Best Public Speaking Articles: Weekly Review [2008-07-12]

Every Saturday, we survey the best public speaking articles from throughout the public speaking blogosphere. Topics featured this week include:

• telling stories versus retaining your privacy;
• utilizing a Kindle in your speaking repertoire;
• video and PowerPoint templates;
• the fine line between presentations and performances; and
• an interview with a championship speaker.

Week in Review: Public Speaking Blogosphere

Speechwriting

• Susan Trivers insists that telling personal stories is not synonymous with breaching your privacy.
• James Feudo examines the relationship between good speaking and good writing.

[…] there’s this perception that being a good speaker and a good writer are mutually exclusive. […] it’s the complete opposite – writers can make great speakers because the skills necessary to be successful in both endeavors are very similar.

Speaker Habits

• Denise Graveline reports on a novel high-tech method for speaking notes: using an Amazon Kindle. (Read more about the Kindle — a wireless reading device.)

Visual Aids

• Tom Antion examines several ways to incorporate video into presentations.

I use FREEZE FRAME video when I do my presentation skills training seminars and individual coaching. This technique consistently gets super high ratings because people can learn techniques better when they see them in action.

• John Windsor cautions against adopting lazy habits with PowerPoint templates.

If you buy that premise, then individual slide titles are virtually irrelevant. They become the equivalent of saying, “Here’s what I’m going to tell you now.” That just gets in the way of the story you’re telling and risks talking down to your audience.

Delivery Techniques

• Olivia Mitchell weighs the (positive and negative) evidence for treating presentations as performances.

I agree that for professional and highly-experienced speakers – performance is an element. But I don’t think it’s a useful concept for most business presentations.

• Lisa Braithwaite suggests adding a skit to your performance … er, presentation.

Toastmasters Articles

• James Feudo interviewed Rich Hopkins. (Rich won 3rd place in the 2006 World Championship of public speaking, and is competing in the 2008 finals in August.)

Question: What are your top three pieces of advice for people aspiring to become better speakers?

Answer:

1. Find an audience and speak!
2. Videotape yourself.
3. Find a coach – whether a group of Toastmasters, a mentor, or a paid coach.

It’s near impossible to do alone, unless you only want to become better at talking to yourself!