35 Simple Tools to Help You Become a Better Speaker

35 Public SpeakingTips to Make You a Better Speaker byAKASH KARIA, BestsellingAuthor of“How to Deliver a Great TED Talk” http://amzn.to/16bo6h0 © 2013 byAkashKaria Allrights reserved. 2 35 Simple Tools to Help You Become a Better Speaker This book is not supposed to be a comprehensive public speaking resource. It is simply a short guide that outlines some of the most fundamental concepts of public speaking. Do not expect any “new” or “breakthrough”techniques. Let me be clear - there is nothingnew inthis book. While some people mayconsider this to be a flaw, I think that it is this book’s greatest strength.After conducting hundreds of seminars and workshops and spending several thousand hours coaching CEOs, students and evenyoga teachers, I have found that most people don’t needany newtechniques. Most of the mistakes that most public speakers make are not because they lack “advanced speaking tools”, but because they have not fully mastered the fundamentals. From my work as a public speaking coach, I have discovered thirty-five things basic techniques that most speakers canbenefit from. I am confident that if you master the thirty-five techniques contained within this book, you will be better than80% ofmost speakers. If you’re ready to learn how to become a powerfully persuasive speaker, then let’s get started... 3 What is Public Speaking? I use the term“public speaking” broadly to refer to any situation where you have to speak to a group of2 or more people. Many of the techniques you will pick up in this public speaking guide can be used inmeetings, interviews andevensocial situations. WARNING: This is not a “magical guide” which will transform you into a better speaker overnight. However, the applicationof these techniques willmake youtwo times the speaker that youare today. Tip 1: Pause - Don’t Start Until You’re Ready Don’t be afraid to pause. Pausingallows youto calmdownyour nerves. Before you start your presentation or speech, take in a couple ofdeep belly-breaths to calmyourself down. Pausing allows everyone to get on the same vibration/ energy-level. Ifyou’re facing a noisy audience, wait until the room is silent and focusing on you. Don’t start speaking until you’re ready and everyone’s focused onyou. Tip 2: Get into the Right Mindset Whenyouget nervous, shift your mindset. The speech is not about you. It’s about your audience. Don’t focus on yourself, focus on your audience. Realize that youhave the opportunityto change someone’s life everytime youspeak.Youhave a message that someone inyour audience needs to hear! Once you tap into that positive, value-giving mindset, you’llfind it easier to speak without being self-conscious. Tip 3: Change the StoryYou’re TellingYourself It’s okayto be nervous. Everyone experiences butterflies before animportant event. However, scientifically, there is no difference between nervousness and excitement. It’s what you choose to labelit. Are youtellingyourself, “I’mexcited”or are youtellingyourself, “I’mnervous”? Either way, you’re right…because it’s a self-fulfillingprophecy. Tip 4: Use the Confidence Posture Ifyou’re nervous, stand inthe confidence posture. 4 What’s the confidence posture? Simply, stand withyour back straight, your shoulders held back, your chest out and your head up. Your physiology (how you stand and sit) affects how you feel, so if you want to feel confident make sure youstand ina posture that conveys confidence. Tip 5: Start Your Presentation with a Bang! Don’t start your presentation with a boring and predictable “Thank you”. Instead, start your presentationwithone ofthese proventechniques: Start with a Personal Story. Begin your presentation with a story. Stories are captivating and interesting. Start with Question to create a Knowledge Gap. Ask your audience a question. For example, if you were giving a presentation of goal setting, you might start off by asking, “What is the number one reason that most people never achieve their dreams?” The rest of your presentation would then focus on answeringthis question. Start with a Quote. Begin with a quotation that proves the main point of your speech. Using a quotationnot onlygrabs audience attention, it also adds third-partycredibilityto your speech. Start with a Shocking Statistic. Use a shocking statistic to immediately hook your audience into your speech. For example, in his TED talk, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used the following shocking statistic to grab his audience’s attention: “Sadly, in the next eighteen minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat” - Jamie Oliver Tip 6: Don’t Ever Admit You’re Nervous Don’t apologize or admit you’re nervous at the start ofa session. Don’t say, “I’msorry, I haven’t prepared…” Don’t say, “I’msorry, I’mso nervous…I’ve had a terrible day” Once you admit you’re nervous, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy…your mind and your body will act in congruence with what you say. Moreover, if you admit you’re nervous, your audience will start looking for signs ofyour nervousness - not what youwant! Tip 7: Soften Your Commands with “Let’s” Use the word “Let’s”to softenyour commands. For example, instead ofsaying“Keep quiet”, say“Let’s keep quiet”or “Let’s focus onthis please.” 5 ... - tailieumienphi.vn