Monthly Archive for November, 2011

Twelve days.

Twelve articles.

Twelve questions answered.

Your speaking question could be one of them.

To celebrate the holiday season, we’re building on the Ask Six Minutes series to answer reader questions for twelve consecutive days. To do it, we need your help.

What’s your question?

Any topic we discuss on Six Minutes is welcome:

• speech writing
• delivery techniques
• PowerPoint and visuals
• speaker habits
• speaking books
• and more!

How can you send it in for consideration?

To have your speaking-related question answered, ask it in one of three ways:

• Add a comment to this article
• Send it in via the contact form
• Ask it on Twitter to @6minutes

Each day, one reader’s question will be selected and answered. Send in your question (or questions) now and spread the word.

The 12 Days of Ask Six Minutes

1. How Many Slides Should You Have? How Many Slides Do You Need?
2. How to Stop Saying Um, Uh, and Other Filler Words
3. How to Dress for Public Speaking
4. When is the Best Time to Distribute Handouts?
5. How to Make Reading a Speech Not Like Reading a Speech
6. How to Weave Statistics Into Your Speech
7. 9 Do’s and Taboos to Eat, Drink, and Speak
8. 3 Common Ways Speakers Sabotage Themselves
9. How to Thrive When Speaking Outside
10. Why You Must Relish Every Opportunity to Speak
11. How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech
12. Bookending Your Speech: A Master Technique

Editor’s Note: As I watched the video contained in this article, my 7-year-old daughter peered over my shoulder and proclaimed “Dad, she’s doing bad stuff.”

True, but sad, since so many speakers perpetuate these communication barrier habits. I invited the video’s creator — Stacey Hanke — to share it with Six Minutes readers, and here is her article for you.

Most individuals are unaware of the static they create when they communicate. What do I mean by static? Static is created when what you say is inconsistent with how you say it.

For example, suppose you’re having a conversation and the other person says, in a boring, monotone voice, “I’m so excited to have this opportunity to work with you.” Their facial expressions are lifeless. They never look you in the eye while they’re fidgeting with a pen. Most likely you’d question their credibility and knowledge, and not take action on what they have to say.

This article will increase your awareness of the static you are creating for your listeners, and give you practical, immediate tips to have more impact and influence.

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The holiday season is a time of renewing traditions: parties with friends, family, and colleagues; decorating the house, inside and out; and making wishlists and shopping for the items on the lists of those you love.

On Six Minutes, we have a holiday tradition too: a holiday list of gift ideas for speakers, whether that recipient is you, or someone special in your life. In this article, we list speaker gift ideas ranging from tiny stocking stuffers to more tantalizing items. Whether you are a professional speaker or whether speaking is a new hobby, there’s something for everyone.

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Six Minutes weekend reviews bring the best public speaking articles to you.

This review features topics including:

• lessons for all speakers from the Gettysburg Address;
• the importance of speech openings and speech titles;
• incorporating quotes into slides;
• conquering public speaking fear;
• and more!

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Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous, most quoted, and most recited speeches of all time. It is also one of the shortest among its peers at just 10 sentences.

In this article, we examine five key lessons which you can learn from Lincoln’s speech and apply to your own speeches.

This is the latest in a series of speech critiques here on Six Minutes.

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Six Minutes began 4 years ago.

The 10th article on this blog was a speech critique of Steve Jobs delivering the commencement address at Stanford in 2005.

To this day, it’s one of my favorite articles, because Steve Jobs was one of my favorite speakers and that address was one of my favorite speeches.

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Six Minutes weekend reviews bring the best public speaking articles to you.

This review features topics including:

• recently released speaking books;
• generating humor;
• using repetition and triggers;
• charisma;
• slide design tips;
• and more!

Continue Reading »