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Fear of Public Speaking, Pt. II – Breathing Techniques
In Pt. I of this series I went over a number of tips and tactics to deal with the fear of public speaking. One of the tactics was breathing, which sounds so simple, and is often anything but the night before, or the hour before, you are to ... Views: 2161
Many years ago when I first started my business, one of my clients, a woman billing herself as a professional speaker, was quite adamant in her disagreement with me about nervousness. She said that she was never nervous making a presentation and did not think nervousness was good. Had I been ... Views: 2160
Knocking knees, butterflies (who came up with that word?) in your stomach, sweaty palms, quavering voice. We’ve all been there – some of us more than others. I’m going to share with you some of the tricks of the trade to help manage and reduce your anxiety before and during your presentation. ... Views: 2159
Are you wondering why a limited number of people are registering for your program and/or services?
Are you open to learning something that may have a positive impact on your results forever?
Let’s talk about presentation languaging. These are words that every presenter needs to avoid ... Views: 2158
A good or influential public speaker not just speaks but he performs on stage. The aim of public speaking is to leave your audience charmed by your perform ace, whether this is on a big dais in front of hundreds or thousands of people, in a small room or anywhere. Preparation is the key to which ... Views: 2157
You’ve been invited or requested to speak and while your immediate reaction may be debilitating fear, at some point, you begin to focus on your material and/or your delivery. My question to you is what is goal? Are you aware that unless you know your audience, your goal cannot be fully ... Views: 2155
Mastering public speaking is a fear that every individual has to overcome.
When I first started out on the speaking circuit, the public speaking fear was a constant companion of mine.
The very thought of speaking in front a large audience that are waiting in anticipation for what you're ... Views: 2152
When you increase your volume, does your throat hurt? If you root for your favorite sports team, is your voice hoarse the next day? Perhaps you have no voice by the next day. All three of these situations are known as vocal abuse. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, then you are not ... Views: 2151
On many of my workshops, I quote a piece of well known research into the effectiveness and impact of communication. The effect on those with whom we communicate is dictated by body language, tone of voice and our words. Body language accounts for an enormous 56% of the overall effect, tone of ... Views: 2151
When most people think of public speaking or becoming a public speaker or simply giving a presentation at work they think they have to come off with the talent of a Joel Osteen or a powerful corporate executive. Yes those people do possess a type of presence and charisma along with a powerful ... Views: 2150
How skillful are you at pubic speaking? Have you mastered the public speaking skills?
If you want to master public speaking, then you need master the public speaking skills. There are dozens of skills required in a talk. These skills are an essential part of the art of public speaking and are ... Views: 2143
Recently I had the pleasure of seeing the Tony-nominated production of The Crucible. I am a huge fan of director Ivo Van Hove's work and loved his powerful production of A View From the Bridge earlier this season. Needless to say I was really looking forward to this evening at the theater. ... Views: 2140
Your audience wants you to succeed. They want you to do well so that they can be entertained, informed and inspired. Your self-confidence grows. As you become more confident, you build credibility.
Then you are introduced to three groups. You believe they will bring your speeches to a ... Views: 2136
One in 10 Americans has a loss of hearing. It can begin as early as age 20. Hearing declines significantly after age 40.
The baseline or threshold for normal hearing is 0 decibels. A decibel (dB) is a measure of sound pressure level. The higher the decibel, the louder the noise. The pain ... Views: 2136
Of all the various types of speeches and presentations we hear, that which stirs the most emotion, that which expresses the most passion, is the commemorative speech. For the sole purpose of paying tribute, the commemorative speech is dedicated to people, places, institutions, or ideas. ... Views: 2133
During the year we've seen some great examples from celebrities of presentation Do's and Don'ts. On the Do -side we've seen how an actor, former body builder, named Arnold, can morph into a Governor through demonstrating both charisma and confidence. We've also seen some really terrible ... Views: 2131
Unless you are scheduled to speak at 7 in the morning, I would suggest not warming up the speaking voice. Since you use your speaking voice throughout your day, my question is ‘What is there to warm up?’ The speaking voice is not like the singing voice where you will be using several octaves, ... Views: 2130
Extract from one of my Master of Ceremonies notes, April 2009:
“April is a month that has a very distinguishing feature… and I am not talking about my birthday!
