When I found out that Ms. Arnold is also the President of the National Speakers Association (NSA) for 2010-2011, I approached her to see if she would answer a few questions about the NSA.

I’m delighted to be able to share her interview with you here.

Question: How did you come to be a member of the NSA?

I had already been in business as a professional meeting facilitator and was drawn to “speaking” as a way to get the message out to people who might hire me – and I realized I could make money at it as well.

Question: Why did you eventually seek to become the NSA President?

Not sure I went looking for it, but as a strategic thinker, I was drawn to serve our members as I truly believe NSA (and many other associations) are at a strategic crossroads – where relevancy and value are of utmost importance.

Question: Can anyone become a member of the NSA? What are the qualifications? Do you have to be a United States citizen?

No, you don’t have to be a US Citizen, but you have to reside or have a business in the United States (BTW, the same holds true for CAPS, but make that Canadian – I know this to be a fact as I am married to a past CAPS President, Joe Sherren!)  You need to have made a minimum of 20 paid speeches, OR earned at least $25,000 in speaking fees in a twelve month period, OR  as a part of your salaried position, presented at least 20 times to audiences of 15 or more – all of which needs to be accomplished in the past 12 months.

[Ed: CAPS is the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.]

Question: Membership dues ($175 initiation fee + $425 first year annual membership dues) are significant. What are the specific, tangible benefits which justify these dues?

In comparison to other professional societies, our annual membership dues are quite reasonable and we are quite averse to raising dues.  We work very hard at keeping additional expenses as low as possible so our members can participate in the three things NSA delivers:  [1] Education and professional development, [2] connecting with like-minded individuals in the professional speaking community, and [3] tapping in to the research and the commitment to the profession that supports our livelihood.  All of which support our members to be able to speak more, speak better, and speak with confidence that they are the leading edge of this profession.

Some examples include:

• Attend Meetings (Convention, conferences, labs) for exceptional education and community.
• Read Speaker magazine and search Online Publications for more information about how to speak more and speak better as a professional speaker
• Listen to our audio magazine, Voices of Experience®, Log on to a webcast or webinar, Download Audio Recordings and Watch Video Recordings to learn more about the art and business of speaking
• Join Professional Emphasis Groups and Get Involved in a Special Interest Group so you can get connect with other like-minded professionals
• Explore the Global Speakers Federation so you can speak more and speak better beyond the US borders
• Update Your Online Directory Profile so meeting planners can “find a speaker”

We also have a new strategic initiative around “Commitment to the Profession” which is centered around research and pushing the latest trends and information about the speaking profession and meetings industry out to our members.
We are currently reviewing our products/services mix to ensure we are providing exceptional value to the working level professional speaker.

Question: There are 39 NSA Regional Chapters across the United States, with separate dues, services, and mandates. What do (most) regional chapters provide that the national organization does not, and vice versa?

Actually, the mandate is the same; however, each chapter is an independent entity and currently carries out their mandate as they see fit.  We are currently engaged in a robust dialogue with the chapters about strengthening our relationship to ensure a more consistent experience for our members and those new to NSA both at the National and local levels.

As the front door for people new to NSA, Chapters are best at offering local community support and mentoring.  National is best at leveraging the talent and resources within the organization so that all may benefit.

Question: I have heard that NSA members are not allowed to disclose their speaking fees publicly. Is this true? If so, why is this a forbidden practice? If not, why do you think this myth perpetuates?

NSA members can disclose their speaking fees to anyone they care to; however, in a NSA meeting, we refrain from discussing actual fees so there isn’t a perception of marketplace collusion.  So what most presenters at NSA do is to make a hypothetical allusions to a fee as an example.

Question: One statement I’ve heard many times is this: “You go to Toastmasters to learn how to speak. You go to the NSA to learn the business of speaking.” How would you assess this comparison?

True, but pretty general.  We assume you have the ability to speak in front of an audience about a topic that you are passionate about.  NSA leverages that talent and passion to extend the eloquence of your message, establish your expertise, enhance the business enterprise, while embracing our standard of ethics.  These are the four Es – our four competencies which are the cornerstone of our mission.

