Public Speaking Tips: Weekend Review [2010-08-14]

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

This review features topics including:

• recently released speaking books;
• another TED talk critique;
• using video in your talk;
• overcoming youth-centric stereotypes;
• moderating a panel;
• and more!

From the Six Minutes Archives

One Year Ago from Six Minutes…

• 6 Key Steps to Dip Your Toe into the Professional Speaking Pool
  Jane Atkinson reveals what you need to do to transition to be a paid speaker.

Recently on Six Minutes…

• Book Review — Boring to Bravo
  A look at the strengths and weaknesses of Kristin Arnold’s recently published book about engaging your audience.

Resources for Speakers – Public Speaking Books

Check out these recently released public speaking and communications books:

• Visual Meetings: How Graphics, Sticky Notes and Idea Mapping Can Transform Group Productivity by David Sibbet
• How to Give a Pretty Good Presentation: A Speaking Survival Guide for the Rest of Us by T. J. Walker
• Demystifying Technical Training: Partnership, Strategy, and Execution by Wendy L. Combs and Bettina M. Davis
• It's the Way You Say It: Becoming Articulate, Well-spoken, and Clear by Carol A. Fleming
• Presenting Yourself With Impact At Work by Gill Graves

Visual Aids

• Gavin Meikle debates the merits of including video clips in your talk.

Less is more is always my mantra. Ask yourself, do I really need a video clip here? Remember you are your own best visual aid and anything else should add value.

• John Zimmer critiques a fascinating TED talk by Roz Savage with a focus on when you should black out the slides to bring attention back to yourself.

Having an image that is incongruous with your words is never a good idea. At best, it will be mildly distracting; at worst, it could be confusing for some members of the audience. Besides, the audience’s main focus for any speech should be the speaker, not the slide presentation. So if in doubt, black it out!

Speaker Habits

• Denise Graveline ponders what to do when your youth undermines your credibility.

I am a 30 year-old executive at a life science company. The blessings of my Asian genes is that I look about 10 years younger, but professionally it is my number one curse. I teach seminars around the globe, speak at universities and give regular presentations before the senior management of companies. Usually the audience is in shock when I begin speaking because they thought I was the intern or assistant. How do I establish credibility in as a public speaker when my looks work so dramatically against me?

• Kathy Reiffenstein offers 5 suggestions to get the most from a presentation skills course.

Be generous in your feedback to others. By generous, I don’t necessarily mean nice, although you certainly do want to look for the positives in others’ presentations and comment on them. But equally important is the constructive feedback — pointing out to others where they could have done something more effectively and what impact that would have had on you, their audience.

[…] And best of all, if you’re generous with your feedback, others will return the favor.

• Ian Griffin shares 10 tips for moderating a panel.

Like any blood sport, a good panel discussion needs a referee. The moderator’s job is to be the voice of reason, the champion for the audience and, if necessary, the inquisitor who probes beneath the surface for compelling comments.

• Lisa Braithwaite reminds us that first impressions form before you speak.

You may think that the moment you walk onstage is the first impression your audience gets of you. However, you are onstage from the minute you arrive at the venue. In fact, you are onstage when someone is browsing your website to determine if they want to invite you to speak!