The best speakers all do this. Do you?

I remember sitting in class in university and counting the number of times my professor would say the word “Ok”. I think that in one class, he said “Ok” 82 times! His verbal tic, made listening to the lecture a challenge. The content he intended to communicate was lost in the sea of words he was saying and the only information I was getting was not what he wanted me to get!

How do you speak to people so they will actually “get” what you want to communicate? Easier said than done! Most speakers only focus on the content of their presentation, but forget about the execution. That’s a great mistake. The audience is watching your every move, your every facial expression and listening to your every sound. These are different forms of communication and they all demand a portion of the attention of the audience. Be strategic… Avoid fillers that do not contribute to your message. A mistake I often see: pacing from left to right out of nervousness. Movement on stage should be deliberately planned because it can be distracting.

Do not be afraid of pauses and silence. Pauses actually emphasise your message and give the audience the time to process what you have just said. As well, it gives YOU time to think what you will say next.

Using stories or analogies to illustrate your point is an effective way to communicate your message.. People will forget information but will remember stories. Stories are great because you can paint a picture of a scene and “take people with you” to a different location.. Some audience members may be auditory learners so make sure to include words that conjure sounds in your description. Include all the five senses for even greater effect and to reach all learners (e.g. I nervously ran into the café, my heart was beating loudly but instantly calmed down when I smelled the aroma of freshly brewed coffee).

Great speakers make a point of engaging with the audience. They do not stand behind the lectern. They expose their whole body and make themselves fully visible. Making eye contact with the audience is another tool they use. They look at all attendees and maintain eye contact for about 3 seconds with a person and then shift their gaze to another person.

Practice is really the key to putting it all together. Filming yourself will give you an advantage. You will then be able to watch and experience your presentation from the audience’s point of view. Obviously, it does take more time than “winging it”, but great speakers take time to prepare their content AND their execution!