The Aussie Speaking Guy

Great presenters are always prepared and are fastidious about the details and they leave nothing to chance. They dot the ‘I’s’ and cross the ‘t’s’ as it were. They have an absolute commitment to excellence. One of the greatest hindrances to excellent presentations is the person delivering is just not prepared. I’ve witnessed countless presentations where the speaker was just not prepared and I really felt for him, in fact I wish I had a lever to a trap-door that I could open up and save him from the shame and his lack of preparation.

Throughout Step Up and Speak I teach you a host of ways to prepare so you can assemble your information in a logical flow as well as methods to practise your presentation so you’ll never have to stand there looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

For now though, let me tell you how you can begin to prepare yourself for your next presentation.

1) When you think, read or see something that is relevant, you must record it (written or otherwise) …which I’ll talk about in detail later in the course, the next thing you must do to prepare is to ‘ponder it’. What do I mean by ‘ponder it’? Well, if all you did to delivery your next presentation was to pick up a magazine on your chosen subject to read it to the audience, and that was your whole presentation, just reading from a magazine…it would be missing the one critical ingredient…YOU!…It would be missing YOU, your convictions, your opinions and your beliefs. When you add those elements to your talk, you are adding a human factor to the information.

When you ponder, think over, contemplate…what this means to me and my audience, then that is part of your preparation.  Your mind is like a gold mine of information and life experiences and it’s just waiting dormant for you to come along to bring them to the surface to add value to you and your listeners.

2) Practise, Practise, Practise – If you want to become a GREAT speaker, you must learn to practise…correctly. Talk to any great athlete or sports-star and what do they have in common? They practice for hours a day so when they step up to the plate as it were, they are ready…emotionally, mentally and physically. After preparing your talk, you’ll want to take it with you wherever you go and practice out loud.

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Developing your own personality is important when presenting. You never want to copy Tony Robbins, Brain Tracy or other great speakers; if you do, you’ll always just be a copy. Take elements that work from those guys and make them your own; give them a unique twist.

Get the latest Flash Player to see this player.

Beware of the dreaded ‘Two-Worded Rhetorical Question” when presenting as this can detract from your message. Watch the video below for an example.

If you’re a CEO, a director, a manager or a team leader, it’s likely you have your own staff that you assign tasks to do throughout their workday. By assigning tasks, you of course create leverage that enables you to get more done throughout your day.

However, when creating, outlining and practicing your presentation and talks, you do not have the luxury of assigning this to anyone but yourself. Nobody knows your subject like you…but you. Nobody knows your style…but you.  And nobody can practice your presentation…but you! Yes, practice is the absolute essential element to whether you will ultimately succeed or fail.  I know; strong words…but here’s the point I want to make.

All the way through ‘Step Up & Speak’ I teach you: how to prepare your material, develop your voice, speak with feeling, use gestures, influence with words and a host of other techniques and strategies, but all this is meaningless without a critical element…practice!

Yes, practice is where the rubber meets the road. It’s the difference between feeling confident on the day of your presentation and your knee’s knocking together with total fear.

Throughout my time of giving talks and presentations, I know within myself that there has been times when I was more prepared than other times. To a great extent that preparation was not so much the material itself, (the outline was great) but it’s not practicing enough before delivering it.

And as a result, I felt like my audience could tell that I felt awkward and self-conscious. If you’ve delivered presentations in the past, you’d be able to relate to this. If you haven’t done any presenting and public speaking…then take the warning seriously to practice well, so you never have to experience that horrible feeling. And there’s a few ways to practice correctly so you’ll feel the most equipped and confident for delivering your presentation.

What’s another reason for practicing correctly before your presentation?

Well, as you well know, public speaking is supposed to be people’s number one fear…even exceeding death as a fear. Crazy isn’t it? However when you know how to practice correctly; to the point where you know your material inside and out, then much of this fear will be manageable. (I’ve also provide you with a whole session on fear and stage fright for you to go through which has ways to control your fear and redirect it’s affect into something positive.

