemed. You don't need to tell them how nervous you actually were. Also, nobody has to know how many dress rehearsals there actually were.

Joanne Scutero
JSctro@aol.com