How often have you had to give a speech, but did little to no practice ahead of time? I don’t mean impromptu speeches; I’m talking about getting lots of notice about the speech but choosing to avoid practice altogether. It’s an easy step to want to skip. After all, practice isn’t glamorous…
Read MoreDoes the thought of giving a speech make you feel a little queasy? Do your hands still get sweaty? Does your heart start pounding before you go on stage? Does your brain play a sizzle reel of all the things that could possibly go wrong (everyone hates it, people boo, you fall off the stage, get pelted with rotten tomatoes, etc.) beforehand? Here’s a secret: me too. And I’ve been doing this a long time.
Read MoreOne of the best scenes from an otherwise mediocre movie was when Will Farrell’s character in “Talladega Nights” couldn’t figure out what to do with his hands while he was speaking in front of a large crowd. While he spoke, his arms slowly kept rising next to him, as if possessed by their own will.
Read MoreA friend of mine recently worked with a new speaker coach to get her ready for a big work presentation in front of a room of over 500 people. She was disappointed after the first session because she didn’t feel like she’d gotten what she needed. She noticed her coach struggled to translate his skills as a wonderful speaker into helping her with her presentation. “He didn’t seem to understand I was giving a corporate presentation, not a motivational speech.” She lamented. “And he’s such a great speaker, so I thought he’d be a great coach!”
Read MoreI was recently speaking to a friend who has had to give various types of speeches throughout the past year, to various audience sizes, and he was stumped about how to maintain eye-contact with the audience in a meaningful, effective manner. He was especially curious about an old tip he learned (which involves choosing one or two people in the audience to focus on throughout the speech), but he was having trouble implementing it in a natural way.
Read MoreIn the last few years, TED and TEDx Talks have rapidly become the gold standard of public speaking: the presentations are informative, witty, innovative, and demonstrate the best of what a killer presentation can do. But did you ever wonder how they manage to maintain that level of consistency and quality in every Talk? Are all of these subject matter experts also naturally brilliant orators as well?
Read MoreNow the real work begins, and this is where most people check out. Joining a club may be the first step, but getting the results you were hoping for when you first joined means having to engage, work hard, and work smart. Here are a few ways to get the most out of your membership:
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