When you deliver a message to your audience, you are providing customer service.
Do you provide good service, or bad service? More importantly, does it matter?
Articles in category: Speaker Habits
How many times have you sat in an audience and thought to yourself: “Man, I’d like to be up there!”
Perhaps you’ve given a few presentations and you find out that you’re pretty darn good at this speaking thing. Maybe you join Toastmasters and rise to the top of your club. Some time goes by and you start thinking “I can make a living at this. Imagine getting paid to speak!”
You decide to go for it.
So what’s next?
Is this the year you become a more effective speaker?
Is this the year you conquer your fear?
Is this the year you customize every presentation for the audience who will receive it?
Is this the year you worry less about ums and ahs, and worry more about connecting with the audience?
Is this the year you realize its not the quantity of information conveyed, but the quality of how you convey it?
When scheduled to speak, you may be tempted to review your notes or slides right up to the last minute. Last minute cramming like this is rarely of any value. Instead, this article explains three much more important things you should be doing to prepare.
Continue Reading »
The opening article of the Speech Preparation Series outlined a six-step process for speech preparation.
This article focuses on the sixth step: critiquing your speech so you can learn from your strengths and weaknesses. Thus, a self-critique is really the first step in preparation for your next speech.
Have you heard this claim?
“Practicing makes me robotic. My speeches are better and more natural if I just work from my outline.”
This may be acceptable for scenarios where you don’t care about the result, but in all other cases, it’s hogwash.
The eighth in the Speech Preparation Series, this article provides practical ideas for maximizing the benefit from your practice time.
Previous articles in this Speech Analysis Series covered how to study and critique a speech, how to approach the task of evaluation, and how to use the modified sandwich technique.
This article provides a speech evaluation form and explains how it supports you in studying and evaluating speeches.
The last article of the Speech Analysis Series discussed the art of delivering evaluations.
This article discusses different ways to structure the content of a speech evaluation. The basis for this method is the sandwich technique for evaluations.
The first article of the Speech Analysis Series explained how to study and critique a speech.
In this second article, we examine how to improve your own speaking skills by teaching others in the form of speech evaluations.
You should regularly provide evaluations for other speakers — not only because it is a nice thing to do, but because the process of evaluating another speaker helps you improve your own speaking skills dramatically.
Studying other speakers is a critical skill, one of the 25 essential skills for a public speaker. The ability to analyze a speech will accelerate the growth of any speaker.
The Speech Analysis Series is a series of articles examining different aspects of presentation analysis. You will learn how to study a speech and how to deliver an effective speech evaluation. Later articles will examine Toastmasters evaluation contests and speech evaluation forms and resources.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if simply making a New Year’s resolution guaranteed success?
Lose weight. Pay off debt. Quit smoking.
Easy, right? No, not really.
Most resolutions fail because they are wishes, not goals. Often, the best way to achieve a long-term goal is to focus on the supporting habits. For example:
| Resolution | Supporting Habits |
|---|---|
| Lose weight | improve nutrition, drink water, exercise regularly, get consistent sleep |
| Pay off debt | use cash instead of credit, supplement your income, “pay yourself first” |
| Quit smoking | use “the patch”, chew gum, reduce stress, find a buddy |
By focusing on the supporting habits (and keeping the end goal in mind, of course), we put ourselves in an excellent position to succeed. The same strategy applies to all other New Year’s resolutions, including another popular one: becoming a better public speaker.
Featured Articles
Speech Critiques
- Majora Carter (TED, 2006)
Energy, Passion, Speaking Rate - Hans Rosling (TED, 2006)
6 Techniques to Present Data - J.A. Gamache (Toastmasters, 2007)
Gestures, Prop, Writing - Steve Jobs (Stanford, 2005)
Figures of speech, rule of three - Al Gore (TED, 2006)
Humor, audience interaction - Dick Hardt (OSCON, 2005)
Lessig Method of Presentation
Recommended Books
- Title
- Presentation Zen
- Author
- Garr Reynolds
- What is it About
- Bestseller which teaches presentation design. Emphasizes designing around the message rather than designing around the slides. Includes numerous full-color examples of slides, both good and bad.