I am talking about Easter.
Easter is about the Passion of Christ.
I am not going to preach to you about anything ... Views: 2128
Color refers to the life, the emotion, the animation you express in speaking. Whether it is for the purposes of public speaking, a sales presentation or just in normal conversation, those who speak with color are more dynamic than those who do not. In fact, those who do not are called boring. ... Views: 2124
What exactly is laughter and why do people laugh? Well for starters laughter is the physical expression of happiness. It is natural to smile and laugh when one is happy.
In a world that is often filled with sadness and disappointment laughter seems to many a foreign emotion. The archaic ... Views: 2121
When I travel to speak, if there is any time at all, either before or after the engagement, I try to get a TV, radio or print interview; preferably, all three.
Seeking exposure with the media can be intimidating for beginners and most speakers simply never consider themselves ... Views: 2121
Have you ever stood in line waiting for service? Stupid question, right? Have you ever used that time to introduce yourself, your product or your services to the individual in front of you, in back of you, or along side of you? If not, then you are missing a golden opportunity for potential ... Views: 2119
Someone in a recent presentation skills training program asked, “How do I project my voice and also, project authority?”
It's a great question because your voice is an important part of your presentation and should communicate that you’re confident, knowledgeable and engaging.
Here are 7 ... Views: 2119
Too often, novice speakers do not appreciate or make use of the pause because they are too intent on getting their speech or presentation over with as quickly as possible. The result for the audience is a barrage of constant verbiage which is exhausting for both the listeners and the speaker. ... Views: 2118
Does your voice ‘shake, rattle and roll’ when you stand to introduce yourself or address an audience at the lectern or the boardroom table? When I started my voice improvement business back in 1989, I joined the local chamber of commerce and attended a new members’ orientation. The room was ... Views: 2107
Are you feeling the great energy of 2012?
It can be an absolutely awesome year, especially when you align with individuals who have the same commitment, dedication and integrity that you do.
Over the last couple of years, I have been approached by many individuals to create Joint Venture ... Views: 2107
There is a big difference between moving on stage and pacing; and, I am a huge advocate of the former. The latter, however, is something you must stop if you want your audience to pay attention to your words.
Moving on Stage Those who move effectively treat their audience as if in ... Views: 2101
Ever wonder why the best in the business are so successful when addressing an audience? Is it their message? How about their delivery? In truth, it is both of these components.
While you may have an excellent message, without a dynamic delivery, your message will not be heard. Likewise, ... Views: 2099
You are giving a very important presentation to the board members and midway through something overwhelms you and you can’t for the life of you remember exactly where you were in the presentation. You are giving a sales pitch on a new product to one of your biggest customers and you just lost it ... Views: 2098
Imagine yourself as an audience member. You've paid big money to learn the secrets of your favorite guru. You've read the guru's books, subscribed to his newsletter, and you read his blog daily. Now you have the opportunity to learn from him in person at his highly-publicized weekend ... Views: 2097
Some years ago, Barbara Walters interviewed Kathleen Turner, commenting on Turner’s “low, wonderful voice.” The actress responded that she could not understand how a woman could spend thousands of dollars on her clothing, hair, and makeup and not spend some of that money on her voice, as she ... Views: 2093
You want to make a great speech. Who doesn’t? But most people worry about the possibility of negative emotions wreaking havoc with their perfectly planned speech. They spend days or weeks writing out their speech, ensuring that it says exactly what they want to convey; they practice their ... Views: 2093
Whether you are involved in public speaking, sales, presentations, training, or any other profession requiring you to convey a concept to another person, the goal should be to emotionally charge the room with the energy of your topic. The words you use are not as relevant as the feelings you ... Views: 2091
Last minute presentation…about to wreck your weekend? If your boss just called you in and told you about a Monday morning urgent pitch, you know the sinking feeling. What can you do?
