Imagine you are scheduled to deliver a speech in two weeks. At first, you are excited about the opportunity. Very soon, however, a feeling of dread overwhelms you — what will your speech topic be?
Conventional wisdom says to talk about what you know, but conventional wisdom is only partially correct.
This article reveals three questions you must ask before choosing your speech topic, and how the answers lead you to great speech topics for you and your audience.
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When you hear the term “presentation design”, what do you think of?
PowerPoint? Or perhaps Keynote if you’re a Mac fan, right?
When you take the first step in designing your presentation, how do you start? I believe most people sit down in front of their computers and open their favorite slide software (slideware). Sounds good, right? Wrong.
Speech introductions are often an afterthought, hastily thrown together at the last second by someone with little knowledge of the speaker, their speech, or the value for the audience.
And yet, speech introductions are critical to the success of a speech.
While a strong speech opening is vital, nothing helps establish a speaker’s credibility more than a carefully-crafted and well-delivered introduction.
This article gives you a series of practical tips for how to introduce a speaker to position them with the best possible chance to succeed.
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This review features topics including:
Does your voice convey confidence and conviction every time you speak?
Or does your voice need strength training?
A Six Minutes reader whose career depends on a strong, confident voice sent in this question:
“One thing I need help in is voice control. For some reason my voice quivers. Is there some kind of exercise that may strengthen my vocal cords? Any ideas what may contribute to that?
Also, as a Realtor, I encounter the quivery voice as I’m talking with my clients and it conveys an impression of not being sure of what I’m saying.”
One of my favorite TED Talks is that by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the international bestseller Eat, Pray, Love. In her talk, Gilbert speaks about the fears and frustrations of those who pursue a creative life, especially during those moments of angst when the creative juices are not flowing, and offers some advice and encouragement.
It is a touching performance. Even though I have seen it numerous times – I use it as part of one of the courses that I teach on public speaking – I never tire of it. Although there is room for improvement, the positive aspects of Gilbert’s talk make it moving and memorable.
This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.
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