Question: Suppose there is a Six Minutes reader who is very curious about joining NSA, but isn’t sure she’s “ready”. What advice would you give her to know when she is ready?

Call us and we’d be delighted to chat with you.  For those who aren’t ready to take the plunge yet, we have a robust Academy program at the National level and many of our local chapters have “fast track” programs to jump start your professional speaking career.

For More Information

You can find more information here:

• National Speakers Association
• Canadian Association of Professional Speakers

Stay tuned to a future Six Minutes article for more information on speaker associations elsewhere in the world.

Similar Articles You May Like... Professional Speaker Associations Book Review: Boring to Bravo (Kristin Arnold) Book Review: Confessions of a Public Speaker (Scott Berkun) What Does Your Personal Brand Say About You as a Speaker? Book Review: The Wealthy Speaker by Jane Atkinson 6 Key Steps to Dip Your Toe into the Professional Speaking Pool

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

A dream? Not if you understand how to brand yourself as an expert, one of the steps to becoming a speaker in demand.

In this article, we tap into the wisdom of five experts from the fields of branding and public speaking. They discuss the importance of personal branding, and they offer advice about specific tools you can use to shape your personal brand.

Be the Expert

As a public speaker, you will have plenty of opportunities to speak, but your potential audiences also have plenty of other speaker options. Beyond simply having a skilled delivery, go-to speakers have developed a specific area of expertise. That expertise keeps their audiences coming back for more.

Jane Atkinson stated that the trick is to have your name become synonymous with your expertise. If people aren’t taking you by the sleeve, offering to buy you lunch just so they can pick your brain about your area of expertise, they should be.

Jane Atkinson:

In the speaking industry, it’s all about focus. You can’t be all things to all people. The best way to start building your brand is to declare your area of expertise. People need to know what they are getting from you. As people recognized my expertise, they kept asking me for my professional advice, and I thought, “Some day I’m going to charge for this advice.” I was developing my personal brand.

For Jane, especially in the speaking industry, more is not always better. Likewise, according to Nick Morgan, saying ‘yes’ to every opportunity may seem like a great way to establish more business, but it can exhaust you and dilute the potency of your personal brand.

Nick Morgan:

It wasn’t until I had the courage to say ‘no’ to some people that my brand began to take on some clarity.

The clarity Nick refers to comes from defining an overall vision and shaping our personal brands to help others see that vision the same way we do. But the vision must have a sharp focus. As an example, Aymee Buckhannon related how she found her own focus by helping others develop their personal brands.

Aymee Buckhannon:

I built a website for a life coach as a favor. Then another person saw it, then another person saw it, and the rest is history. Now I define myself confidently as a “branding strategist” and focus mainly on network marketing professionals.

Developing expertise in an area of interest to others may take years. By then, hopefully your area of expertise is something you still are passionate about. When you can align your expertise with your passion, you are well on your way to being the speaker audiences crave.

Manage Your Personal Brand

Even when you’re not behind the podium, you convey a presence to the world, be it in your one-to-one relationships or via the Internet. So, how do you make sure that the image you convey helps your speaking career instead of damaging it?

Joe Calloway wrote, “Your brand resides in the minds of your customers [...] Your brand is whoever customers think you are, whatever they think is your promise to them, and whether or not they believe that you keep that promise.”

It’s not too difficult for a presenter to replace the word “customers” in Calloway’s example with “audience” – or even “potential audiences”. Expanding your speaking opportunities means shaping your brand as a presenter, because your brand affects:

• Your ability to be hired to present.
• The types of speaking engagements you are offered.
• Your audience’s expectations.

Our experts agree that a speaker’s personal brand is as important as how well a speaker delivers a presentation. According to Joe Calloway, the two key questions are whether your brand is what you want it to be and whether you have created it by design.