- Who Should Read It
- Every speaker, particularly those who want to break free from the "Death by Powerpoint" mold.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
- Author
- Dale Carnegie
- What is it About
- Practical and plain public speaking advice. Covers a wide breadth of topics. This book contains the foundation for the Dale Carnegie speaking courses which have been completed by millions of people.
- Who Should Read It
- Novice speakers or anyone whose fear of speaking leads them to believe that they cannot excel as a speaker.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action
- Author
- Andrew Abela
- What is it About
- A comprehensive approach to planning and designing presentations focused on selling ideas and persuading your audience.
- Who Should Read It
- All presenters, particularly those who present in a business or scientific context. You will love this book if you like an interactive, workshop-style format.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Thank You For Arguing
- Author
- Jay Heinrichs
- What is it About
- Reveals a collection of time-tested tools which will make you a better speechwriter and a better speaker.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers will benefit from understanding the simple, yet not-so-obvious techniques for persuasion and persuasive speechwriting.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- The Wealthy Speaker: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business
- Author
- Jane Atkinson
- What is it About
- An insider's view of professional speaking with loads of tips and insights for positioning yourself in the industry.
- Who Should Read It
- Established speakers ready to take the next step professionally and new speakers who are curious about the possibilities.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- slide:ology
- Author
- Nancy Duarte
- What is it About
- The book on effective visual presentations from the expert whose design firm created the graphics for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth.
- Who Should Read It
- Everyone who wants a classic reference text for presentation design. You'll read this again and again.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- The Story Factor
- Author
- Annette Simmons
- What is it About
- Makes a strong case of the power of storytelling to influence and inspire, in both public speaking and business communications.
Discusses the different types of stories that every speaker must be able to tell. Weaves numerous stories through the book. - Who Should Read It
- (1) Anyone who is not yet convinced how powerful storytelling can be.
(2) Speakers looking to enhance their story repertoire. - Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Confessions of a Public Speaker
- Author
- Scott Berkun
- What is it About
- An irreverent insider's view of public speaking. You'll be both entertained and educated.
- Who Should Read It
- Any aspiring speaker who seeks honest insights about public speaking.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Clear and to The Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations
- Author
- Stephen Kosslyn
- What is it About
- Well-written book full of practical tips and techniques that can be applied immediately to design your slides more effectively.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers who want their visuals to complement and reinforce their message.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Better Beginnings: How to Capture Your Audience in 30 Seconds
- Author
- Carmen Taran
- What is it About
- One-of-a-kind! An engaging and thorough treatment for one of the most essential public speaking skills -- how to open your speech.
- Who Should Read It
- Every speaker will benefit from this book, whether you speak with visuals or off the cuff, to investors or children.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Universal Principles of Design
- Author
- William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler
- What is it About
- Elegantly written and thought-provoking. Packed with creative ideas for improving your presentations. A classic reference!
- Who Should Read It
- Speakers who want to learn from related disciplines of design, psychology, and usability, and anyone fascinated to understand the world around them.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Multimedia Learning
- Author
- Richard E. Mayer
- What is it About
- An academic review of cognitive research which provides guidelines for the design of visual presentation aids.
- Who Should Read It
- Teachers, trainers, instructors, and speaking coaches who want to understand the cognitive theory behind modern slide design.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers
- Author
- James Humes
- What is it About
- 21 chapters averaging about 10 pages each. Each chapter introduces one simple speaking technique. Historical and contemporary examples are used throughout.
- Who Should Read It
- Speakers looking to elevate their speechwriting and delivery from good to great.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Boring to Bravo
- Author
- Kristin Arnold
- What is it About
- Non-stop gems for engaging your audience and keeping your presentations alive.
- Who Should Read It
- Speakers, trainers, facilitators, coaches, and managers.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures
- Author
- Dan Roam
- What is it About
- Insightful and essential lessons for all communicators. Everyone can benefit by improving their visual thinking skills with the help of this book.
- Who Should Read It
- Smart people who want to improve their visual thinking skills.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
- Title
- Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
- Author
- Chip Heath and Dan Heath
- What is it About
- Best-selling business book delivers on its promise to show how to communicate your ideas so that they will be remembered.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers with a message that they want the audience to remember. In short, everyone.
- Book Review
- Read the Six Minutes Review of this book
