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The 5 Secrets to Public Speaking
There are five secrets to giving a successful talk or presentation:
(1) Energy
(2) Harness your nerves
(3) Fake It ‘Till You Make It
(4) Future Pacing
and
(5) Preparation
An Ounce of Energy is Worth a Pound of Technique
Energy is a vital component to good presentation.
If you’re dragging and listless, you won’t do well, no matter how prepared you are or how insightful your views.
Roger Ailes – Ronald Reagan’s chief of communications and now the head of Fox News – might be a rabbid iditoi, but he wrote a whole book on this subject which is really pretty good. The whole book can be summed up in the statement:
An ounce of energy is worth a pound of technique.
Look at Obama: Even if you hate all of his policies, you have to admit that he’s got a lot of energy.
Ailes gives the following advice:
How do you get that kind of positive energy, especially when you’re nervous about giving a speech, chairing a meeting, or being interviewed for a job or by the news media, for example.
Ask yourself: What am I thinking about? Am I focused on positive things like “This is an opportunity ….Let me review my agenda: What are the points I want to make? This can be fun; I’ve been asked to speak because the believe I’m an authority and can contribute something”? These kinds of thoughts will energize you in a way that will help you be successful.
If you like exercise, then you already know that vigorous exercise will boost your energy and pump you up. Go exercise before your talk.
If you aren’t the exercise type (or even if you are), you may want to know that deep breathing and deep relaxation can effectively charge up your energy levels.
Moreover – as we’ll discuss in the second secret – everyone has a free, abundant and always-available source of energy available for our public appearances.
Harness Your Nerves
The top professional musicians, speakers, tv and radio personalities, and other well-known performers all say that they still get nervous before performances. Interviews of everyone from mega rock stars to top trial lawyers prove that.
The trick is that top performers don’t try to “fight” the nerves to stay calm. Instead, they look at the nervousness as the “fuel” that super-charges them to give a great performance.
The adrenaline pump of nervousness primes us to wake up, focus and treat our performance as important. This can give us strength, endurance, quick thinking and passion.
Through repeated experience, top performers know first-hand that this nervousness is the raw “fuel” which can power great performances.
Indeed, the top speakers, musicians, athletes and performers in every field know that nervousness is a good thing, because nervous energy is the raw fuel which powers their performance.
The top performers know how to channel that raw energy into a good performance. Successful performers look at nervous energy as rocket fuel to power an outstanding performance.
The trick is not to fight it. If you try to force your self not to be nervous, you will get more nervous and will not perform well.
Instead of labeling that feeling as being “stressed”, “nervous”, “panicky” or “freaked out”, think of it as being “excited”, “energized”, “passionate”, “primed” or “pumped”.
Nothing I can write will convince you that stress is the fuel for a successful performance. I have performed enough – in front of thousands of people, and in high-stakes make-or-break situations – to know what I’m talking about, and performance experts say the same thing. But you have to verify this for yourself.
Practice speaking in front of groups of friends. Practice making a presentation to a co-worker. Practice getting nervous and performing well anyway. (And if your presentation is clumsy, go back and prepare more. See the 5th secret. Also ask your friends or co-workers what would make it better. Keep practicing – the more you practice the better you’ll get.)
Doing that will prove to you that nervousness is simply part of the package, and that you can perform even when you’re nervous. Again, remember that you’re in good company: everyone gets nervous, including the world’s top performers.
Fake It ‘Till You Make It
The third secret is to do your best to imitate great speakers or performers who you admire.
Specifically, what the top experts say (and I’ve found to be true myself) is that “fake it ’till you make it” is the fastest way to improve your public appearances.
Here’s an analogy. If you’re pretty good at basketball, then think back to when you first started playing. You doubtless imitated Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant or another great player. If you’ve been playing a while, more of your moves will be spontaneous now. But you imitated well-known players when you started out, which propelled your skills forward.