Joe Calloway:

If I were to ask your clients or professional colleagues what it’s like to do business with you, whatever they say next is your brand. For me, one of the key elements of my personal brand is that Joe Calloway is “easy to do business with.” It’s very much by design and has become a key “tiebreaker” that has gotten me a ton of business over the years.

Cynthia Starks said that, for her, a personal brand is more than a choice of colors for a website or business cards. She takes a “big picture” approach to personal branding, remaining aware of how she comes across to other people in both personal interactions and in her dealings with others on the Internet.

Cynthia Starks:

I think personal branding is who you are – and that “who” comes across most fully in your personal interactions – on the ‘Net and in real life.

Are you kind? Are you willing to hear different opinions? Willing to be a resource to others? Are your online comments encouraging and supportive instead of sarcastic or cynical? These sets of behaviors are truly your “personal brand.”

Jane Atkinson echoed Cynthia’s observations about a more inclusive definition of personal branding. She cautions against losing track of your brand as a speaker.

Jane Atkinson:

People are building their personal brands, whether they’re aware of it or not, and sometimes they may unintentionally be creating a negative brand for themselves. It takes intention and focus to build an effective personal brand.

Jane suggested taking an active role in creating the brand that you want as a speaker, a sentiment shared by Aymee Buckhannon, who pointed out that when people see that you deliver what you promise through your personal brand, you increase your opportunities as a speaker and in other channels, too.

Aymee Buckhannon:

If people like to work with me for what I offer as a leader, or a branding strategist, then it won’t matter which product I carry. Meaning, if that company goes under, or if I change course, my personal brand is me, and not “enter product name here”.

Like many professional speakers, Nick Morgan is also a successful author. He said that the benefits of a well-crafted personal brand have extended beyond his speaking career to help his book sales, even in a difficult market.

Nick Morgan:

All the interviews and connecting I did when my second book came out have paid off in increased book sales. Your book will disappear without a trace unless you personally take charge of marketing it and work very, very hard.

Our experts agree that personal branding is a journey, not a destination. We must think hard about our goals as speakers and consciously develop a personal brand that we can realistically (and diligently) maintain.

Three Fundamentals to Managing Your Brand

Our experts suggest three key ways to promote your personal brand online.

1. Blog it!

Nick Morgan:

The blog is fundamental. You have to have something to say, and the blog is the place to start. Start a blog. If you don’t have a blog, you don’t have an opinion, and why should anyone pay attention to you?

Aymee Buckhannon:

You can even start your blog with a freebie. I believe content is more valuable than “aesthetics” at first. However, as you begin to work your way through the online world, you will need an upgrade and a professional look that stands out from all the “freebies”.

2. Get Your Own Website

Aymee Buckhannon:

If you do not own www.YOURNAME.com, get it now! Once you are famous or you have managed to brand yourself, whoever owns that name will profit.

Jane Atkinson:

When I updated my website, I decided that “all roads lead to the book”, meaning my website’s mission was to promote my book and provide sufficient information about it and easy links to order it.

Cynthia Starks:

The best reason for a website is that when someone says, “send me some speech samples,” you can happily say, “they’re on my website. Here’s the address.” 

3. Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Aymee Buckhannon:

The main goal of sites like Facebook and Linkedin is relationship building. Your profile should be about you and not about what you sell. People on these sites are looking for others with whom they have something in common.

Jane Atkinson:

Thanks to social media, it has never been easier to build a personal brand. We need to be careful what we post if we want to maintain a credible brand. I use Facebook for more personal touches that tend to focus on my expertise, but I give hints to my personal side, like when I got my new puppy.

Cynthia Starks:

If you’re on LinkedIn, don’t forget the group LinkEds & Writers, where I’ve discovered some wonderful fellow communicators. The Quintilian Speechwriters Group is another excellent group for both corporate and freelance writers. There, you can pick the minds of some of the best speechwriters in the business on a variety of topics related to the process and business of speechwriting.

