Public Speaking, Why All The Fuss?

Public Speaking, Why All The Fuss?

Word Count:
501

Summary:
When asked, the majority of people in the US would claim that there greatest fear is getting up in front of a crowd and giving a speech. People 100 years ago would not say that public speaking was their worst fear, but they had more threatening things to worry about right? I'm talking about things like war, and wild animals, and rampant crime without great law enforcement. The fact that our society is more tame is perhaps part of this strange fear of a relatively benign circu...

Keywords:
public speaking

Article Body:
When asked, the majority of people in the US would claim that there greatest fear is getting up in front of a crowd and giving a speech. People 100 years ago would not say that public speaking was their worst fear, but they had more threatening things to worry about right? I'm talking about things like war, and wild animals, and rampant crime without great law enforcement. The fact that our society is more tame is perhaps part of this strange fear of a relatively benign circumstance but doesn't explain it entirely. I want to discuss why we are so afraid and measures that can be taken to put our fears to rest.

So why are we so afraid of public speaking? Well for one thing not very many of us are good at it and we don't know how to get better. Public oration was a skill highly valued in the past and therefore it was something that was worked on with much effort and time in school. Part of the reason that more people that were schooled in speech making in the past was because school was really only for those to whom the skill would be beneficial. What I am trying to get at is that only the "gifted" children were formally trained in such skills and the rest of kids worked on the far and never had the need to make a speech. With the requirement of grade school, and the assumption of a college education, there are more people than ever that, in my opinion, shouldn't be there in the first place and will never use the skills they may gain in the second.

So first we are not good at it, second we don't for the most part need to do it regularly, and third as mention in the first paragraph threatening has taken on a whole new definition in this relatively safe society. So why are people called on to do public speaking that don't have the natural skills, desires, or regular practice that they need to be good? Well that is a function of the vast middle class in this country who think they are good enough to carry on the traditions of the rich and famous, but who lack the upbringing and training that make a person truly gifted in the art of public speaking. Famous examples would be graduation addresses, wedding tosts, eulogies, etc. We, I think, expect too much of ourselves and therefore are definitely afraid of the inevitably horrible job that we are going to do?

My answer? Well either imagine all the horrible things that are much worse than the agony of embarrassment. Or you could actually take the time to get trained (not recommended unless your job requires that you do it all the time). Or you could just give up on the senseless traditions of the past that were required of people that were much better trained to do public speaking.

 

Public Speaking: The Power Of Words

Public Speaking: The Power Of Words

Word Count:
347

Summary:
Words hurt, heal, motivate, and aggravate. They are powerful. They control emotions and can even control a person physically.

A word is worth a thousand pictures.

"Come here." Two words that move a person from there to here.

"Write this down." Three words that cause people to put words on a page.

"Remember a time when you felt angry." Seven words that can create an overload of emotions.

Your words are power. Think of the number of people you have made smile by...

Keywords:
public speaking, presentation skills

Article Body:
Words hurt, heal, motivate, and aggravate. They are powerful. They control emotions and can even control a person physically.

A word is worth a thousand pictures.

"Come here." Two words that move a person from there to here.

"Write this down." Three words that cause people to put words on a page.

"Remember a time when you felt angry." Seven words that can create an overload of emotions.

Your words are power. Think of the number of people you have made smile by saying, "I really appreciate you." Or the number of people you have hurt by saying, "What's wrong with you? Can't you do anything right?"

Words possess just as much power when spoken to a crowd of a thousand as in a one on one conversation. It's one thing to get one person excited, but impassion an entire group, and you have irresistible intensity on your side.

Use your words more effectively…

1. Understand their influence. Do not use or choose your terms lightly. A wrong word can turn an audience from friends to fiends. The better you know your group the better you can tailor your terms for their benefit.

You get to choose the outcome. Want the group to be charged, mad, excited, encouraged, content, or happy? You can produce any of those by using the right words in the right way.

2. Don't be afraid to be edgy. Too many speakers are soft. You can be tough without being obnoxious, or insulting a group's intelligence. You can humorous and still make a hard-hitting point.

I got in at 1 a.m. last night after spending two days speaking to 1,500 people. Get this – all the reviews came back at the top level, and I was tough on the folks. Several came up and said, "You're not afraid to tell it like it is!" The words I chose challenged the group without breaking them.

What about your words? Do you toss them out lightly, or with precision power? Your words can change lives and influence millions. Choose and use them well.

 

Public Speaking - The Key Is In The Body Language. The 8 Stages To A Successful Presentation

Public Speaking - The Key Is In The Body Language. The 8 Stages To A Successful Presentation

Word Count:
329

Summary:
Most people have a fear of speaking to a large group. This is a totally normal apprehension. People may visualise the audience laughing at them, or shouting out. This is an extremely rare occurrence, unless you are a politician.

Most people listening to you are aware of the pressures you are under and would never change places with you.

These guidelines will help you to overcome your fears.

1. Know your subject. Read through your presentation beforehand. Read around ...

Keywords:
public speaking, body language, stage fright

Article Body:
Most people have a fear of speaking to a large group. This is a totally normal apprehension. People may visualise the audience laughing at them, or shouting out. This is an extremely rare occurrence, unless you are a politician.

Most people listening to you are aware of the pressures you are under and would never change places with you.

These guidelines will help you to overcome your fears.

1. Know your subject. Read through your presentation beforehand. Read around the subject, so that you are confident that you know more than your audience, even after you have spoken. If you know your subject then you will come across in an interesting way and keep the attention of your audience.

2. Expect to do well. Your expectations are obvious in your body language. If your audience sees that you expect to do badly, you will do badly. Expectation is vital.

3. Look at your audience. Eye contact is vital if you are to judge their understanding so that you can change the pace of your delivery if necessary.

4. Use notes. You should never, never read your speech from a sheet.

5. Slow your speech down. This makes you appear more confident and enables your audience to take it in more easily. If you are talking slower, it is easier for your audience to maintain their attention, and momentary lapses in their concentration mean that they miss less.