Or if you’re a pretty good artist, think back to when you first started painting. You likely imitated well-known artists; and painting “in their style” helped you develop your painting skills. Now – as a reasonably good artist – you can improvise a little more, and create some of your own style. But when you started out, you were just trying to parrot the greats.
In the same way, imitating master public speakers who you like will hone speaking and interviewing skills, and boost your speaking abilities by leaps and bounds.
“Faking it ’till you make it” is not false of insincere. It is the exact same learning process you employed when you started playing b-ball, or painting, or learning any other skill.
As you get more comfortable in public speaking, you can find your own style, or combine the best aspects of different public speakers you like. But for now, just imitate your favorite personality to get up and running, and to develop your skills.
Future Pacing
A related trick is to look at each performance – not as the BIG, all-or-nothing, make-or-break performance – but as practice for future performances.
Even if you’re (1) going to be interviewed on tv and millions of viewers will see you, (2) going to sing on stage in front of thousands, or (3) you’re going to give a business pitch in front of a conference room full of big cheeses … you’re probably going to do something similar again in the future.
This may seem like your one-time shot … but odds are it isn’t. If you’re doing it now, you’re probably going to do it again another time.
Instead of focusing on how you’re doing NOW, shift your focus to thinking about it as practice for the next interview. Specifically, the excellent things you do this time … you’ll probably want to do the same thing next time also. The things you don’t like about your public performance this time … you probably won’t use next time.
Our minds are wired so that we learn fastest when we “practice” or “play”. This helps take us out of a narrowed self-critical mindset to a more creative, expansive and relaxed perspective … And we perform better with that perspective.
In addition, our minds are programmed to begin with an image in mind, and then to try our best to approximate that image (we’ll discuss this further with regard to the third secret). So by thinking about what you want your future performance to be like, it makes your current performance better.
(This technique also works magic with dating. Instead of getting flustered when you’re talking with THAT girl or THAT guy, think of your conversation as practice for when you meet attractive people in the future. It will go smoother, and you’ll learn how to be a better and more eligible dater).
Prepare
“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”
- Mark Twain
“The very best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance.”
- Actress Ruth Gordon
Nothing can replace preparation.
Unless you are one of the lucky people who can improvise well, you should outline your presentation, and then write out notes or use index cards to map out exactly what you want to say. Then practice until you don’t need the notes anymore.
If you feel like you need some notes with you during the presentation, just jot down key words to jog your memory. If you try to read anything other than a couple of key words, you won’t be able to pull it off.
More fascinating and useful self-help tips:
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Another good trick. Assuming you've mapped out your speech, let the audience know your roadmap at the outset ("I'm going to cover A, B, and C and it will take me about 10 minutes.") When you move to your next topic, refer back to the outline ("now I'm going to cover topic B," etc). If possible, use a visual presentation which contains the same topic bullet points. These tricks help keep you organized, and they help the audience feel like they are keyed in on what you are saying.
Example: "today I'm going to cover briefly why we are in this mess. It should take me about ten minutes. First, I'm going to talk about who the Bernank is and why the Fed has so much power. Second, I'm going to cover briefly the Bernank's policies and his political philosophy. Third, I'm going to explain why the Bernank's policies have failed so miserably and have succeeded only in enriching a few. Finally, I'm going to explain how this all caused the current mess."
Nassim:
Interesting link - I plan to examine it more closely when I have the time to do so.
I would add 2 things to the discussion on a technical level.
1. Q. What is the first rule of "politics"? - A. Always state your self interest in terms of the public good.
2. How do you control the political/social/cultural process? - A. By controlling the narrative.
If nothing else the Clintons demonstrated a very high level of understanding of the concept of "control by narrative" when they took the White House from George Bush senior with "It's the economy stupid". The actual condition of the real economy was inconsequential. Control of the narrative was essential.