Discover More About the Experts

• Jane Atkinson (Web | Twitter) is President of Speaker Launcher and author of The Wealthy Speaker. She coaches professional speakers, celebrities, and CEOs to help focus their careers. She has represented numerous speakers who have vaulted to the top 3% of the speaking industry.
• Aymee Buckhannon (Web | Twitter) is personal branding expert and owner of My Personal Brand. She helps her clients develop cohesive personal branding for websites, blogs, and social media.
• Joe Calloway (Web | Twitter) is a nationally known speaker and author of the best-selling business book Becoming a Category of One. He helps companies align their vision, brand, and employee engagement objectives.
• Nick Morgan (Web | Twitter) is President of the presenter coaching and message development company, Public Words, Inc., and author of Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma; and Working the Room: How to Move People to Action through Audience-Centered Speaking.
• Cynthia Starks (Web) is President of Starks Communications, LLC and is a former IBM and Fortune 500 speechwriter. Leaders in business, education, and government have delivered her speeches around the world.

Similar Articles You May Like... Book Review: Confessions of a Public Speaker (Scott Berkun) Professional Speaker Associations Interview with Kristin Arnold, National Speakers Association President Book Review: Boring to Bravo (Kristin Arnold) Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking How to Connect With Your Audience by Moving Closer

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Chaunce Stanton provides marketing communications support for the professional services industry, including architects, engineers, and scientists. For more than eight years, he has routinely helped teams develop messages and craft polished presentations for multimillion-dollar projects. Chaunce is an enthusiastic member of Toastmasters International in St. Paul, Minnesota’s Metropolitan Chapter.

As reported earlier, LaShunda was one of 10 finalists to compete in the world championship speech contest.

One of my colleagues noted that “she delivered the best speech I’ve ever heard — a speech that moved my soul.”

I am honored that LaShunda made the time to answer several questions about her victory, her speaking career, and her remarkable life story. I am delighted to share this inspirational interview with you.

Six Minutes Interview with LaShunda Rundles

Question: How did you develop a passion for public speaking?

My passion for public speaking began as the youngest in a family of achievers. We all looked for our time to shine. My parents were both educators and rewarded participation in extra curricular activities.

My mother was a teacher and majored in English. She loved poetry and often used recitation as punishment for us. We would have to memorize pieces and learn to effectively interpret the meaning and deliver it to her satisfaction to get off the hook.

I enjoyed singing in the choir and being in church so much as the daughter and granddaughter of ministers, speaking was just something that came naturally.

Question: Several titles are now associated with your name: “World Champion of Public Speaking 2008″, “first woman to win since 1986″, “first African American woman to ever win”. Describe what these accolades mean to you.

The titles are all wonderful. I am proud to represent women, the African American community, and people with disabilities.

However, my favorite title is Dennis’ mom. When he was proud of me, it made all the difference in the world to me. I just want him to know that with hard work and dedication your rewards will come.

If these titles are anything, it is just a testimony of being brave enough to follow your dream. I believe in our life being a legacy. To know at this point that I have done something to leave a lasting name for me on this earth is a breathtaking thought. The individual lives that I have touched are something that I treasure much more than a title. I just want people to be hopeful and I just want life to be happy.

Question: What was the core message in your championship speech? What prompted you to choose this theme?

The theme of my speech was to speak up. People sit in silence so much afraid to express themselves and it often diminishes the quality of their lives and those that they love. The fear people have has to be overcome and the purpose has to be the passion.

I chose this theme because growing up, I saw so many people abused because of their silence. I witnessed people be broken because they would not speak in their own defense. Most painfully, I watched my mother die from cancer. When she began to finally complain, it was too late. I am sure that she had symptoms long before she revealed it to us. She was the kind of person who would grin and bear it. She was so giving that she didn’t ever want to feel like she was imposing on anyone. I believe that her silence allowed the cancer to take [her] life because it was about one month from her diagnosis until her death.

In addition, what I learned from her is that our words make a lasting impression on this earth. Her words still live in me and the values she instilled in me live in me and will live on through my son.

I believe that my victory also shows something else that I believe. I believe that when you can take self out of something and uplift others, you will often be lifted in the process of lifting others. My father passed away when I was very small and my mother worked hard to raise us. I want her to know even in heaven that I appreciate her direction and her unconditional love.