Friday afternoon. You should be heading home for a relaxing weekend with your honey. Dream on. Instead of ... Views: 2088
While there are various methods and suggestions as to how to make your voice deeper in pitch, the difference between those approaches and the one that is correct lies in the word make. As soon as you make your voice do something it shouldn’t, you are forcing it. When you force your voice into ... Views: 2087
When you are asked, requested, or invited to speak, whether it is for your company, a business organization, a leads club, or some type of conference, how familiar are you with your audience and their needs? As much as you may want to deliver a stellar presentation, if you do not know to whom ... Views: 2086
Recently I was engaged to provide speakers’ training for a group of prestigious physicians launching a groundbreaking new therapy in Europe. Each member of the group was extraordinarily committed to the success of the launch, and their approach made an indelible impression on me.
Why? Though ... Views: 2086
Have you ever seen a speaker go over the allotted time limit? Or rush through the material when they realized they were running out of time?
What was your reaction to that speaker? Were you impressed?
I've seen speakers go over the time limit by five, ten or fifteen minutes and then look ... Views: 2084
We all have attended presentations. I’m sure you will agree most were terrible – boring, redundant, and/or visually offensive. I am guilty of giving a few myself. You too? To improve my knowledge base and skills, I started studying the product launches of Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, Inc. I then ... Views: 2082
When it comes to the speaking voice, tone deals with the expression of a mood or emotion. In relationship to your delivery, your tone can have a surprising influence on how your topic or subject is perceived. Were you to give a motivational speech, your tone would be different than if you were ... Views: 2078
In this technology-prone era, having a responsive website is the most important thing, which helps in connecting your brand with the potential buyers on the web. However, overstating the importance of an optimized website will surely put you into troubles, and gradually, you will lose everything ... Views: 2078
When you have a job at hand, is your goal to do it perfectly or to the best of your ability? Be honest with yourself in answering that question because, in public speaking, it could mean the difference between a dynamic presentation and one that is so-so.
Without a doubt, there are some ... Views: 2071
One of the best tools for improving your presentation skills is to video-record yourself as a means of practice. While you may think this is a bit extreme, it really isn’t: you will learn so much by watching yourself on video. A lot of people are recorded during their presentation, but ... Views: 2067
While my last article dealt with the causes and cure for vocal abuse, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the reason you must end this abuse as soon as possible. Simply put: where would you be without a voice? Whether you are suffering from discomfort, pain, or hoarseness to either ... Views: 2064
How many of you out there say that you have the innate ability to speak in front of an audience? How many of you out there will honestly admit that you have some sort of trepidation speaking in front of an audience? How many of you feel that you have the ability and power to persuade an audience ... Views: 2060
Do you ever think about smiling when addressing an audience? If not, you should. Did you know that it takes 43 muscles to frown but only 17 to smile? Therefore, when you consider energy consumption, it is much wiser to smile than it is to show fear no matter how bad your nervousness. In ... Views: 2057
These words change my life. They inspire me with belief in myself.
This belief in what I can do sustains me. It sustains me through many crucibles. Through many crucibles in the years that follow.
Here's how it happens: At 17 I quit high school. It's not that I want to quit in ... Views: 2057
Does this sound familiar? You hear a recording of your voice and you cringe? Perhaps you are embarrassed. Well, you are not alone. Most people do not recognize what they hear on the recording because it does not sound like the voice they hear in their head.
Unfortunately, the voice on the ... Views: 2054
How many of you are currently doing public speaking? If so, how many of you will start presenting your topic at the very beginning because you are afraid of time overrun? Here is my opinion. Even though I have only 60 minutes to present a topic, I will still spend at least 7 to 10 minutes to set ... Views: 2052