When you understand the effect of narrative on human behavior you will see more clearly what's going on around you. It is difficult, however, to get outside the narrative since humans, by their very nature, are intoxicated by language and, therefore, narrative driven. The give and take, back and forth discussions here at ZH are often a perfect example of this - if you can see it for what it is. In any case, those that would be our handlers are absolutely clear about humans and their narrative driven behavior - and, therefore, their inherent subseptibilty to being controled by narrative. (recent events in Boston demonstrate this in an objective and frightening way)
At the very least it should be obvious why Barack "Go-Bomb-Em" was placed in the White House. He is a master at the delivery of narrative. But. of course, his narrative is not meant to have any rational relationship to the facts on the ground. Because that is not the purposeof "Control by Narrative".
Which always brings one to the essential question: "Just whose narrative is it and what are their real intentions?"
And, more importantly, "What is your personal response to "The Narrative" and its subtle attempt to control your behavior?".
Alexander Solzhenitsyn recommended the following"
"Don't believe them, don't fear them, don't ask anything of them."
A prominent public speaker was asked how long it takes him to prepare. He thought for a few moments and said, "Well, if I have to condense everything into 3 minutes it will take me about a week. If, however, you want me to speak for an hour, I'm ready now."
If you are going to call someone a rabid idiot, try to spell both of those words correctly. Otherwise people might draw a conclusion you didn't expect.
Hey George - I dare say it is you who looks like a "rabbid iditoi" compared to the business genius of Ailes.
I thought he meant Ailes was some sort of illuminati Rabbi with a black belt!
People will forgive a speaker almost any sin as long as his enthusiasm for the subject is plain and projected.
Information isn't contagious, enthusiasm is.
Hitler knew this one simple thing.
Here is another take..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eisa5AZ20W0
When preparing a visual presentation (e.g. via PowerPoint or similar), it's useful to remember how our minds work. Text - i.e. "words" is a (relatively) new invention for our very old but evolved brain: The brain is far better able to "hang" information onto visual (pictorial) imagery, which is why "all text" slides are forgotten quickly, whilst "slides with pictures" are not.
So, if you want (or need) your audience to remember your presentation content, it's useful to try to have at least one image on EACH slide (associated with text content if possible). That way your customers are more likely to retain your presentation longer. Having a "relevant image" as a slide background helps too - acts as a subliminal "anchor" which seems to further aid content retention.
The best way to get good at public speaking is public speaking.
The best way to be confident is to be self-assured that you are gonna 'ace that sucker' before you walk out.
I have done auctions, kids sporting events, and MC'd charity dinners. People compliment me all the time on how well I do, but there is no secret to it, I just do it.
Convince yourself that speaking to 50pp is no different than speaking to 5 over lunch. If you can handle 5pp you know, you can handle 50, or 50,000 you don't. In fact, it's harder to handle the ones you know who will easily cut you off and change the subject than 500 who are there to listen to you.
Note cards are important to jog your memory and keep you organized if there is a lot of material. If you follow them, read the point you will cover and glance at the next point to keep you going in the right direction.
If you can't tell a joke, don't try. If you need a crutch to help you, use slides.
A great way to get regular experience is at school board or city council meetings, where everyone gets their two minutes (or whatever). Go regularly, say your bit, and see how it goes. Try to get to where you can fill 2-3 minutes with no notes and no repetition.
Best way to get good at public speaking is - enter stage right, Have 4 or 5 drinks. Strip off your clothes besides a long sock covering your genitals and a clown wig on your head. the pressure shifts from your nerves to the rest of the room instantly and you won't have to worry about nerves anymore. One less thing to worry about. You can feel the energy transfer. Amazing.
when i was in 7th grade i got booed off stage when running for some student council position. like literally booed because the popular crowd did not like something i said.
from that day on, i didn't really care what most people thought since i suppose i just figured they were really beneath me. i've sung in talent shows, kareoked at bars, talked in front of hundreds of people and i'm a software engineer so its a real advantage since this field is so introverted.
the best advice i'd ever give about public speaking is to just do it, and get embarassed and get over that. you are already better than all the people who don't have the balls to do it which is most people, so thats your confidence right there.
Re The 5 Secrets To Public Speaking...