6. Vary the tone and level of your voice. This maintains interest. You should speak clearly and project your voice, rather than shouting. Talking quietly in key segments means that your listeners will need to actively listen to those parts of your presentation.

7. Avoid excessive body movements and gestures. Hand gestures can be used for emphasis only.

8. Keep your hands and thumbs visible. Holding your hands out, with the thumbs uppermost is a very powerful dominance gesture. Watch politicians speaking, they all use this gesture.

9. Rejoice in the endorphin high that you will feel when it goes well.

 

Public Speaking: The First 3 Minutes

Public Speaking: The First 3 Minutes

Word Count:
454

Summary:
This is it! You've landed your first Public Speaking engagement. You've have prepared and rehearsed. You are all ready to give your best presentation ever. As you begin you have exactly 3 minutes of your presentation to grab the audience attention and build rapport to ensure they buy in to what you have to say.

Keywords:
public speaking, speech, motivational, guide, presentation skills

Article Body:
This is it! You've landed your first Public Speaking engagement. You've have prepared and rehearsed. You are all ready to give your best presentation ever.

As you begin you have exactly 3 minutes of your presentation to grab the audience attention and build rapport to ensure they buy in to what you have to say.

In the first 3 minutes of your presentations, your audience is sizing you up. They are deciding whether they like you and whether are you worth listening to. If you lose your audience in the first 3 minutes you will be playing catch up for the rest of the presentation.

Why at the first 3 minutes of your public speaking engagement is most important period of your presentation?  This is the time where the attention of the audience is naturally high and focused. Here is where the audience decides to hear you out or not. First Impression counts and you have only one chance at it.

In this crucial period you need to build rapport with your audience. Rapport is a prerequisite for effective communication. Before presenting any material you must build rapport with your audience.

When people are like each other, they like each other. When you have enough rapport with your audience, they will feel acknowledge and engage with you in your presentation.

You can build rapport with your audience by;

- Using the words they use. Use their Jargon's and preferred terms.
- Use the same tonality and say it like they do
- Use the same gestures and postures.
 

People create bonds with each others by finding shared experiences. Tell a story to your audience which relays to them that you are exactly like them.  Meet as many of your audience before the presentation and build rapport with them individually.

Right form the start let your audience define their own expectation and do your best to meet those expectations. Experiment with different types of openers to see which builds more rapport for you and with your audience. Be flexible, use as many different openers and evaluate your results. The openers which build more rapport with your audience for you will be the best ones. The types of openers that you can look into are;

 

o       Current Events

o       Humorous

o       Pictorial

o       Anecdotal

o       Pertinent Quote

o       Real-World Situation

o       Rhetorical

o       Musical

If you have built enough rapport with your audience in the first 3 minutes of your presentation the rest of your presentation will move smoothly. You will have an engaging audience and you will be able to have fun with them and be yourself on stage.

Remember the first 3 minutes of your presentation is the most crucial of all. Start off your presentation with the right foot.

 

Public Speaking - A Starters Guide

Public Speaking - A Starters Guide

Word Count:
305

Summary:
The record fear among most people is the horror of communal speaking. So how do you go about becoming a good presenter if you've never tried it before?

First, you're going to have to live it out. You want to come across a venue somewhere that you can give relaxed generous speeches. Start out by speaking in front of a copy – act as if you're happy to give a speech.

You can talk in front of a mirror, smooth practiced speakers use this as a practice to understand their fac...

Keywords:

 

Article Body:
The record fear among most people is the horror of communal speaking. So how do you go about becoming a good presenter if you've never tried it before?

First, you're going to have to live it out. You want to come across a venue somewhere that you can give relaxed generous speeches. Start out by speaking in front of a copy – act as if you're happy to give a speech.

You can talk in front of a mirror, smooth practiced speakers use this as a practice to understand their facial expressions and how to vary them. This will present you the reassurance level you want to begin speeches or presentations in front of a group or audience. Connect a local speaking set. The Toastmasters are a good one – it's a club for people who fancy to pick up their speaking skills, and they have people of all experience levels.

Don't go to large just tiny audiences are good to start with. It's a good deal easier to talk with a tiny group as a trainee than a multitude – you just act as if you're conversation with friends, and regularly the pressure and jumpiness will go away. If you don't have one in your neighborhood, you could try looking in your region for contests sponsored by the local Rotary club or other organizations.

Alternatively, you could just get people to eavesdrop on you. If you've got a life-size presentation at job that you're apprehensive about, do it quite a lot of times in front of people that you know and are relaxed with. You'll have to live out the authentic thing. Always remember public speaking is fun, focus positive thoughts not negative when you are speaking. And these kinds of things always help - You'll be GREAT!

 

Profit From Effective Public Speaking

Profit From Effective Public Speaking

Word Count:
367

Summary:
Developing and utilizing presentation skills can result in increased income for you. Here are a few ways that you can turn your public speaking experience into business profits.

1. Free Speeches to Promote Your Business

A lawyer might make a speech to a group of business persons, free of charge, about the advantages of incorporating their businesses. This could result in obtaining new clients. It could also cause existing clients to purchase additional services, such as...

Keywords:
PUBLIC SPEAKING, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, TELECLASSES, INFORMATION PRODUCTS, CONSULTING, SPEECHES, BOOKS

Article Body:
Developing and utilizing presentation skills can result in increased income for you. Here are a few ways that you can turn your public speaking experience into business profits.

1. Free Speeches to Promote Your Business

A lawyer might make a speech to a group of business persons, free of charge, about the advantages of incorporating their businesses. This could result in obtaining new clients. It could also cause existing clients to purchase additional services, such as incorporations, minute book work, income tax election filings, and so on.

2. Paid Seminars, Workshops and Teleclasses

You could charge admission fees to attend a seminar entitled "How To Incorporate Yourself Without a Lawyer". This seminar could detail the considerations and mechanics of incorporating your own private corporation.