Question: Having gone through six separate speech contests this year, what lessons have you learned from competitive speaking?

The thing I learned most from competitive speaking is that you have to stay genuine.

As you advance you have all of these new people in your life. Some of them do not have your best interests at heart.

I learned so much about defining human emotions and seeing what does and doesn’t work. Through evaluations, I learned so much about writing and really listening.

I also learned about putting filters in place. I actually had someone evaluate me and slam my gestures, my voice, my enunciation, and me referencing my ethnicity. After the tears dried up, I realized that some people just have evil intentions. Your speech can be perfect and some people will find something wrong just to have something to say. I decided to follow my heart and I knew that even if I lost, I was true to what I had to say. Needless to say, my heart won.

I encourage all speakers to really grip this concept. What is right is right. It may not always win but we don’t always speak to win, we should speak to change lives even if it is just one. Hopefully that one may be a judge, but if not, it will still be okay.

Question: What personal goal did you set when you entered the speech contest this year? Were you aiming for the World Championship, or did you have a different goal?

People have asked me if I started out with winning the championship in mind. In reality, after almost losing my life, I set out to fulfill my part of a promise to God. When He brought me from 90 pounds and a feeding tube back to walking around and caring for my son, I knew I had to acknowledge His power.

In addition, my club had such faith in me and supported me so much while I was in the hospital, I wanted to make them proud. I have the most awesome club and I love them. They are my family. They let me talk about what was going on in my life and I drew so much strength from it, I couldn’t help but try for them.

So it never was about me from the beginning, it was about the collective efforts of all the people who said you belong on this earth and talked me into believing it. I feel that those were the words that gave me the power to fight. So when despair came up against the words of the Town North Trendsetters, there was no contest. My club won, hands down! Recently, they changed our flyers to say “Home Club of LaShunda Rundles…” In my heart I know that TNT is not only my home club, it’s my home.

Question: You are a lupus survivor, and I’ve read that you hope to become the national spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America. What would it mean to you to be able to accomplish this?

People who do not understand lupus do not have an idea of what I deal with each day. There are thousands of people living in pain daily.

I want to raise money, awareness, and understanding. I don’t want people to live with the shame that I did for many years wanting to hide it. My skin is not flawless, my scars are many, but my resolve is unbreakable. I want to bring hope to the lives of those that know what it is really like to have a “good” day. As the awareness grows the quality of life for many people will mean many more “good” days and better yet restful nights. In a world of limited resources we have to fight for our piece of the pie.

I lost a friend of mine who was 28 and died blind and in a wheelchair with lupus. If I can help prevent things like that through my voice, it would be a blessing and an honor.

Question: What other goals have you set for your speaking career?

For the long term, I just want to speak and sing to maintain a happy life. I don’t have any visions of grandeur other than to be able to travel and share as much time with my son as I can. I have several projects in the works both written and musically. I want to continue to help people live their best lives and to uplift the kingdom of God. I want to stay as healthy as possible and hope the doctors can advance research to make my life meaningful and long.

Then if I could have my ultimate goal, I can take over for Oprah when she decided to retire. I love the giving spirit in her heart and I believe without a doubt that is why she has been so successful.

I will have to live life in moderation because most people do not realize that I have days that I cannot walk. I still have periods of time when I cannot tolerate food and when the pain brings me to my knees. However, I am the World Champion of Public Speaking and no one can tell me that I didn’t do the work because I did. I believe that it was my destiny and I want to be a beacon of light to everyone who is not perfect. Your destiny is still your destiny. I am living my dream.

Question: Studying other speakers and developing self-awareness are necessary to grow as a speaker. What do you consider your greatest strengths as a speaker? How about weaknesses: what speaking skills or habits are you currently striving to improve?

My greatest strength as a speaker is the ability to stay truthful. I find my message and I let my words guide me from there. Also, I don’t try to become too staged. I work to have a conversation with the audience not a one-act play. I love to make eye contact looking for that one person who needed to hear me that day. I like to make the connection with my audience and laugh with them.