Any advice for those of us who get nnn..nn.nervous making public p..pp..pppp...ppostings in Comment Sss.ss.sections like here?
On the power of deep breathing ask Robbie Parker
Good stuff George, thank you.
I have taken on leadership roles voluntarily so I had to get up in front of crowds and speak.
Has made it a lot easier and my concentration better.
I still get nervous every single time, but I'm more prepared to deal with it.
"Fake it 'till you make it" works in a lot of areas of life.
I over came severe (not just a case of nerves) stage fright when I was paid to do 30 talks (all the same) to groups of elderly in nursing homes. After the tenth time of being ignored by folks more interestd in lunch than me it just seemed to vanish. Oddly I now look forward to presentations and feel little anxiety. For me the key was mastery of subject and repetition.
Good point on Keywords. Having a written script is generally not a good idea, use talking points with keywords. If you have a script, try putting it in extra large font size so you can scan it better while speaking.
As a radio rat, I can tell you that a script is death. Almost nobody can read convincingly from a script. Better to have a few important words to jog your memory and build from there.
It helps to have been born a psychopath, IMHO.
The Trick of the Psychopath's Trade: Make Us Believe that Evil Comes from Others
I cannot believe that people up arrowed that crap. We are in desperate trouble, and I loathe to use the word "we" with you cretins. The backstory is that the "author" was too elderly and sick to interview, so the editors stand in. Then they tell a story about three manuscripts, one burned in a desk before the secret police broke in, the next sent by courier to the Vatican, where it disappeared, and then the last languishing for 20 years waiting for ZBig (Mika's daddy) to get it disseminated (but he double crossed the author and secretly suppressed it). You look at the cover, and there is Bush and Blair with Rummy and Cheney and Condi sharing space with Hitler and Stalin. I LAUGH IN YOUR STUPID FACE, ASSHOLE. Bush was actually small time compared to the Chicago thugs that are giving you everything you claim to hate in spades. Suck it up, lick it up, every last drop you fool. The editor, Laura Knight-Jagoff is also something of an author herself, having written an extended set about the Kennedy assasination being fomented by Poppy Bush. She says:
I'm sure she does wake up in some junior hell everyday, because she wakes up her. Please don't tell her about the recent revelation that JFK (or should I call him KFK) was a staunch admirer of Hitler even after the war, and wrote in his diary some decidedly un-PC things about the aryan race in comparison to the shiftless latins. Of course, I'm sure that it was forged by some rogue underlings at the IRS.
"so i says to myself....self!"
Cheers GW
These suckers having a pop fail to understand that sometimes you gotta have a day off from the in yer face stuff othetwise you can become all bitter and twisted.
Much of the valuable info in this post i feel could be applied to writing as well as public speaking and to this end i have the ideas the emotion and the motivation to extract as much as possible from the post to enable me down the road to articulate them.
If Tosspot Tony Blair is collecting 6 figure sums (albeit blood money) for his anecdotes from his after(throwup) dinner speaches to the banking cartel for making it that tad easier for killer Bubba Bush to invade Iraq under false flag pretentions then how difficult can it be?
Day off?!
F*ck you Krugman!
Did you forget to blame Bush or the Neocons (Jewish bastards that don't vote Democrat) again?
I see no jab at the Republicans, after reporting 'horrendous behaviour by the National Socialist democrats' in this piece.
Tell me again how both parties are the same, or continue to cower?
fall of your meds?
Hey StarTrek...
If you pop your head out of your ass once in awhile, your brain cells can get much needed oxygen.
Thanks for the quick tips GW, I'll be remembering them....
Unusual in this forum, but good one, George.
ZZZ
This was a PSA. I originally wrote this for a friend who is frequently interviewed on tv, but who is not very confident about his public speaking.
If you don't do much public speaking, or are already confident in your public speaking abilities, this post is not for you.
