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Quote of the month:
"Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know."
E. James (Jim) Rohn speaker, trainer, author
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February, 2007
"Three A's of Speaking"
Ever thought of speaking as an art, a process, a skill that can be learned?
Well, it is and it can! Few people are born with the natural ability to stand upfront and deliver invaluable content that engages an audience and enlightens their thoughts, words and deeds DURING and AFTER you speak.
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Do not worry - You can do it with learned techniques.
This month, let's look at 3 speaking items that involve the letter A:
Audience, Alive, Action
| AUDIENCE |
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First, audiences are selfish and rightly so. If they are to sit there and listen
to you speak for a period of time, they want to know what is in it for them! What are you
going to tell them that will relate to their own life and experiences and then, inspire them
to think, feel, and act differently, in essence, transform them to a more enlightened place?
Simply delivering data or information doesn't make this happen. In fact, it can tune them
out, put them on "screensaver eyes," and possibly even make them fall asleep………….
remember - sleeping people don't learn! As a speaker you have a job to do; you have
something important to tell them, to bring them to a better place in their personal or
professional lives.
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ALIVE |
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Next, your content and delivery need to be fully alive by:
- engaging them right from the start- your opening using a rhetorical question, a show of hands, a quote, a profound statement - whatever you choose, use YOU in the opening. Make it about THEM! Tap into their experience, their minds so you've got their attention, curiosity, and then you can then transport them to where you want them to go.
- being passionate about your content. If you're not excited or passionate about your topic, your experiences, your stories, why should they be? Think back to speakers, teachers, preachers you have heard and admired. Ask yourself : was it simply the content of their speeches that pressed your buttons, maintained your interest, or was it the passion they exuded for their content?
- working on your delivery demonstrated through your stage presence, your enthusiasm, and your energy. Note this point though - Do not sustain high energy throughout! Use vocal variety, pauses, times for them to reflect an important point or message. The pause is a strategy, the silence is the message!
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ACTION |
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Finally, let's briefly examine 'the call to action.' If a question and answer period is part of your agenda, do so, but not at the end of your presentation. Your closing words need to reflect your opening premise providing the audience with a feasible challenge for them to work on in their lives. For example, "In your next presentation, I challenge you to……" or "In the next 24 hours, try to alter a mindset you may have by…………"
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In closing, I challenge YOU to adopt at least 1 A thought or technique and incorporate it into your next speech or presentation.
I invite you to join me next month, when we examine The "Business Card Rule" in Speaking with more techniques to enhance YOUR Speaking Skills!
kathryn@kathrynmackenzie.com
416.489.6603
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www.kathrynmackenzie.com
© 2007 All rights reserved
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