Working with speakers, I’ve found they make some mistakes when it comes to practicing their presentation. I have known speakers in the past who prepared their information in a logical flow, but who then practice the talk in their mind and never utter a single word out loud until they actually give the speech itself. I don’t know why or how they do it!

Let me tell you that it you do this or were planning to do this. Don’t do it! It’s an extremely dangerous way to practice. Why? Because the connection between the our mouth and our brain is often a lose one, and what we say in our heads can be different to what comes out of our mouth.

Just one suggestion for practice is to use what is known as N.E.T time. This stands for ‘No Extra Time’. Think of the time you spend, getting ready for work, shaving, showing, driving in the car. This is all time that should be used for practice. In Step Up and Speak, I teach you exactly how to do this.

Remember to practice, practice, practice. Your audience will thank you for it!

One of the greatest challenges new and even not-so-new speakers and presenters face when preparing a speech, is ‘where to start’.

They become so overwhelmed at the thought of presenting that all logical and creative thought goes out the window. New public speakers become overwhelmed, the fear kicks into high gear and all creativity is lost and they suffer from ‘information overload’. If you are new to the world of public speaking and presenting,
I hope that this will give you some ideas on what to add to your talk outline.

Whenever I’m preparing a new presentation whether a keynote or a workshop I ask myself
‘three important questions’ to insure that the information I’m using is of value to my listener.

So here’s the questions:

1. Why is this chunk of material important to my audience?

(Think about that carefully…it might think it’s important to you, but what about your audience? Is it important to them?)

2. What is my objective in sharing this material with my audience?

(In other words, what you trying to achieve by sharing this nugget of information? Is it to motivate…is it to raise their interest…are you wanting to provide practical guidance? Whatever it is, think about your objective before you add it to your outline.

3. What’s in it for them?

This is very important. Keep these 3 questions with you when you are preparing your outline. There’s an old story about a radio station that everyone tunes into called, WIIFM which stands for, ‘What’s In It For Me?’ Everyone listening to your presentation will be asking that question…sub-consciously.( ‘What’s In It For Me?’) So by keeping those questions in mind, it’ll help you keep on track to making your presentation about your audience and not about you.

Another point to keep in mind is to identify your main points.

You may have collected a ton of information but look carefully to what would be of the most value to your audience and don’t settle for general information but be more specific about what you’re saying.

Sift through your material like a gold miner searching for gold and identify the main points that you need to discuss in order to develop and achieve your objectives.

Follow these basic rules and I’ll ensure that the information you’re delivering is valuable.

Keeping your message positive and constructive is one of the most important aspects of speaking if you are going to keep rapport and a connection with your audience. This is especially true if you are a person in authority such as a manager, team leader or a CEO.

When you open your mouth to speak, you have a responsibility to your listener to what you say…for what you say as well as how you say it will ultimately affect how your staff will act in response.

There are times when you will have to deliver tough news to your team and staff, so careful development will be critical if you are to stay connected to them. There is nothing more de-motivating for staff members to hear a person in authority tell them how bad they are performing and that if things don’t improve…heads will roll.

You never want to deliver a message from the standpoint of complaint and grievance.

Here’s what I mean:  have you ever been speaking to someone (one-on-one) in a conversation and you walk away and you think, “Boy that person is exhausting!”

They complain about everything…they’re job; they’re kids; the traffic…the weather…anything!
It may be that, that person is quite negative and as a result you feel anything but encouraged…if fact, you just feel worn down. You see, in the world where most people have a negative outlook on life, as leaders we need to be vigilant that we don’t adopt that mentality, especially if we want to be a source of encouragement and inspiration to someone else.

As leaders, we need to be different…

I heard this great passage some time ago about people’s problems:

It says, “If every person who complained about their problem could come from all corners of the earth and take and pile their problems in a heap; and if each person could see the size and gravity of the problems of others, they would sneak forward shame faced idly and take their petty problems away and creep into the night.”