3. Sell Information Products

The information presented during a speech or seminar could form the basis for information products such as books, courses, special reports or folios, audios, videos, DVDs, electronic books, and so forth. For example, you could write a book entitled "How To Incorporate Yourself Without a Lawyer".

Including such products as handouts at your seminar would increase the value for the attendees (which you could charge for). Even if you gave a free speech to a group, you could still receive back-end income from the sale of such information products.

Obviously, your public speaking skills will be especially important when producing an audio or video cassette. Your listeners and viewers will make certain judgments based on your personal appearance, poise, audience contact, use of gestures, enthusiasm, how informative the material is, and many other factors.

Your information products establish your credibility as an expert, resulting in even more business. As well, you can market those same information products through mail order, direct mail, Internet marketing, and other methods.

4. Consulting and Other Opportunities

As your reputation as an expert in your specialized field grows, you will become more in demand. Clients may seek you out for lucrative speaking engagements. You may be invited to write magazine articles, consult for large corporations, act as an expert trial witness, become a syndicated columnist, et cetera.

Therefore, whether you are a novice or an experienced public speaker, it pays to increase and utilize your public speaking skills.

 

Motivational Speakers -- Creating a Vehicle for Dreams

Motivational Speakers -- Creating a Vehicle for Dreams

Word Count:
716

Summary:
Motivation is the fuel that feeds our dreams and drives us to succeed, and the right motivational speaker can change your next training event from an arbitrary collection of dos and don'ts to a pit stop that will breathe new life into your business.

Keywords:
Motivational keynote speaker, international motivational speaker, motivational speaker for business, business speaker, leadership speaker, professional public speaker, professional keynote speaker

Article Body:
Motivation is the fuel that feeds our dreams and drives us to succeed, and the right motivational speaker can change your next training event from an arbitrary collection of dos and don'ts to a pit stop that will breathe new life into your business.

The role of a motivational speaker may seem a bit elusive. The title implies a call to action and the goal at the end of the day is to facilitate a change in behaviour. The last generation of motivators were adept at getting an audience to believe - "I can do it!" - but they often failed to provide the tools, or failed to start shaping the skills, that are necessary to implement this new-found inspiration.

The key to effective motivation is sustainability. A true motivator not only provides the fuel for dreams; he also provides the vehicle needed to achieve those dreams.

Modern speakers facilitate sustainable motivation in, broadly speaking, two ways:

The metaphoric-style motivational speaker: This style of speaking may be used by a motivational speaker who does not necessarily hail from a business background, or from a business that is similar to yours.

A speaker who draws on effective metaphors may come from a sporting background; he may have achieved remarkable things on a private crusade; in some way, he has likely overcome adversity and faced great challenges to reach his goal; and he is without fail a team player.

Such a speaker may challenge your views on the definition of success. He may analyse personality types and their individual places in a team environment. In any case, he would draw from personal experience to address topics such as leader selection, conflict resolution and change management, demonstrating what methods can be used to overcome the challenges faced by your team.

The tailored motivational speaker: A tailored motivational speaker will be more specific in meeting the unique needs of your business. He - or she - would go through a very thorough briefing with you and then address anything that is identified as a particular problem area, or that is a facet of your business that you wish to focus on.

As with a speaker who draws upon metaphors, a tailored speaker will also provide the tools necessary to achieve the established goals. He will provide the motivation as well as the suggested methods for carrying out the appropriate changes.

A tailored speaker will also address the need to measure the effects of the changes made in your business. Bob Miller, a very accomplished professional keynote speaker, advises that, "If you can't measure it, don't do it!"

What Makes a Great Motivational Speaker?

While sustainability is a critical factor in the type and style of the presenter chosen, it goes without saying that a professional motivational speaker must also have outstanding oral communication skills.

Structured content and the ability to entertain are essential qualities in a motivational speaker. He must be able to create a bond with the audience, to connect to them, to understand their own personal needs and desires and then address them in the larger context of the business environment.

Motivational speaking requires extensive preparation and much hard work. All this comes to naught, however, if the rare gift for truly effective communication is not there.

The Benefit to Your Business

A professional motivational speaker really comes into his/her own as a keynote speaker at important events. Whether you are delivering a message, announcing a new initiative or launching a new sales campaign, a professional public speaker will make sure that your business receives the most possible benefit from a function or event.

If you consider for one moment the launch of a new sales campaign with, for instance, 800 sales people in audience and featuring a one hour speech. In real time, this works out to 800 hours of wages - 100 working days, or over 13 weeks!

With so much at stake it is imperative that you make an informed decision when choosing the business speaker for your next event.

Spend your time and money wisely. Reap the full benefits of corporate events with a professional motivational speaker and give your staff - and, by extension, your business - the drive to succeed and the vehicle to achieve their dreams!

 

Microphone Technique

Microphone Technique

Word Count:
1088

Summary:
How to use a microphone and develop a microphone technique of your own

Keywords:

 

Article Body:
Although it sounds strange to you, to hear your own voice over the P.A, in fact it doesn't sound any different to the audience than if you were talking to them in normal conversation.

The trick here is to be Yourself, if you haven't got the skill to project a warm friendly personality at the functions where ice breaking is required then being an entertainer isn't for you. The trick is to find a balance, most people would simply hire the gear - saving around 50% of a D.J's booking fee and throw a NOW Cd on - if human input and personality wasn't important to them. At some functions, if they pay for an entertainer and get a human jukebox who doesn't own a mic and just sits there playing music then they occasionally feel cheated!.

I can't stress the "BE YOURSELF", advice enough, don't put on a radio style zany DJ voice - that will sound false and doesn't fool anybody. If you are lucky enough to have a D.J training you, or are a young person helping an older mentor D.J then DON'T be tempted to become a clone of him or her. Adopt your own mic style (not a false voice), use your own tag lines but don't rely on the same cliche's 20 or 30 times a night - this becomes boring and predictable.

