Best Public Speaking Tips and Techniques: Weekend Review [2009-05-23]

On Saturdays, we survey the best public speaking articles from throughout the public speaking blogosphere.

This review features topics including:

• public speaking book review;
• six-word speech contest;
• public speaking haiku;
• podcast on the basics of public speaking;
• tips for using notes; and
• encouragement for developing better public speaking skills.

Week in Review: Six Minutes

• Book Review: You’ve Got to Be Believed to Be Heard by Bert Decker
  A review of the strengths and weaknesses of Decker’s comprehensive, general-purpose, introductory public speaking guide.

Week in Review: Public Speaking Blogosphere

Resources for Speakers

• SpeakerNet News held a contest soliciting six-word speeches. Participants were asked to capture speaking wisdom (in several categories) in just six words. Difficult? Impossible? Check out some of the winners:

Give wisdom away; it returns tenfold. (Charlie Hawkins)

Stand up, be great, sit down. (Margaret McDonald)

Speak eloquently, be funny, get paid (Doc Blakely)

Reading from PowerPoint slides brings snores. (Pamela Alexandra)

This reminds me of public speaking haiku!

Delivery Techniques

• Tim Gordon and Roger Pike discuss [13 minute MP3 podcast] what they consider the six basics of public speaking.

1. Make movement matter.
2. Stop non-essential chatter.
3. Be good with body language.
4. Get rid of your crutches.
5. Say what you mean.
6. You are there to perform, not just deliver information.

• Kathy Reiffenstein encourages (yes, encourages) you to use notes.

Practically, having notes takes the pressure off having to remember every fact, as well as the order and flow, of what you are presenting. Perceptually, having notes provides a security blanket. If you don’t need them, fine. But if you do lose your place or forget what you wanted to say, a quick look at the notes rectifies the situation.

Visual Aids

• Bert Decker repeats a common mantra, but one well worth repeating: PowerPoint slides are not your presentation.

With all the recent emphasis on the design of your PowerPoints (Keynote for the Mac), it’s time to revisit the fact that your visuals are NOT your presentation. You and your Point of View are the centerpiece. … Make no mistake that having powerful and visual support materials is critical to your impact. But it’s still your impact – it’s not a PP.

Speaker Habits

• Joey Asher underlines the purpose of improving your speaking skills: leadership.

All this talk about public speaking is for nothing if you don’t use it as a tool of leadership.  We speak because we’re trying to connect with people and move them somewhere.

So when you’re speaking, take a position and defend it.

• Lisa Braithwaite reminds us that better public speaking skills means better communication skills.

When people say “I hate public speaking,” they are considering a very narrow application.

Hating public speaking is like saying, “I hate communicating,” because public speaking skills encompass every kind of communication and interaction we use on a daily basis.