We can’t understand the magnitude of other people’s problems. Some people just love to complain for complaining sake…they play victims all the time; others have big challenges in their life so we need to be sensitive so as not to crush their spirit.

Try something with me for a moment:

Think back to the talks and speakers you have enjoyed in the past. Perhaps it was a recorded seminar on CD or a live seminar you attended. What was it about their talk that you enjoyed? Wasn’t it that they were encouraging and motivating and that their tone was positive?

I mean, none of us would say, “Wow, this guys amazing…his insight is remarkable” The way he vividly talks about the problems in our workplace is incredible!” NO…it’s the parts that give us hope and optimism about our life and work which provide the fuel of motivation.

As a speaker and a person in authority, you need to have empathy and understand that people are sometimes worn down in their lives.

You don’t have to share in their problems, but by being empathic, you’ll stay connected and your listeners will know that you care about their outcome. You also don’t want to be disgruntled and frustrated otherwise anything you say will be defended.

How do you talk about problems that have arisen in your organization?

Here are three points to keep in mind…The first point to remember is this…

1) Limit the time talking about the problem:

A few years ago, my beautiful wife Livia and I conducted marriage coaching. We used a therapy model called, “Solution Orientated Brief Therapy”. In short, it’s about limiting the time talking about the problem and discussing the times when things did work well within a person’s marriage. This kept the tone more positive as couples got to examine what worked and what didn’t.

When we’d find something that was working well within the relationship, we focused our attention on that and discussed what actions resulted from that situation. To cut a long story short, we focused on what they were doing right and how they can keep it going. This made the couples feel more successful and came to appreciate that they weren’t failures.

The bottom line is this… if you inundate your audience with negative information about how bad it is this will not motivate your audience to action…they will feel heavy hearted and feel what they do just doesn’t matter. You must limit talking about the problem and focus on a solution that will ultimately benefit them.

Never talk about how the solution will improve your personal income and enable you to archive your personal goals… people only care about that old radio station… WIIFM or “What’s in it for me”. When you speak, people want to know, “What’s in it for me”. And for everyone, it’s different.

Not everyone is motivated by money, some are motivated by recognition. Talk to your team and find out what motivates them.

So, limit your time talking about the problem and focus on the gain. There is a challenge to present a balance of positive and negative but ultimately you want your listener to be inspired to action.

2) The second point to keep in mind is be empathetic:

Walking in other people’s shoes can enable you to know what you’re staff are going through. If you’re a person in authority, talk about experiences that were tough for you that you were able to overcome.

Sometimes your listener can think that you are above problems because of your position, so being just a little vulnerable can show that you are human. Just make sure it’s appropriate for the situation you’re in. Another vital point to remember is to thank your staff for the things they do right. Identify specifics, notice those and thank them for it. Thank you are powerful words when they are meant.

3) Speak about actions that improve the situation:

After discussing the problem in brief, talk about what you do want rather than what you don’t want. As human beings, we are professionals at identifying what we don’t want. However, when you talk about what you don’t want, it seems to be magnified.

Give people a list of things they can do to make a difference. Be specific and people will be clearer about what they have to do. By giving them realistic goals, you keep your team motivated and prevent them from becoming discouraged by not being able to achieve what’s set before them.

So, remember those three points, 1) Limit the time you have to talk about the problem, 2) Be empathetic 3) Speak about things that will improve the situation. If you follow these guidelines, then you’ll be in a better position of respect.

As speakers and presenters we want to be aware of our habits. Speech habits can distract your audience and detract from your message. Watch this video to get some tips on being aware of your habits.

Whenever I conduct workshops, I create an environment that is conducive to support and encouragement.

Going to good to great is a process in which we accept constructive criticism.

Well known speaker Patricia Fripp emphasized that to grow as a good speaker you need to be open to nit-picking suggestions.  By itself, a suggestion focusing on one of the fine points of delivery may be small and may seem insignificant, but added with other tiny suggestions, the end
result can be huge.