Don't rely on "that was", "This is" introductions all night. At some functions going out with a Radio Mic and creating banter with your audience is a great way to break the ice at the beginning of difficult, non formal functions - and a good way of enouraging them onto the dancefloor early on. You can relax the mic work and the frquency of them - once the dancefloor is filling.

Of course there are always going to be functions where you need more mic work than the last, and other functions where it is going to be little mic use, but the key is to develop a style and strength and confidence in your mic working ability and not to rely on non stop music alone to do the work for you.

Just be yourself, and talk normally into the microphone. The thing to work on is to speak confidentally and clearly and try to pace yourself. Speaking too fast will make what you are saying sound garbled, speaking too slow will make you sound like you are addressing a bunch of village idiots . Pretty soon, with a little time and practice you'll develop your own individual skill and style and that is the most important aspect, don't try to copy anybody else or put on a different voice, it will sound false and make learning and maintaining the technique a lot more difficult.

If being a comedian is not you, then avoid the jokes unless you are good at this sort of thing , forced comedy can sound false and you may find yourself laughing alone, after all the Client has booked a Mobile Disco and not a stand up comedian!. One of the best pieces of advice I was given my the D.J who trained me, was to "Stick at doing what you are good at and have been booked for, and if in any doubt then leave it out".

Spontaneous one liners are another matter, if something amusing happens, then share it - use the mic to get requests, make a fuss over other people celebrating birthdays / anniversaries - people like to have their 30 seconds of glory and hearing their name mentioned, over the mic

My advice to those nervous about public speaking for the first time, is not to be frightened of the mic or avoid using one - its your closest and most useful ally, at all functions. Don't talk all over the track, learn to pace yourself over the outro of the previous track and any intro of the next track - don't gabble - talk clearly into the microphone as if you were talking to a friend. With time you should be able to familiarise yourself with how themore popular tracks end and finish, this way you can talk upto the vocal, similar to how they do on the radio - stopping your banter at the moment the vocal on the next track starts. Don't rush to perfect this or gabble to do so, it all comes with time and practice. Keep it simple to start off with.

Start with the easy stuff first, just introducing tracks, and buffet announcements. Once you've built up a bit of confidence, you'll move on from the 'That was….. this is….' routine. Try and include your audience, invite requests, make them feel welcome. Even if you are having a difficult gig don't take it out on the audience and try and look like you are enjoying yourself, even if it's not going to plan. Don't worry about making mistakes on the Mic, we all do from time to time, but don't draw attention to it, or dwell on it it'll just make it worse - besides making mistakes shows that you are human and not a pre-programmed jukebox

Keep key information on the gig, such as the Bride & Grooms' names, Best Man Name etc on a piece of paper on the mixer, so that you can casually glance down if you have a sudden memory blank, but don't write your links down as a speech, otherwise it will sound like you are reading from a script and less natural.

Remember that once the dancefloor is full, you can ease off the mic a little, but keep doing the requests and don't forget that it exists. Learn to find the balance, too much talking can bore the pants of your audience, too little mic work can make people think that you aren't earning your keep!. There are functions where you have a full Dancefloor and it would be obtrusive to chat all over the music when people want to dance, equally there are more formal functions where there isn't the room or inclination to dance, and so a bit of light hearted banter to break the ice and the empathsis on the entertainment side of being a DJ is required rather than just continuous music

All of this will take some time, don't expect to develop a mic technique overnight just take it one gig at a time.

 

Improv Comedy for Speakers

Improv Comedy for Speakers

Word Count:
617

Summary:
Learn how to use fundamental ideas from Improvisational Comedy to be a better, more engaging, more confident, and more dymanic speaker.

Keywords:
Public speaking, fear of speaking, presentation skills, speaking, speeches, speaches, train-the-trainer, Toastmasters, training,

Article Body:
Public speaking. For some, the mere thought of getting up in front of a group of people and presenting a speech is more terrifying than heights, snakes, or even death. Imagine how terrified those people would be if they were asked to get in front of an audience and speak with nothing prepared in advance – no script, no speech, no nothing.

Sound crazy? Well that is what Improvisational Comedians do every day. Improvisational (or "Improv")  Comedy is a form of theater where a group of actors take the stage with nothing prepared in advance and use audience suggestions to create instant comedy. If you have ever seen the popular television show, "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" then you have seen Improv Comedy.

The skills that allow an improviser to create instant comedy can immensely help any speaker to be more comfortable and powerful from the platform. Here are three reasons why, if you want to be a more effective speaker, you must learn how to be a great improviser:

1) Improv Comedy, at its core, is about self-expression. An Improviser has only himself on an empty stage. Every idea he puts forth comes from inside of him. The best improvisers realize this and trust their instincts and let their ideas flow out. Similarly, the best speakers realize that the audience is there to see them. Rather than hide behind other people's ideas or style, they are 100% themselves as they speak. Many speakers make the mistake of taking acting classes to be more "dramatic" as they speak. The result is a speaker that looks fake and wooden. Audiences don't want "dramatic;" they want natural. Practicing improv comedy techniques can help you be much more natural.

2) Improv Comedy is an interactive format. Improvisation may be the only art form where the audience is present at the time of creation. As a result, the audience's needs, wants, and mood can be taken into account to direct the content. Great improvisers feed off of a crowd's energy and build content the audience appreciates. The performer pays attention to the audience and makes subtle adjustments as she goes. Speakers would do well to adopt this approach. Most speakers prepare their speech in a vacuum and deliver it exactly as practiced. However, every audience is different. If a speaker pays attention to the audience as she is speaking, she can also make subtle adjustments to increase her effectiveness (adjusting pacing, energy, volume, etc) If you do this, not only will your speech be more powerful, but you will also develop that coveted "rapport and connection" with the audience.

3) Things will go wrong. A speaker who relies solely on what they've memorized will be easily thrown by the distractions that invariably happen. If time gets cut, or a cell phone rings, or a heckler demands attention, the speaker will have no response. To an improviser, distractions are just one more tool to use to make their point. A key improv attitude is to "go with the flow." As a speaker, this attitude will allow you to be unflappable from the stage. You will be deemed a true professional, and audiences will admire your ability to handle interruptions.

