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Face Your Fears and Improve Your Value Proposition (Wendy Samson & Curt Swenson, 2016)

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Face Your Fears and Improve Your Value Proposition (Wendy Samson & Curt Swenson, 2016)

Rated by the American public as being scarier than death and divorce, public speaking is also the primary skill that can increase your value proposition! In fact, in a 2009 presentation to the business students at Columbia University, Warren Buffet agreed by claiming that, “you can improve your value by 50 percent just by learning communication skills–public speaking.” (LinkedIn article posted January 8th, 2017). FutureSYNC International proposes the following five simple speaking rules that can lessen your fears my reminding you that public speaking is a lot like throwing a party!

  1. As a speaker, your role is as a confident host or hostess, not as an intimidated courtroom defendant. In other words, you are there to make your audience feel welcome, included and informed, not to feel interrogated by them. When you approach speaking as if you are welcoming people into your home for a great party, you will begin to understand that effective public speaking starts with simple courtesy, authentic kindness and inclusive enthusiasm. This change in perspective will go a long way in allaying your speech fears.
  2. Speak about things you that you know about. Agree to provide training and seminars on the very things in which you have expertise. Your comfort level (and your audience’s for that matter) will grow tremendously when you are speaking about things that come naturally to you and that you are passionate about. Accordingly, do not start your speech by telling people about how nervous you are; how unsure you were about accepting the speaker role; or by explaining your speech making process. No one cares!  This practice is self-indulgent and you are wasting your listeners’ time. You need to get your party started. Serve them your appetizers without making them listen to every step and ingredient in your cooking process before they get to eat.
  3. Do not read or memorize your speech. A simple three part outline left on the podium for quick reference is all you should require. It should simply include your warm welcome, your three main points, two facts and one story for each point, your fond farewell and your planned activities.  Nothing – and I mean nothing – disengages audiences from your speech more, than you reading it. Sorry, but memorizing it produces the same, scripted effect. If this intimidates you, go back to Rule #2.
  4. Include your audience every ten minutes. You heard me correctly. People are wired as auditory, visual or kinesthetic learners. So a big part of your preparation is deciding how you want to turn the learning over to your audience in ten minute intervals. Thankfully, being “a guide at their side” rather than “a sage on the stage”, produces much more learning as they explore, discuss and embed the concepts themselves and with others. These activities can be quite simple like: 1) Turning and talking with a partner or in a small group (auditory), 2) Referring to hand-outs, short videos or simple power point slides (visual), and 3) Participating in sampling the product, role playing, and trying hands-on activities (kinesthetics). Involving your audience is like being the host or hostess of a great party with food, music, conversation and games and your audience will want to come back again!
  5. Give your audience a sincere compliment as they arrive and as they leave. If you start and end your presentation with sincere words of appreciation, your audience will be more receptive to your message at the start and will show gratitude for your efforts at the end. Sincerity is the key, because flattery or trite compliments do just the opposite regarding your credibility. Do a little research and ask questions in order to understand and engage your party guests and to evoke your most authentic self as the speaker host.

For more information on becoming an effective speaker, contact FutureSYNC International at (406) 246-2324.