Of course, not meant as any kind of personal insult GW. Just prefer your more intellectual columns which are thought-provoking even when I disagree with message. Suppose I could have just said that instead of zzz. Ah well, live and learn.
thank youso much George, great post...
i preform often and get stage fright every single time and it really takes away from my abilities....this helped immensely!!! thanks G-man!
I'm going up against the city council soon. Thanks GW.
A lot about doing presentations is faking it. (and of course having proper materiels and organized information)
You are the presenter, the person with the goods. People are there to listen to what you have to say and will believe what you say (or will take your words for what you believe).
Just project confidence and give proper body language. Don't keep your eyes in one place or down to the floor, take the time to look at one point in the crowd. Even if you aren't looking at them specifically, they will think you are and hence feel like you are engaging them.
(Confidence and body language examples: clear voice - ie. no mumbling, stand tall, use hands properly - not waving around everywhere crazily nor just flat to your sides looking like a robot, head up level to crowd, body same thing don't slant your body away too much, no stamping feet. If female, try to tie up hair at least make it so your hair doesn't become a distraction.)
(Hence those clear teleprompters or those near the camera allow a presenter to speak as if looking AT you.)
Also, practice is important. Read your presentation/argument out loud end to end infront of a friend or even in a mirror.
On the topic of "Fake it til you make it" this link leads to an excellent presentation:
http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are...
ZZZ
GW-theme related -
Here in Europe a mass of protesters have been advancing on euro-zone central bank headquarters in Frankfurt
Blockupy the ECB !
2nd day on Saturday ... a major Central Bank going under populist street blockade, is an issue deserving ZeroHedge coverage
Maybe Tyler doesn't like our protest, because the protest is against the 'austerity' that Tyler likes to pretend isn't happening in Europe, because ZH uses a different definition of it (Tyler likes to pretend 'austerity' means less government budget overall, whereas in Europe we view 'austerity' as cuts ravaging common people while banksters get bailouts piled onto existing debt)
« Thousands of anti-austerity protesters have flooded the streets leading to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt in a so-called ‘Blockupy’ protest. They are demonstrating the bank’s role in enforcing crippling spending cuts across the Eurozone. »
http://rt.com/news/frankfurt-banks-updates-live-048/
Bank Guy:: I mentioned the ECB demos/riots in a comment yesterday on ZH...
It's too bad the rioters in Frankfurt are displaying "anti-capitalist" placards ...that's rather typical of the muddled Left who've been going out on the streets - blame anybody and everybody but not their own socialist political filth who are actually responsible.
When I see them demanding the heads of their own political leaders and the likes of Barroso, Rompuy, Rhen and others, I'll take them seriously.
It's not capitalism that's made austerity (fake or not) necessary in the EZ, but 'corporatism', 'crony capitalism' if you prefer. Governments in bed with banksters.
... ... ... ...
I rather liked a comment made on RT by another guest "what we need in Europe is Govt austerity". Imagine that - EZ govts cutting their own spending, instead of cutting social spending which has brought so much suffering to ordinary citizens.
And I also see on RT that the EZ are now going to appoint an "EZ Boss" who can take charge of sorting out the mess they've created. Naturally, he will be yet another unelected Tzar with lotsa perks, big budgets and lotsa powers to kick people about.
Sounds like a job Mr Blair would like...He's not doing anything useful at the moment.
Tell it to the Swedes, I dare say too much social spending has put the knife to their throat.
So in other words you're walking around like a vagina with a bit of sand tossed in and a lot of sores around it.
Gotcha. Tyler's definition is the actual ECONOMIC definition of the word that only has meaning when discussing ECONOMICS. I have seen you splay your ignorance all over these boards before, and I see that you will continue to do so in efforst to garner followship.
Kinda like Libertarians. The bastards want their pound of flesh but not from me without a fight. Kudos Bank guy.
Oh, you'll get your fight alright, "willwork4food". As soon as you lying Bolshevist pricks crash the system, and then start casting about for direct usurpation of resources. Work for Food? Doesn't sound like it to me, unless I missed Tyler soliciting snotty comments for pay.
I don't want anything from any of you. ;-)