Public speaking is easy!
I often hear people say, “Oh yes, I can deliver a presentation, I can do a meeting at any time, public speaking? No problem, I can handle it.” Not true!
Public speaking is not for everyone!
I've been observing communicators (speakers, trainers, facilitators, preachers, sales associates) for over 3 years now. I enjoy doing it.
I go to the back of the room with my pen and notepad and observe their presentation. Not to learn their material, but with the intention to learn their behavior and how they connect with their audience.
Some do a great job, others not so good.
Have you ever been in front of a communicator who left a bad impression on you? If you could describe him or her with one word, what word comes to mind?
What about a good communicator, what word would you use to describe him or her?
A couple of months ago, an individual working for a company that requires their employees to be trained called me and told me that he was told by his manager to give a presentation and train a class of 25 people.
He sounded nervous and worried about giving a presentation for the first time, who wouldn’t be? Being in front of people and having the spotlight on you all the time can be intimidating, especially if you are not too outgoing.
Well, the day arrived, and as soon as he stood in front of his audience to start his presentation, he did what most new first-time communicators do: he froze! Lucky for him, a senior trainer accompanied him that day, and the senior trainer took over the class and delivered the training.
I totally get it because I remember the time it happened to me. I was doing some training for the county. I was new and inexperienced, and I wasn’t the exception; the same thing happened to me, and I froze! My nervousness got the best of me and beat me to the ground.
Why does it happen? Why do communicators freeze in front of their audience? Why do communicators have a difficult time connecting with their audience?
There are a lot of different reasons why this happens, but let me share the most common ones I have seen...
“Preparation”
To be prepared for a speech or presentation is crucial. The audience can immediately tell whether a communicator is prepared or not.
Preparation works both ways; it helps your audience understand the objective of the training, and it helps you feel more confident.
Here are some things you can do to help you prepare for your next presentation.
a) Prepare the day before – trying to gather all your facts, material, and thoughts the same day can turn into a disaster, especially because you cannot see the future. You don’t know what’s going to happen the following day; you might get stuck in traffic, your car may not turn on, you can oversleep, etc., etc. Prepare the day before, and your chances for success increase tremendously.
b) Don’t be late – being late kills your credibility. Grab your phone and punch in the address, find out how long your commute is, and give yourself extra time. If your commute time shows to be 20 minutes, triple it and give yourself an hour. Being on time builds character, and it helps you increase your confidence.
c) Test your equipment – Technology is beautiful, but it can also be unpredictable and give you a big headache. Test your technology, make sure it works. Check...
· Internet connection.
· Laser pointer.
· Clear Sound.
· Clear Video.
· PowerPoint Presentation.
· Lights.
· Microphone
· Timer
· Teleprompter
“Know Your Audience”
Know your audience! Please, please, please know your audience. If I tell you how many times I sat in a presentation where the communicator delivered a message irrelevant to their audience, you would believe me.
In fact, sometimes I have to catch myself making the same mistake, but because I can recognize the mistake, I tailor my presentation to my audience. It’s easy to get caught up in your message and forget about your audience. NOT GOOD!
Know who you’re speaking to and tailor your message to fit your audience; they will thank you for that.
“The Spotlight.”
Remember I told you about the time when I froze in front of my audience and saw someone else do the same. This was the reason why I failed the day I froze in front of my audience.
When you are giving a presentation, all the attention is on you. I tell inexperienced trainers that it’s not the same thing to sit in the back of the room and share your experiences with the audience as to be the main presenter. When you are the main presenter, all eyes are on you, and all the responsibility is on you. Your audience becomes your responsibility; there’s no “I share a little bit and go sit down.” Everything falls on you.
When you think about it in this way, it can feel a little intimidating, but it all has to do with “The Spotlight.”
What you need to do as a communicator is to grab the spotlight that is shining on you and put it on your audience (metaphorically speaking).
The reason most people freeze while giving a presentation is that they are so worried about themselves and ignore their audience. Don’t make my mistake, concentrate on bringing value to your audience and forget about you, because in reality, it’s all about your audience, not about you.
A communicator is just a messenger with a gift in hand.
Hope this helps. See you next Friday!
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