Public Speaking Tips: Weekend Review #85

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

This review features topics including:

• introducing a speaker;
• PowerPoint design philosophy;
• 5 powerful ways to start a presentation;
• controlling your energy zappers;
• handling speaking fear;
• and more!

From the Six Minutes Archives

One Year Ago from Six Minutes…

• Toastmasters Testimonials: 85 Years of Better Speakers
  Readers spoke up to talk about the difference Toastmasters has made in their life.

Recently on Six Minutes…

• How to Introduce a Speaker: 16 Essential Tips for Success
  Learn how to create momentum for a speaker with a carefully-crafted and well-delivered introduction.
  • [Lisa Braithwaite adds a 17th tip: Don’t introduce someone 20 minutes early.]
• Stop, Prepare, THEN PowerPoint
  Jon Thomas urges us to begin designing our presentations outside of PowerPoint.

Speechwriting

• Garr Reynolds gives 5 ways to start your presentation.

Conveniently, at least five proven ways to begin a talk form the acronym PUNCH. Some of the best openings include content which is Personal, Unexpected, Novel, Challenging, or Humorous.

Delivery Techniques

• John Kinde cautions against factors which can kill your energy.

Lack of good eye contact is an energy zapper.  Great eye contact gives you a presence and a connection with the audience that is critical to your success.  Great eye contact completes the conversation loop.  A speech is never a monologue.  It’s always a two-way conversation.  The feedback you receive from the audience works to energize you.  Lack of eye contact drains energy from your presentation.

PowerPoint and Visuals

• Jan Schultink suggests how to handle two charts on a single slide.

When it comes to comparing breakdowns on multiple dimensions though, the column chart cannot be beaten.

Speaker Habits

• Jim Anderson addresses how to handle fear of speaking.

To feel fear when you think about standing in front of a group of people and speaking to them is very natural. However, it’s one of the things in life that has to be done and so you need to find ways to overcome your fear.

Much of what you can do to conquer your fear can be done long before it comes time for you to speak. Memorizing parts of your speech, creating a cheat sheet, and making sure that you show up early will all help you to remain in control of your fears.

• John Zimmer talks about the importance of first impressions.

Walk confidently when called to the stage. Confidence is contagious. If you shuffle up  and look at the floor, you send the wrong signal to the audience. Keep your head up, your shoulders back and walk with purpose to shake the hand of the person who has just introduced you.

• Michael Hyatt describes the 10 psychological stages of public speaking.

Enthusiasm

Curiosity

Creativity

Panic

Despair

Confidence

Flow

Satisfaction

Depletion

Perspective