The year is fast coming to an end, which means it’s time to set goals for the New Year.
Here are five best practices of public speaking that speakers don’t always follow, but should resolve to this year:
Articles tagged: public speaking resolutions
It’s the time of year for making — and breaking — resolutions.
Whether your resolutions are health-related (exercise more), family-related (spend more quality time together), or career-related (become a more effective speaker), there’s a proven way to set yourself up to succeed — make SMART resolutions.
As you struggle to improve your public speaking skills, you have probably been frustrated.
Frustrated… by nerves that never go away.
Frustrated… by audience questions that trip you up.
Frustrated… by the process of skills improvement which is more evolutionary than revolutionary.
In this article, we learn how to end the frustration by learning to love the process. We draw five speaking lessons from an extremely unlikely source: a motivational hooping video.
Is this the year you become a more effective speaker?
Is this the year you conquer your fear?
Is this the year you customize every presentation for the audience who will receive it?
Is this the year you worry less about ums and ahs, and worry more about connecting with the audience?
Is this the year you realize its not the quantity of information conveyed, but the quality of how you convey it?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if simply making a New Year’s resolution guaranteed success?
Lose weight. Pay off debt. Quit smoking.
Easy, right? No, not really.
Most resolutions fail because they are wishes, not goals. Often, the best way to achieve a long-term goal is to focus on the supporting habits. For example:
| Resolution | Supporting Habits |
|---|---|
| Lose weight | improve nutrition, drink water, exercise regularly, get consistent sleep |
| Pay off debt | use cash instead of credit, supplement your income, “pay yourself first” |
| Quit smoking | use “the patch”, chew gum, reduce stress, find a buddy |
By focusing on the supporting habits (and keeping the end goal in mind, of course), we put ourselves in an excellent position to succeed. The same strategy applies to all other New Year’s resolutions, including another popular one: becoming a better public speaker.
Featured Articles
Speech Critiques
- Majora Carter (TED, 2006)
Energy, Passion, Speaking Rate - Hans Rosling (TED, 2006)
6 Techniques to Present Data - J.A. Gamache (Toastmasters, 2007)
Gestures, Prop, Writing - Steve Jobs (Stanford, 2005)
Figures of speech, rule of three - Al Gore (TED, 2006)
Humor, audience interaction - Dick Hardt (OSCON, 2005)
Lessig Method of Presentation
Books We Recommend
- Title
- Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action
- What is it About
- A comprehensive approach to planning and designing presentations focused on selling ideas and persuading your audience.
- Who Should Read It
- All presenters, particularly those who present in a business or scientific context. You will love this book if you like an interactive, workshop-style format.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Thank You For Arguing
- What is it About
- Reveals a collection of time-tested tools which will make you a better speechwriter and a better speaker.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers will benefit from understanding the simple, yet not-so-obvious techniques for persuasion and persuasive speechwriting.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery
- What is it About
- Bestseller which teaches presentation design. Emphasizes designing around the message rather than designing around the slides. Includes numerous full-color examples of slides, both good and bad.
- Who Should Read It
- Every speaker, particularly those who want to break free from the "Death by Powerpoint" mold.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Confessions of a Public Speaker
- What is it About
- An irreverent insider's view of public speaking. You'll be both entertained and educated.
- Who Should Read It
- Any aspiring speaker who seeks honest insights about public speaking.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- The Wealthy Speaker: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business
- What is it About
- An insider's view of professional speaking with loads of tips and insights for positioning yourself in the industry.
- Who Should Read It
- Established speakers ready to take the next step professionally and new speakers who are curious about the possibilities.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Telling Ain't Training
- What is it About
- Fantastic resource for trainers with a wealth of theoretical and practical advice. Published by the American Society for Training and Development, this is a best-seller among training professionals.
- Who Should Read It
- Everyone who trains, educates, or instructs.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve, and Inspire Your Audience to Action
- What is it About
- Non-stop gems for engaging your audience and keeping your presentations alive.
- Who Should Read It
- Speakers, trainers, facilitators, coaches, and managers.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
- What is it About
- Best book I've ever read about writing. Applicable to all genres: speech writing, fiction, non-fiction.
- Who Should Read It
- Everyone who writes, whether speeches, novels, or articles.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Clear and to The Point: 8 Psychological Principles for Compelling PowerPoint Presentations
- What is it About
- Well-written book full of practical tips and techniques that can be applied immediately to design your slides more effectively.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers who want their visuals to complement and reinforce their message.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- 101 Ways to Make Training Active
- What is it About
- Compendium of activities and strategies that trainers, presenters, and discussion leaders can use to improve audience engagement.
- Who Should Read It
- All trainers -- from those with decades of experience to novices who are creating a training course for their company or organization for the first time.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
- What is it About
- Practical and plain public speaking advice. Covers a wide breadth of topics. This book contains the foundation for the Dale Carnegie speaking courses which have been completed by millions of people.
- Who Should Read It
- Novice speakers or anyone whose fear of speaking leads them to believe that they cannot excel as a speaker.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Multimedia Learning
- What is it About
- An academic review of cognitive research which provides guidelines for the design of visual presentation aids.
- Who Should Read It
- Teachers, trainers, instructors, and speaking coaches who want to understand the cognitive theory behind modern slide design.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History's Greatest Speakers
- What is it About
- 21 chapters averaging about 10 pages each. Each chapter introduces one simple speaking technique. Historical and contemporary examples are used throughout.
- Who Should Read It
- Speakers looking to elevate their speechwriting and delivery from good to great.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences
- What is it About
- Deliciously beautiful writing and visuals. Superb treatment of audience analysis, message formation, and storytelling.
- Who Should Read It
- Every speaker should read this book... twice!
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Universal Principles of Design
- What is it About
- Elegantly written and thought-provoking. Packed with creative ideas for improving your presentations. A classic reference!
- Who Should Read It
- Speakers who want to learn from related disciplines of design, psychology, and usability, and anyone fascinated to understand the world around them.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
- What is it About
- Best-selling business book delivers on its promise to show how to communicate your ideas so that they will be remembered.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers with a message that they want the audience to remember. In short, everyone.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Presentation Patterns: Techniques for Crafting Better Presentations
- What is it About
- Covers presentation design and delivery with a focus on slide design. Organized according to patterns (i.e. building blocks), both positive and negative, which confront speakers.
- Who Should Read It
- All speakers will learn, but the pattern format will resonate particularly for technical speakers.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations
- What is it About
- The book on effective visual presentations from the expert whose design firm created the graphics for Al Gore's Oscar-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth.
- Who Should Read It
- Everyone who wants a classic reference text for presentation design. You'll read this again and again.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations With or Without Slides
- What is it About
- Packed with excellent advice, particularly on delivery skills and audience-centered presenting.
- Who Should Read It
- Everyone who wants to present more naturally and more effectively.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History
- What is it About
- Definitive speech compendium covering 233 speeches spanning the period between ancient Rome and the present-day.
- Who Should Read It
- Every speaker who wants to connect with great speeches from history.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures
- What is it About
- Insightful and essential lessons for all communicators. Everyone can benefit by improving their visual thinking skills with the help of this book.
- Who Should Read It
- Smart people who want to improve their visual thinking skills.
- Book Review
- Read our book review
- Title
- The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling
- What is it About
- Makes a strong case of the power of storytelling to influence and inspire, in both public speaking and business communications.
Discusses the different types of stories that every speaker must be able to tell. Weaves numerous stories through the book. - Who Should Read It
- (1) Anyone who is not yet convinced how powerful storytelling can be.
(2) Speakers looking to enhance their story repertoire. - Book Review
- Read our book review