These are just three simple ideas that are a powerful way in which improv comedy can make anyone a more powerful speaker. There are many more ways related to all aspects of speaking: content, delivery, storytelling, style, humor, etc, but these three are the perfect starting point.

If you have never done or used improv, then consider taking a class. Not only will you learn useful skills for speaking (and life), but it will be the most fun class you've ever taken!

 

 

How To Improve Communication Skills And Your Personal Style

How To Improve Communication Skills And Your Personal Style

Word Count:
474

Summary:
Six tips for improving your communication style.

Keywords:
confidence building, self confidence, lack of, gaining, how to be,

Article Body:
Here are six tips for improving your communication style:

1. Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.

Each person has a unique way of communicating. Listen to your own speech. What sorts of words do you use? Which sort of body language and what tone of voice are you using?

Now, think of someone who, in your opinion, is a good communicator. Compare your style to theirs. You've just taken an important first step in how to improve communication skills.

2. Now that you are aware of your own style, study the style of those around you. How do the most important people in your life converse? How do they say things? Look for approaches you can model and make your own.

3. Adjust to the other styles of communication. Don't think it is too late to change your way of conversing because it's been years. You had to learn to communicate in the first place and you can unlearn certain behaviors or change them. Sometimes we get stuck in a communication rut.

A father once was having a hard time with his teenaged daughter. She was growing and he thought she didn't tell him what was going on in her life. They were in a heated discussion when he asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Her answer was that she had, but he was too busy lecturing her to hear her. He learned that adjusting his style to his daughter would involve listening first before jumping right into solving the problem.

4. To build rapport, during a conversation try and match the other person's movements, posture and verbal style. Don't do everything they do, but mirror one or two things. For example, if the person gives mostly short answers to questions, you follow suit.

Or, maybe they talk at a slower pace than you usually do-slow your speaking speed to match theirs. This may sound simplistic but it is a very potent way to make someone feel very relaxed and comfortable in your presence.

5. The way you communicate at home may not be the same as in a different environment. Make sure you change your style to suit the different setting. Some comments you might want to tell your best friend, in private.

Other things can be shared in a group setting. Learn how to improve communication skills by altering your style for the appropriate setting. Many of us know someone who offers far too much information in a group setting.

6. Don't criticize others for communicating differently. If we all communicated in the same way, we'd soon be bored with each other.

Getting a good grasp of your communication style and finding ways to accommodate other peoples' styles, is a good way to improve your communication skills.

 

How to Impress Others When You Speak

How to Impress Others When You Speak

Word Count:
384

Summary:
Your presentation must do more than just inform. It must connect with the audience so that they accept your information. Here's how.

Keywords:
business presentations, public speaking, professional speaking, effective communication

Article Body:
People expect more of a speaker that just words. Here's how to stand out.

1) Be the message. You must exemplify the principles, values, and ideas that you talk about in order to have credibility urging others to adopt them.

2) Think like the audience. Present your ideas from the viewpoint of how they will find them most useful. Realize that things that work for you, may depend upon your situation. Thus, customize new techniques to the world that your audience lives in.

3) Be original. Create your own cartoons and humor. Tell your own stories. Use your own activities. Stealing from others is unethical, illegal, and just plain wrong. You can be sued by the author (or cartoonist) for using copyrighted materials, such as cartoons from the newspaper. And you could find that your presentation follows one with the original versions of material that you planned to use.

4) Create a safe environment. People learn best when they feel safe to experiment and try new ideas. Treat everyone with respect. Never damage anyone in the audience, even if this person seems to be disrupting your presentation.

5) Be ethical. Cite references for published information. Obtain a license and pay royalties if you must use copyrighted materials. Realize that other speakers (authors, cartoonists, humorists, entertainers, etc.) depend upon their materials for their livelihood.

6) Let people discover and experience new ideas. Adults learn by applying what they are being taught. It makes learning more permanent and enjoyable.

7) Be authentic. That is, be yourself, without pretense, without gimmicks, and without theatrics. People can recognize a fake easily. And when they find one, they leave.

8) Leave the audience impressed with themselves. Create opportunities for people to be funny, clever, or correct. Feed the audience set up lines that lead them into being the stars in your program. Ask question that let them show off what they know. This facilitates adult learning by making people feel special, which opens their minds to new ideas.

9) Keep it simple. People benefit most from techniques that they can use now.

10) Speak to them about them. Everyone finds their own story the most interesting. If you tell your story, then take them with you by including them in your story. Help them experience what you felt, discover as you learned, and celebrate as if they had won.

 

How to Develop a Dynamic Story

How to Develop a Dynamic Story

Word Count:
373

Summary:
Story telling is a very effective way to get your point across.  Here are some tips to help you develop a dynamic powerful story. 
• Decide on the purpose for the story.  What is the main point you want to make?  Slant the telling of the story so that that point is clear.

Keywords:
Public speaking, storytelling, speaking skills, public speaking techniques, presentation skills, dynamic storytelling,

Article Body:
Story telling is a very effective way to get your point across.  Here are some tips to help you develop a dynamic powerful story. 

• Decide on the purpose for the story.  What is the main point you want to make?  Slant the telling of the story so that that point is clear. 

• Create the backdrop. Describe the scene so that the audience can picture it in their minds. What is the time, location, weather?  What is going on emotionally, physically, or spiritually?

• Introduce the main characters. Help your audience to picture the important characters through detailed descriptions. Become them; describe their relationships, quirks and personality.  Add character voices or mannerisms to make them different from your own.

• Begin the Journey.  What is the task, the goal, and the journey to take?  What are the challenges that need to be faced? 

• Meet the obstacle.  To avoid boredom something must happen to get in your way and make it interesting.  This could be a person, a self limiting belief, or a challenge to overcome.  Exaggeration will add humour.

