December 2009 Newsletter
The end of the year is traditionally a time to set goals for the year
to come. Whether your goals include being a better speaker or simply
getting better results from your personal and professional life,
improving your speaking skills is critical to your success.
This month's newsletter offers a few ways to dramatically improve your
speaking skills now and in the future.
6
Ways to Dramatically Improve Your Speaking Skills (And Your Results)
There's no end to the advice available
on how to improve your speaking skills: open with a joke; tell them
what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them you told
them; move with purpose, etc. The list goes on. While much of that
advice is valid, it takes time to implement all those strategies to
find what works for you.
What can you do if you want to significantly improve your performance
now? Here are six easy ways to dramatically improve your speaking
skills and your results:
- Stop
Winging It. Few people can give effective, memorable
presentations on the fly. Even if you are one of the chosen few, you
will always do a better job with advance preparation. If time is short,
make sure you can know the purpose of your talk, your audience
demographics and how much time you have to present.
- Put
your audience first. Figure out how people will be better off if
they listen to you speak and then give your presentation from their
perspective. Your audience will be more attentive and appreciative if
they feel you care about their needs.
- Practice
for Every "Presentation." Treat each time you speak as a
mini-presentation, whether it's a two-minute report at a staff meeting
or a personal introduction at a networking event. Prepare as you would
for a formal presentation and you'll be more confident, more effective
and more able to give big presentations in the future.
- Record
Every Presentation (and review the recording). This may be the
technique that you like the least, but will help you the most.
Recordings let you objectively evaluate your performance. You'll find
your natural strengths and identify stories and techniques that you can
use again to create future presentations more quickly and effectively.
- Learn
to Tell Stories. Quick, what's the moral of The Tortoise and the
Hare? You probably remember the moral even if it's been years since
you've heard the story. Why? People love to hear good stories and
always prefer them to mere recitations of facts. Tell a good story and
your audience will do more than listen with rapt attention; they'll
actually remember what you said.
- Speak
Often. The more you speak, the better you'll become and the
faster you'll improve. Volunteer for speaking opportunities and
consider joining a group like Toastmasters where you can practice and
receive feedback in a supportive environment.
Public speaking is an art that
encompasses many different skills, but you don't have to master all of
them to be a compelling communicator. Whether you are a novice or an
expert presenter, if you'll use the six techniques in this article, you
can dramatically and quickly improve your speaking skills and your
effectiveness.
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