You're Always Public Speaking So Be Prepared
by: Maria Davies
The funny thing about presenting and public speaking is that the
majority of people will tell you they don't enjoy it and/or aren't
very good at it. And yet regardless of who they are and what they do,
most of the speaking they do on a day-to-day basis IS public speaking.
You see, mostly when we talk to ourselves we keep it as an internal
dialogue that nobody else can hear. But whenever we open our mouths
and actually make a noise in front of another person we're speaking in
public - hence "public speaking". So why do so many people find it so
scary?
I think it's the eyes. All those sets of eyes fixed on you.....
BORING into you. It's unsettling. So would it be any easier if your
audience was ignoring you and all looking the other way? What if they
all dozed off so it WAS as if you were talking to yourself? (Have you
ever been a Rotary after-dinner speaker?)
Whatever the reason, the fact is that before getting up to speak,
even the most seasoned professional will have some butterflies,
whether they choose to call the feeling nervousness or excitement
doesn't really matter. Rest assured, we all experience it to some
degree.
If I had one tip to pass on, if I was asked to tell you the most
important lesson I've learnt over the years I've been presenting, it
would have to be to stress the absolute necessity of being totally
prepared.
Now this may sound obvious and I'm sure you've heard this before,
possibly many times, and like a lot of important messages it tends to
become diluted the more we hear it "Oh yes, I knew that, now what
else?".
And yet, knowing this, some people will be outside in the car park
seconds before they have to deliver their sales pitch scribbling it
out on the back of a business card. I know, I've been there.
When I talk about being prepared, I mean you should know your talk
off by heart. You should be able to give it verbatim, standing on your
head, without even having to think about what comes next.
Now some of you may be thinking "Yes, but I don't work like that. I
like to keep the spontaneity" or "Yes, but I want to tailor my talk to
the occasion" or "Yes, but that would be boring because I'd just be
on auto pilot."
But actually, that's not what happens. In effect, the opposite is
true. When you know your talk by rote, it gives you the freedom to
change it around, to add, to subtract without losing your direction.
It's like driving from A to B. If your route is set from the outset
and you know it well, you can safely veer off and browse in a few
antique shops and have a pub lunch in a picturesque village off the
beaten track and still get back to where you were to complete your
journey. But, if you'd just set off in the general direction with no
main route to which to return, you'd soon get lost if you were to be
diverted and you'd have difficulty picking up that thread again.
You see, there are so many things out there that can throw the
speaker, and lots of unexpected things can occur when you're dealing
with the public. No matter how good you are, you will become
distracted, so knowing your material to the nth degree is absolutely
crucial.
If something happens that needs your attention, you'll have to stop
and deal with it, but you can return to your talk with barely a glitch
and appear calm, collected and hence the ultimate professional.
You see we all get nervous. We all stick our feet in our mouths
sometimes. We don't ever operate in a hermetically sealed environment,
especially when exposed to other humans. But prepare, prepare and
over-prepare and not only will you enjoy the confidence of knowing
that nothing can phase you because you know your material, but if
you're forced off your chosen route for any reason you can return
smoothly and appear to be the consummate professional speaker.
And after all, if you can't - or won't - speak about your business,
who will?
About The Author
Maria Davies is the UK's top professional speaker and presentations
coach for women. Find out more at http://www.
laddersofsuccess.com" target="_blank">http://www.laddersofsuccess.
com.
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