• Overcome the obstacles.  What had to be done to overcome the obstacle? What inner resources did you have to summon?  Did someone help you?  A hero? Or you?  Be specific.  Break your solution down into a few steps in sequence. This is where the teaching happens.

• Resolve the story.  How did everything turn out? Tie up the loose ends-what happened to the other people? To your hero?

• Make the point.  A story needs one clear point to have more points confuses the issue. Write out and memorize the point, work on the words to make it simple and easy to remember.  Find "the phrase that pays".

• Ask the question.  Make your story personal to the audience. "Has that ever happened to you?" Turn the main point into a question.  Push their buttons!

• Practice, practice, practice.  Tell your stories to anyone who is willing to listen.  Get feedback, make adjustments, and tell it again.  These steps will ignite the WOW in your audience. 

Remember the best story you will ever tell is your next story!

 

How To Communicate In His Love Language

How To Communicate In His Love Language

Word Count:
548

Summary:
Are you wondering how to communicate with that new man in your life? Or maybe you are just wondering about the next man in your life? New or old, it's never too late to learn how to communicate in the language of love.

Keywords:
confidence building, self confidence, lack of, gaining, how to be, Peter Murphy

Article Body:
Are you wondering how to communicate with that new man in your life? Or maybe you are just wondering about the next man in your life? New or old, it's never too late to learn how to communicate in the language of love.

Maybe you've seen the tomboyish girl that somehow has men flocking around her. If you stopped turning green with envy for a moment, you'd notice why she was a man magnet. She just sort of fit herself into him, like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that he didn't even know was missing.

Instead of rolling your eyes at that dazed and happy-in-love look he has on his face, why not look into how she did it? Learn these tips on how to communicate in a whole new way by getting to know his love language and speaking it fluently!

We all know that love is built on the solid foundation of communication. When we are in love we are on the same page as our lover. It's a special level of communication that people in love have.

Some call it chemistry, but really, in order to even get to the chemistry stage you need to know his love language. For a clue as to what that might be, we need to understand how he relates to the world around him.

Everyone perceives their world with three senses - sight, sound and feelings. Psychologists have discovered that even though we use all three senses, one of these senses is always more pronounced. It doesn't mean that it replaces the others, but if you pay attention, the more dominant one will reveal itself to you.

Asking questions is the easiest and fastest way to learn his language and since asking questions is the most common way to get to know someone or start a conversation, he'll never suspect.

He's just returned from a business trip. You ask about his trip. Pay attention to his answer:

1. If he's visual he might say: the weather was terrible. I didn't get to see the sun once!

2. An auditory guy will talk about sounds: we got the account, which was good. But the hotel I stayed at was too noisy.

3. He is a feeler if he answers something like: I have to admit; I'm not much into traveling alone. I get lonely when I visit new places.

Knowing a man's love language is the key in how to communicate with him in a way that will make him feel that you are the missing piece to his puzzle. You'll just fit. Of course, one question isn't going to tell you. You'll have to watch for a pattern to emerge.

Once you do find the prominent sense, you'll want to speak his language. Talking with your visual man will be all about what you saw on the way over, while the auditory fellow will want to know about the new CD you just bought.

It doesn't matter what your love language is. As long as you know how to communicate to him in his Love Language you'll soon be the envy of all the other girls. That is, unless you tell them your secret.

 

How To Communicate Better With Body Language Secrets

How To Communicate Better With Body Language Secrets

Word Count:
467

Summary:
Since the 1970's, learning how to communicate better has had a lot to do with understanding body language.

Keywords:
confidence building, self confidence, lack of, gaining, how to be, Peter Murphy

Article Body:
"I don't let my mouth say nothin' my head can't stand." Louis Armstrong

Since the 1970's, learning how to communicate better has had a lot to do with understanding body language.

Julius Fast wrote a book entitled, Body Language in 1970. He talked about a new science called Kinesics. It opened the way to more studies and books on the subjects. Today, the term Body Language is very common and understood as an important element of communication.

In fact, experts in the field of communication suggest that there is a rule that says that 7% of the meaning of what a person is saying comes from their words.

Interestingly, 38% is based on the tone of their voice. 55% of the meaning comes from the body language of the person that is speaking. This rule comes from research that was published in the late 1960's.

Some now think that the percentages from this research might be slightly different. Nevertheless, the bottom line is still the same. If you don't know the basics of body language, you are missing a valuable tool for learning how to communicate better. We speak body language on a subliminal level, without actually realizing that we are communicating through body talk.

1. Face

The most expressive part of your body is your face. When you enter a room if you feel nervous, your expression might make you look aloof or unfriendly.

Smiling at the room is a sure-fire way to remove anyone's doubts about your approachability. Smiling makes us look warm, open and confident.

2. Eyes

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. They certainly give people clues about what we are feeling.

A direct gaze towards someone can show interest- direct staring on the other hand can mean an intense dislike. Very little eye contact can show that you are shy.

3. Hands

Have you ever watched someone's hand gestures when they are talking? Open hand gestures tend to make a person appear open and honest. Bringing hands together to a point can accent the point you are making.

Wringing your hands or excessively moving your fingers and hands will give away nervousness. It can even make someone look dishonest- are they trying to hide something?

4. Posture

If you lean towards someone you are showing an interest in that person. If we are feeling low in confidence, we tend to slouch our shoulders and look down.

Men and women use different body language. For instance, women will stand close to each other, hold eye contact with the person they are talking to and use gestures.

Men make little effort to maintain eye contact and don't rely on the use of gestures to communicate. Men and women can learn how to communicate better by observing the differences in their use of body language.

 

How to be a Public Speaking Star with The Use Of Computers

How to be a Public Speaking Star with The Use Of Computers

Word Count:
638

Summary:
You can use computers to help you write your speech, as well as to help you research effectively, edit your work, check spelling and grammar and more. Computers can help you avoid wasting time; avoid never ending revising of your speech.