My weakness is timing. I always have so much to say. I am still learning that sometimes fewer words can still bring the necessary message. I guess that comes from growing up listening to ministers all the time. Unfortunately, they didn’t have timing lights in church. It may not be a bad idea though.

Question: What other advice can you give to Six Minutes readers who are striving to become more confident and effective speakers?

To become a better speaker I encourage people to just practice, practice, practice. You have to get comfortable in your own skin.

Also, be open to feedback. I believe that being able to expose yourself to a variety of settings for feedback assures the universal appeal of your message. Assemble a group of honest coaches who will tell you without the sugar coating what works. Don’t be so resolute that you cannot accept honest and reasonable criticisms. After all you are not talking to yourself, but if you don’t have enough care to consider the audience, you will be very soon.

Resources related to LaShunda Rundles

• Learning about Lupus:
  • Lupus Foundation of America
  • Lupus books and other resources
• FOX News video: Local Woman Crowned Champion Speaker
• Toastmasters International
  • Announcement of LaShunda’s victory
  • List of World Champions of Public Speaking

Has LaShunda Touched You?

If you experienced LaShunda’s winning speech at the World Championship contest, or if you have a message for LaShunda, please share your thoughts with others.

Similar Articles You May Like... The Olympics of Oratory: World Championship of Public Speaking Lessons I Learned from Toastmasters Speech Contests Speech Preparation #10: Prepare to Win a Toastmasters Speech Contest Speech Analysis #5: Toastmasters Evaluation Contests Toastmasters Speech 6: Vocal Variety Toastmasters Testimonials: 85 Years of Better Speakers

Have a Question? Contact me anytime, or find me on Twitter: @6minutes

Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.

slide:ology is the product of Nancy Duarte and her design team at Duarte Design (the firm who designed visuals for Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth).

I admire Nancy’s creative approach to business (check out the “organization” tab on the Duarte site) as much as the expertise she shares in slide:ology (the book) and slide:ology (the blog).

For these reasons, I’m delighted to feature Nancy in the first of an exciting new series here on Six Minutes: interviews revealing insights from fascinating individuals in and around the speaking industry.

Six Minutes Interview with Nancy Duarte

Question: You revealed that the verbs which you most identify with your life’s mission are “conquer and liberate.” How do these verbs connect with your goals in writing this book or with your plans for Duarte Design?

When I set out to write the book two years ago, it was like a burning passion inside me. It was difficult to explain why I felt an urgency to write the book… but I did. My family was supportive and let me write (conquer) in the evenings and weekends.

It’s a well known fact that presentations are incredibly ineffective. We can keep complaining about the putrid output or stand up and say “enough”.  I got tired of people blaming the tool and not owning the responsibility for the really bad presentations getting delivered every day. I knew that compiling years of experience could raise a new standard. The current way we use slides inhibits our ability to communicate effectively. All this is happening during an era when we have the most exciting innovation in all of history. I want those stories told well and indelibly.

I used to feel guilty about my verbs. When the verbs are combined, it makes me sound like I spend my weekends pillaging or something. I’m actually very caring about my clients and staff. At Duarte the verbs manifest in the culture and structures I put into place. I work hard at creating an environment where creative people feel supported and safe (liberated, per se).

Question: Consider a traditional organization still stuck with the Death by PowerPoint status quo. How would you recommend changing the environment so that higher presentation standards can flourish?

One of the most popular questions I’m asked is around this topic. Corporate citizens are afraid to be different and afraid to put a new stake in the ground and be different. People don’t know if they’ll be able to buck the collective system and still have a job the next day. Corporate-wide change is tough to tackle and can seem daunting. But the most important first step is to address your own presentation communication issues. Work hard on your content development and communication skills. If you can have the guts to change yourself and stand out among your peers, others will follow.

Question: I shared your preparation time estimates (36-90 hours for a 30-slide presentation) with one of my co-workers. His reaction was disbelief: “What? I don’t know anyone who has that kind of time.” What would you say to him?