The horse that receives three times the money for winning by a nose.  The golfer who wins by just one putt, receives double the prize money.  The sales person who wins the contract gets all the money.  The speaker who is just a little bit better may be the only one who is offered the chance to speak. These common examples serve as reminders of how small things make a big difference when we’re considering competitive advantage.

I must admit when I first began speaking I hated feedback as I always took it personally. I especially hated criticism from people who were a worst speaker than I was. The key for the speaker is to do more than thrive on feedback.  The speaker must seek out feedback.  And internalize feedback.  Mastery is about the little things. It’s about practicing the fundamentals until they become a part of you.

Resolve now that you will accept feedback no matter what and take it one board as a spring board to constant and never-ending improvement.

Feedback sometimes feels repetitive.  Suggestions nag at us. That’s because old habits are hard to beat.  We need to understand that feedback is our key to growth.  The better we become, the more refined and “picky” that feedback needs to be.

The feedback is not the thorn, it’s the rose, a gift.  It’s a building block to greatness.  It prevents you from stagnating at the level of a good performer.  It will put you a step ahead of your competition.

As a speaker, that tiny suggestion may be just the edge you need to make a difference in people’s lives.  Or that minor tweak might be what makes your speech memorable.  Or that tiny “criticism” may make a difference in your bank account.

Learn to ask for feedback on the tiny things that can sharpen your talk. Not only demand the nit-picky suggestions…expect them.

Always be open to new perspectives.  Then be ready to take your speaking to the next level.

Right through the centuries, people such as the Romans and the Greeks used locations like the colosseum and amphitheatres to deliver their message as they were designed acoustically that they didn’t need the used of a sound system and microphone. However, these days speaking in the modern arena of hotels and function rooms it’s a little different with microphones and sound systems.

You must make it easy for people to listen. You may prepare well, know your material and deliver it well, but if you don’t use the microphone correctly then all that hard work will be in vain.

So this short video is to ensure that you don’t make this mistake. When new speakers start in the field of presenting, it can feel like someone who drives a stick shift car for the first time. Remember when you learnt to drive…you felt like to had alot to think about.

You’d have one foot on the accelerator another foot on the clutch, changing gears, plus you had to think about the brake all at the same time. And at first it can feel a little overwhelming.

I’ve seen new speakers do this before. If they are in a position where they are given a hand-held microphone in which to speak, they can forget where they are and the microphone can go all over the place causing the sound to be to erratic. They put the microphone down here…over here…anywhere were it should go.

If you are not conscious on it, this can happen and detract from your message.

Let’s briefly talk about three different types of microphones.

Lavaliere microphones or sometime called lapel microphones are generally attached to the speakers clothing. These can be great as long as the equipment is good quality and the batteries in the transmitter are fresh as these microphones are generally cordless.

There is nothing more distracting then a microphone cutting in and out as the speaker is delivering his presentation. (It’s a distraction to the speaker as well as the audience) So, be sure if you are using one of these that it’s tested before the presentation.

The next type is the hand-held…

Hand-held microphones come in both corded and cordless variety. How you position these microphones is very important. Even though these microphones are generally omni-directional (meaning it can pick up sound from around it)
The general rule of thumb is to keep the microphone about 4-6 inches away from your mouth. If it’s too close then your words become distorted and any words containing the letter ‘P’ begin to pop. Use a little more volume than you would be normal conversation but be sure to regulate you volume by listening to how you sound.

The way you hold the microphone is also important. By keeping your elbow fix against you, it will enable you to remain constant with how you sound…this is very important.

Another point to keep in mind is if you need to clear your throat, cough or sneeze, be sure to turn away from the microphone and the audience to do so. Not only does a cough and sneeze sound terrible through a sound system, but nobody else will want to use a microphone covered with your splatter.

And thirdly…using a lectern. If you are using a lectern or a stand from which to deliver your presentation be sure that the same rule applies as the hand-held…around 6 inches is a good distance. But once again you are best to test the equipment before.

Some of these microphones attached to lecterns can be very poor quality so you may have to vary the distance and get the sound guy to adjust the sound accordingly.