Keywords:
public speaking, computer, software, star, speech, time, research, internet

Article Body:
No, you will not be giving a speech using computers. A computer cannot speak for you on stage. No, that is not what this topic is about. I am saying computers can help you get in touch, while helping you search for information. You can use computers to help you write your speech, as well as to help you research effectively, edit your work, check spelling and grammar and more. Computers can help you avoid wasting time; avoid never ending revising of your speech.

A well-written speech should be typed on a computer. This looks more professional than handwriting. Furthermore, speeches often require research, support, correspondence and so forth. If you have a computer you can e-mail important messages much faster than taking the message to the post office. Furthermore, you can use the powerful Search Engine to find out any information you are searching for on the speech topic.

How much better can it get. The Internet has a variety of newsletters, articles, headlines, magazines, newspaper and more that can put you in connection faster with important facts needed to finish your speech. Imagine spending hours at the local library compared to spending a few minutes online. After all, s all about saving time and working sufficiently.

The Internet also has libraries all over the world with available information that will help you with the research process. Imagine delivering a ground-breaking speech to the public that is saturated with facts you can verify. The libraries often have helpful information and some libraries will literally find the information for you if it is not available in their library. As you can see you are not only saving time you are finding more information than you can deal with while writing your speech online.

While writing your speech you can also use spell checkers, grammar checkers and other tools to edit your speech. Furthermore, you are going to love this, you can actually use the Thesaurus to discover new words that might enhance your speech. The computers also give you the ability to research languages, i.e. if you want to point out something in Spanish in your speech, you will have the tools to do so even if you t speak Spanish.

Not only this, the time you spend writing your speech off the computer will stress you out. If you write, research and prepare your speech on a computer it will save you time, energy and money.

One important issue you want to keep in mind while writing a ground-breaking speech on a computer is that the Worldwide Web of Chaos has a bunch of suckers that will drag you into their arena. Stay out! Set your goal and plan ahead of the game and include in plan avoiding getting into computer based nonsense that will hinder you while writing your speech.

One thing you want to avoid also while writing your speech is stopping and revising the sentences as you write them. This will only hinder your progress. Instead, write the darn report and read it after you finish. If it makes sense and sounds good, use it, if it sounds ;then you can edit the sentences.

As a writer one of the best tools I have is the ability to finish my articles, read them aloud, which helps me to spot out areas that needed brushing or polishing. In the world of editing you could nick and pick through every word and sometimes never find sense in the words, however, a good edit will read the words and define them carefully before considering abolishing the sentences. Thus, they look at structure, characters, grammar, spelling and more to decide whether it fits.

Conclusion

Overall the point is by using a computer; you can save time which in turn will reduce stress for you.

 

How to be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint

How to be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint

Word Count:
1309

Summary:
This article gives 10 tips on how presenters can be highly effective without using PowerPoint.

Keywords:
powerpoint, power point, public speaking, presentation skills

Article Body:
RESEARCH YOUR AUDIENCE It amazes me how some speakers will show up for a speaking engagement and really not know anything about the audience they are speaking to. Many speakers just get lazy and feel that their message is so important that anyone would want to hear it. They couldn't be more wrong. Your core message may be about the same for everyone, but knowing your audience will allow you to slant the information so that the audience feels it was prepared just for them. They will relate much better to the information and think much more highly of you for creating something specifically for them. Of course, in many cases you were only slanting your information, but I won't tell if you won't.

PRACTICE The only way to look polished while speaking is to practice. This is one skill you cannot delegate to anyone else. It is you that is on stage with the microphone and it is you who will look either great or terrible. You are sadly mistaken and egotistical if you think the PowerPoint slides that either you or someone else created will make you a dynamic speaker. There are specific techniques used to practice that don't take much time and make you look extremely polished. One of these techniques is called bits. You practice a short piece of material over and over again. You don't practice it word for word, but just talk your way through it. This way you won't blank out when a distraction happens while you are on stage.

TAKE CARE OF HECKLERS The following is my famous asterisk technique; I use it to make sure hecklers don't interrupt my presentation. I get people in the group to identify potential troublemakers BEFORE I get to the event. I phone these people and interview them to give them the attention they are craving. I then mention their names during the speech. This virtually eliminates the chance they will give me a hard time because I am praising one of their opinions. This works really well but don't mention their names exclusively or the rest of the audience that knows these people are trouble may think that you are just as bad. Mention a wide variety of people in the audience. Just make sure the bad ones are included which normally keeps them at bay.

USE EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE Boring old facts rarely move people to action. Learning to use words that evoke emotions in people will make a much greater impact when you speak. There are many emotions you can trigger in the audience just by your choice of words. Happiness, anger, sadness, nostalgia are just a few. Knowing your purpose for being in front of the group helps you to pick which emotions you want to tap. When your purpose is known, choosing words to get the desired emotional response is much easier. For instance, if you wanted to take someone back to a childhood experience you might say, "Do you remember when someone did something bad at school and the teacher smacked the yardstick on her desk?" The word Phrase "smacked the yardstick" would evoke an emotional response that many adults can relate to. A younger group may not relate to this phrase since corporal punishment has all but disappeared from schools. You must pick the words that would mean something to your audience.

REVEAL YOURSELF Often people have trouble implementing this idea because they like to remain aloof and private. This will hurt their chances of making a good connection with people in the audience. You certainly don't have to reveal your deepest darkest secrets when on stage, but you certainly could tell someone how much you like horses, or how you love to cook . . .anything that will give them a glimpse into the real you will give you a better chance of connecting with them and getting them to listen to you.

USE PROPS A prop is worth a thousand words. People can really anchor a thought in their minds when it is connected to an object that relates to the point you are trying to make. You could use large, small, funny or serious props. Always relate the prop to the point you are trying to make and make sure the audience can see it. Sometimes you'll want to hide the prop so people don't wonder what it is until you are ready to present it.

