Griggs: 10 speaking tips for pitching, motivating, leading

The table pounded and gyrated as one of the distinguished professors waited to be introduced. Other conference speakers looked puzzled as they watched the bouncing table. Public speaking doesn’t care what you started, what you created, or what’s in your bank account — it’s equal opportunity brutal.

I had asked my professor why I continued to get nervous after all those university courses in public speaking. I took the courses, suffered the critique and made what I thought was good progress in giving speeches. Unfortunately, when I opened my mouth, my body and brain confirmed that I hadn’t done enough work on presenting in public.

Here are my 10 pointers for managing your nerves and giving great presentations:

1. Study your audience. Learn about their preferences, hot buttons, and current issues. The best speakers ask lots of questions about who will be attending their presentation. Anything a speaker learns or observes can help in connecting with a group of people.

2. Dress professionally the first time and similar to your audience later.  This is a tough one because it requires you to either be clairvoyant or to communicate well with the organizers. Clothes reflect your self-esteem and your respect for the audience — they are watching. 

3. Make a “restroom check” before starting.  Funny things happen after a meal or as the day progresses — it’s always best to go check. You get a psychological boost as you confirm that all is cleaned, buttoned, zipped and aligned.

4. Meet 30 percent to 40 percent of your audience before you speak. Go talk to early arrivals and people sitting on the edges of the room. Make a 30-second connection and move on. Chat about their commute, something they brought with them (coffee, food, book) or their reason for attending — they will be your champions.

5. Breathe comfortably and fully.  Stand up and quietly breathe while you’re being introduced or at least several seconds before taking the “stage.”  A good breath of air calms your nerves and gets much-needed oxygen to your brain.

6. Make your full-body movement smooth and relaxed. Don’t pace, but rather gently move from one spot to another while you’re speaking. This keeps your blood flowing and your audience engaged. Be careful not to encroach on the personal space of those sitting up front.

7. Use gestures that add to the topic (and keep people awake). When you’re talking “big,” show big. When you speak of a small item, show “small” in your gestures. Normal gestures almost always seem subdued to an audience. Good speakers exaggerate their gestures almost to the point of ridiculous. What feels over-the-top to you looks great from a seat in the ballroom.

8. Vary the way you talk (loud-soft, high-low, fast-slow). This comes with practice. It’s even better if you record yourself. Upon playback, if you sound monotonous or bland it will be worse in front of the audience. It’s worth the time to practice changing your vocal patterns — the audience will love it.

9. Spend time preparing the conclusion and introduction.  Prepare a confident conclusion first, so you know where you heading. This also builds confidence as you approach a crescendo that builds into a powerful ending summation.

10. Keep sight of your purpose (why you’re “opening your mouth”). It helps to know that it’s not about you. Of course, we all want to present ourselves well, but every audience will appreciate a focus on the message more than a slick looking and sounding speaker.

Finishing the conference speaker story, my professor dropped the bomb that you never completely get over your “speaking nerves.” The mystery was that the celebrated presenter’s nerves caused his knees to bang up against the underside of the table.

Rick Griggs is a former Intel Corp. training manager and inventor of the rolestorming creativity tool. He speaks on balance, teams and the confidence of Napoleon. Reach him at 970-690-7327.

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