Another point to keep in mind when using a lectern in the height of the microphone. You never want the microphone to obstruct the view of you… you want to have it at such a level the audience doesn’t notice it.

These are the 3 main types of microphones. There are others, but these are the main ones.

Let’s briefly talk about your sound system.

With a serious talk, they can miss the occasional word and still get the understanding of your message.

If you decide to use humorous material in your presentation, be sure that the volume is turned up and you ultimately have a good system. Why? Because with humour, you want your audience to hear every word…if they don’t then they can easy miss words and one-liners and they may not get your jokes.

Use this tips and you’ll ensure that all your preparation is not in vain and that you’re clearly heard and understood.

Let’s Talk about ‘Fluent Delivery’

by Dale Mercer
As I’ve said before, It was voice coach Roger Love, that said all speaking is public speaking. What did he mean by that? What he meant was, whether you are taking to one person or one hundred persons, you have a responsibility to your listener to convey the right message as well as how you deliver that message. And I couldn’t agree more.

You see, if a person’s speech in their everyday life is jerky, rough or lazy and just not a good all round communicator, then he or she is hardly going to create a presentation that is going to get a grand standing ovation. Now, I’m certainly not saying that fluency has to be absolutely perfect with no stumbling whatsoever, because I’m certainly not perfect, but you want to try some exercises that will minimise the faltering associated with fluency.

I’ll give you an example of this. Recently, I was listening to a colleague of mine give a presentation that went for only about 15mins. You can tell that he heart was really in it, he so much wanted to deliver the goods. However his deliver was jerky and jumpy, it wasn’t fluent and smooth. He’d use mannerisms such as ‘and uh’ and others non-essential fillers. As a result, the minds of his listeners began to wander and what he said started to lack persuasiveness.

This colleague is also a close friend and he has the reputation on joining his words together when talks and we joke with him about it from time to time. When we walks into a room, he’ll greet everyone by saying something like, “Hows-zit-goin’’?”

Now in case you didn’t understand what I just said, he’s asking “How are you going?” But he would say, “Hows-zit-goin’’?” slurring it all together rather than separating the words.

So, on stage he wasn’t as slurring but he didn’t have the fluency that he would have liked to have had. And he asked me for some tips how he can improve his presentations and particularly his delivery and fluency and I told him the thought from before… “The all speaking is public speaking…whether you are talking to one person or one hundred it’s all the same”

So, if you want to improve in fluency, or any other speech characteristic for that matter, the best time to practice is in your everyday life. Whenever you come into contact with people whether it be a sales call or even the people you chat with in your office at work, say to yourself that when you next speak to them, about whatever…(could be your cat or your dog or your family, or hobby…whatever) you are going to do it without regressing and with fluency.

Practice it and see how you go. Then try it with other speech qualities such as modulation, visual contact, gestures. And the best thing is they don’t even need to know that you are practicing on them. You can even try it when you are on the phone at work or at home.
——————————————————————————————————————————

Let’s briefly discuss some factors that may contribute to a lack of fluency and see if you need to give these areas some consideration.

1.    Lack of preparation can cause a lack of fluency.
2.    Failure to organize your material in a logical way.
3.    A limited vocabulary may inhibit a speaker because they find themselves groping for the right words to use.
4.    Pausing in the wrong places may inhibit fluency.

So throughout Step Up and Speak you’ll discover way on how to do these things that will help you develop fluency.

For now here some tips on how you can improve in the area of fluency.

1. Practise reading aloud for 5-10mins a day and circle the words that you don’t know and look them up.

With the age of entertainment, we don’t read as much as we used to, so our reading may be poor. But by reading aloud it can help your fluency.

2. As you learn new words, do your best to use them in your everyday speech with people you come into contact with. (You’ll sound so intelligent too)
3. When talking to people in everyday life, practise the art of thinking first before speaking, instead of thinking as you go.

As you practise by using these tips, you’ll also develop other speech qualities as a result that will make you more charismatic, compelling and interesting.