USE HUMOR Even Shakespeare used humor in the middle of the tragedies he wrote. Humor is a powerful and effective tool that gives the audience's mind a chance to breath in the face of heavy material. It also makes you more likable and fun to listen to. Humor is also much more likely to make your information more memorable. You don't have to be a stand up comedian to use humor in speeches and presentations, and you don't have to tell jokes either. There are many ways to add humor that don't require any skill at all. You can show funny visuals, tell stories, or read from books or periodicals. Just like with props, make sue your humor relates to the point you are trying to make and you will be much more successful. Each issue of "Great Speaking" has about 20 pieces of humor you can use during speeches.

MOVE 'EM TO ACTION If you are going to bother taking up people's time to speak to them, don't you think it would be a good idea to get them to do something positive because of your presentation? Even if they do something negative, it's still better than doing nothing because they will at least get a chance to learn something from their mistake. Regardless of the size of your ego, the reality is that you are there for them, not the other way around. I'm all for you building up your reputation, but if you go into your speech thinking it's all for you, it will show and you probably won't do as well as you would have had you concentrated on the needs of the audience more.

BRING SOLUTIONS One of the best ways to make sure the audience loves you is to bring solutions to their problems. If you have done a thorough job of researching your audience, you already know what their problems are. It's your job to bring ideas for them to try. In modern day thinking this is what motivational speaking is all about. No longer is it good enough to get people all fired up where they are bouncing off the walls without a clue as to what they will do with this new found excitement and motivation. Modern professional motivational speakers bring solutions and a plan of action to achieve them. Now those are motivating.

PAY ATTENTION TO LOGISTICS The best preparation, practice, and audience research could be ruined if you forget to pay attention to all the details surrounding a presentation. You want to know what is happening before you speak, and what is happening after you speak: How are the people seated? Are they at round tables where half of them are facing away from you, or are there no tables at all? What kind of microphone is appropriate? How big is the screen in the room? Will the people be drinking alcohol? What is the lighting like? All these items and many more affect the overall effectiveness of a presentation. The same exact words delivered with significantly different logistics could be received in entirely different ways. You could even go from a fantastic evaluation to a bomb just because of the way people are seated. It's up to you to know the differences and how they affect a presentation.

 

History of Public Speaking

History of Public Speaking

Word Count:
440

Summary:
See how public speaking has influenced history. Public Speaking is important today.

Keywords:
public speaking, speaking

Article Body:
There never has been in the history of the world a time when the spoken word has been equaled in value and importance by any other means of communication. If one traces the development of mankind from what he considers its earliest stage he will find that the wandering family of savages depended entirely upon what its members said to one another. A little later when a group of families made a clan or tribe the individuals still heard the commands of the leader, or in tribal council voiced their own opinions. The beginnings of poetry show us the bard who recited to his audiences. Drama, in all primitive societies a valuable spreader of knowledge, entertainment, and religion, is entirely oral. In so late and well organized communities as the city republics of Greece all matters were discussed in open assemblies of the rather small populations.

Every great epoch of the world's progress shows the supreme importance of speech upon human action individual and collective. In the Roman Forum were made speeches that affected the entire ancient world. Renaissance Italy, imperial Spain, unwieldy Russia, freedom loving England, revolutionary France, all experienced periods when the power of certain men to speak stirred other men into tempestuous action.

The history of the United States might almost be written as the continuous record of the influence of great speakers upon others. The colonists were led to concerted action by persuasive speeches. The Colonial Congresses and Constitutional Convention were dominated by powerful orators. The history of the slavery problem is mainly the story of famous speeches and debates. Most of the active representative Americans have been leaders because of their ability to impress their fellows by their power of expressing sentiments and enthusiasms which all would voice if they could. Presidents have been nominated and candidates elected because of this equipment.

During the Great War the millions of the world were as much concerned with what some of their leaders were saying as with what their other leaders were doing.

There is no aspect of modern life in which the spoken work is not supreme in importance. Representatives of the nations of the world deciding upon a peace treaty and deliberating upon a League of Nations sway and are swayed by speech. National assemblies from the strangely named new ones of infant nations to the century old organizations speak, and listen to speeches. In state legislatures, municipal councils, law courts, religious organizations, theaters, lodges, societies, boards of directors, stockholders' meetings, business discussions, classrooms, dinner parties, social functions, friendly calls in every human relationship where two people meet there is communication by means of speech.

 

Fluent Speech And How To Achieve It

Fluent Speech And How To Achieve It

Word Count:
337

Summary:
This article is all about how to achieve fluency and looks at the specific speech impediment known as stammering/stuttering. My name is Steve Hill, I suffered with a stutter from the age of four and despite regular conventional speech therapy, continued stuttering until the age of twenty-two.

Keywords:
stammer, stutter, speech impediment, speech problem, stuttering, stammering, stammering toddler

Article Body:
This article is all about how to achieve fluency and looks at the specific speech impediment known as stammering/stuttering. My name is Steve Hill, I suffered with a stutter from the age of four and despite regular conventional speech therapy, continued stuttering until the age of twenty-two.

I found life with a stutter extremely frustrating as at times I could speak very well. For example when I spoke to what is now my ex-girlfriend I very rarely had a problem, however when attempting to speak to her parents I struggled quite badly.

When I was drunk my fluency level also would improve to a level where I would be shocked if I stuttered at all.

I could not understand why I could talk to one person but not to another and why I could speak when I was drunk but not when I was sober.

I read many books about speech imediments, achieving fluency and stuttering and spoke to many speech therapists. From what I read and from what I was told, I was made to believe that I was unable to live a stuttering-free life as it suggested you are unable to eradicate a stutter.

This is a very negative attitude, however I could not really believe what I was hearing and reading as I knew I could talk very well at times.

I then was fortunate enough to watch Bruce Willis being interviewed on the television. He stated that he had had a stutter which had started when he was a young boy, however he had managed to achieve fluency when he was a late teenager. This was a huge inspiration to me and I then decided that I would attempt to overcome my own speech impediment.

After nearly a year of working very hard by reading books about positive thinking and mind over matter and by basically studying people who I thought were great speakers, I also managed to beat the stutter. As a career I now help other people to achieve fluency.