Many of the principles in the book can improve many of the common run-of-the-mill presentations that people give internally every day. Your friend can apply these principles relatively easily to his next presentation, still spend the same amount of time he usually does and he will have a much better presentation than before reading slide:ology. But I guarantee that if he was gunning to win a one hundred MILLION dollar project or give the keynote address at an event with 15,000 people attending he’d kick in some hours. It’s all relative to how high the stakes are. Low stakes, low effort. High stakes, high effort. The farther folks work their way up the corporate ladder, the more care and planning needs to go into their communication and presentations. The time estimation in the book was a guide for when the communications are critical, not when they are common.

Question: One of the themes present throughout slide:ology is that of continuous refinement toward an end goal. (e.g. from idea to sketch to final image) The same process of gradual improvement over time holds true for speaking skills. As a speaker, what is one skill that you are currently working to improve?

There are two development areas I’m hyper conscious of right now. First, my gestures feel HUGE to me but are pretty wimpy. When on stage it feels like I’m as flamboyant as Dolly but in reality I’m pretty closed in. The other area I’m working on is relaxing my freakin’ forehead. When I am thinking through something, the muscles between my eyebrows contract creating a huge crevice and I look angry. My kids call it my butt head. It’s gotta go!

Question: As a final bonus for Six Minutes readers, can you share a public speaking tip that isn’t related to visual presentation skills? Perhaps a favorite delivery technique or tactic for rehearsing?

I still use 3×5 cards to practice my material. Once the content is final and slides are designed I rehearse the content using index cards. After the first run through, whatever points I miss get jotted onto a 3×5 card. I run through the presentation over and over until I don’t have any more cards in my hands and can still make all my points.  There are still times when I bring the cards with me though just in case.

Other Interviews With and Articles About Nancy Duarte

These are definitely worth listening to and reading.

In particular, the two VizThink.com podcasts below contain a great snapshot of the content in slide:ology. If you are still debating getting a copy for yourself, these two podcasts will convince you.

VizThink.com podcast — August 25, 2008

I think we’re just steeped in a culture that’s used to really crappy presentations. People that stand out spend an enormous amount of time on their presentations. I think that it becomes status quo to put out crappy slides, and when people see it well done, they’re shocked. If people want to get ahead in their career and they really want to stand out, they’ll make the kind of investment they need to make.

VizThink.com podcast — June 18, 2008

I really feel like presentation [software tools] are very powerful, compelling and emotion tools if they’re used well. We should be using them to harness our stories, instead of using them as a filter to ruin them.

The Duarte Manifesto podcast — July 27, 2008

Designing the Perfect Presentation: The design firm behind Al Gore’s Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth offers insights on improving a presentation — Carmine Gallo, BusinessWeek.com, April 10, 2007

Start with a Sketch

One Theme, One Slide

Crunch the Data First

Create a Narrative

Maintain a Visual-Verbal Balance

Practice Design, Not Decoration

Extend the Presentation Beyond the Moment

Duarte Design helps Al Gore “go visual” — Presentation Zen, June 1, 2006

We had been working closely with him on his presentation for a while before the concept of a movie was proposed. He would call us with ideas and take us in a direction. Once we’d identified stories or images and had them animated, he would come in for a review. He was brilliant, charming and affirming.

An Interview with Nancy Duarte — Indezine, August 19, 2008

Stories can break the dullard spell that slides have. They also create a more human connection with the presenter. But if the presenter hasn’t worked at creating a strong visual story, audiences can still become frustrated when the presenter uses their slides as a teleprompter. Including stories is a good first step but many presenters aren’t able to take the time required to deliver a presentation without slides-as-crutch.

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Andrew Dlugan is the editor and founder of Six Minutes. He teaches courses, leads seminars, coaches speakers, and strives to avoid Suicide by PowerPoint. He is an award-winning public speaker and speech evaluator. Andrew is a father and husband who resides in British Columbia, Canada.