Have you ever given a speech that ran over time?
Deadly Sin #4: Gluttony
by Andrew Dlugan sixminutes.dlugan.com
Gluttony is exhibited by speakers who believe that more is always better.
More slides, more bullets, more examples, more facts, more numbers, more details, more words — more of everything.
Packing all possible material into your presentation and then speeding through it is flawed, despite your best intentions to provide maximum value. More is (usually) not better. Cognitive research shows that people have a limited capacity to absorb information (see Kosslyn’s Clear and to the Point and Mayer’s Multimedia Learning). Overloading that capacity will reduce their ability to absorb anything at all! Quantity is no substitute for quality.
It is better to focus your presentation on your core message, select only the very best support material (facts, slides, anecdotes), and speak at a reasonable pace. Supplementary material, if necessary, belongs in a handout.
All of this gluttony — too many slides, too many stories, too many details — leads the speaker down a dark and dirty path towards…
Come back to find out more....
Fran Watson
P.S. For more tips on how to be a successful public speaker, click here!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Deadly Sin #3 - Lust
Tips from Andrew Dlugan - http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/
“Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.”
The lustful speaker attempts to calm their nerves by applying the common (yet terrible) advice to picture the audience naked!
Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.
In theory, picturing your audience naked makes them seem as vulnerable as you feel. It may provide a brief lighthearted moment to feed your teenaged appetite, but it won’t help you speak better.
More likely, it will cause an additional distraction and impede your efforts to connect with your audience. Consider this: how easy is it for you to communicate something meaningful to a room full of naked people? Can you inspire them? Impossible.
Nervous speakers who avoid this lustful deadly sin are, unfortunately, still prone to committing another deadly sin…
Stay tuned for the next tip
to your speaking success!!
Fran
P.S. In the meantime, help yourself to more tips - Click here
“Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.”
The lustful speaker attempts to calm their nerves by applying the common (yet terrible) advice to picture the audience naked!
Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.
In theory, picturing your audience naked makes them seem as vulnerable as you feel. It may provide a brief lighthearted moment to feed your teenaged appetite, but it won’t help you speak better.
More likely, it will cause an additional distraction and impede your efforts to connect with your audience. Consider this: how easy is it for you to communicate something meaningful to a room full of naked people? Can you inspire them? Impossible.
Nervous speakers who avoid this lustful deadly sin are, unfortunately, still prone to committing another deadly sin…
Stay tuned for the next tip
to your speaking success!!
Fran
P.S. In the meantime, help yourself to more tips - Click here
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
7 Deadly Sins of Public Speaking - Tip 2
Deadly Sin #2: Envy
From Andrew Dlugan - SixMinutes.dlugan.com
Envy is characterized by a false belief that great speakers are simply lucky to have been born with natural speaking skills.
You’ve heard the excuses from your colleagues, haven’t you?
“She’s so lucky! She’s a natural speaker!”
“Hmph! It’s so easy for him to speak in front of people.”
“No, I couldn’t deliver the proposal. I’m not a speaker.”
People who are envious of the “natural” skills of others are more likely to apply misguided solutions when confronted by an unavoidable speaking situation:
They steal stories and anecdotes from others rather than creating original ones
They copy PowerPoint slides from others even if they don’t quite apply
They mimic the oratorical style of others and lack authenticity
Because of bad habits like this, speakers suffer from lack of confidence. They know the stories, the slides, and the words are not their own. Nervousness results because they fear being exposed, and this nervousness leads to crazy behaviors like… (read more tomorrow)
Go, and sin no more...
Fran
P.S. For more tips on public speaking, click here:
From Andrew Dlugan - SixMinutes.dlugan.com
Envy is characterized by a false belief that great speakers are simply lucky to have been born with natural speaking skills.
You’ve heard the excuses from your colleagues, haven’t you?
“She’s so lucky! She’s a natural speaker!”
“Hmph! It’s so easy for him to speak in front of people.”
“No, I couldn’t deliver the proposal. I’m not a speaker.”
People who are envious of the “natural” skills of others are more likely to apply misguided solutions when confronted by an unavoidable speaking situation:
They steal stories and anecdotes from others rather than creating original ones
They copy PowerPoint slides from others even if they don’t quite apply
They mimic the oratorical style of others and lack authenticity
Because of bad habits like this, speakers suffer from lack of confidence. They know the stories, the slides, and the words are not their own. Nervousness results because they fear being exposed, and this nervousness leads to crazy behaviors like… (read more tomorrow)
Go, and sin no more...
Fran
P.S. For more tips on public speaking, click here:
Monday, October 24, 2011
7 Deadly Sins of Public Speaking
from Andrew Dlugan sixminutes.dlugan.com
Deadly Sin #1: Sloth
Sloth, or laziness, is committed by speakers who fail to prepare.
Speaking in public, whether formally or informally, is an essential activity that requires effort. Yet, the majority of people expend no effort to improve their effectiveness as a speaker. Tragically, they are content to drift from one frustrating presentation to the next.
“Speaking in public, whether formally or informally, is an essential activity that requires effort.”
You can avoid sloth in a number of ways:
■Enroll in a public speaking course
■Read public speaking books
■Read public speaking blogs
■Join Toastmasters or another local speaking club
■Study great speakers
■Hire a speaking coach
(By reading this article, you’re making the effort to improve. Sloth has no claim on you!)
Failing to prepare for life by improving your speaking skills leads to a chain of excuses, characterized by… (come back tomorrow to find out..)
To becoming a better speaker!!
Fran
P.S. For more help in developing your public speaking skills, click here.
Deadly Sin #1: Sloth
Sloth, or laziness, is committed by speakers who fail to prepare.
Speaking in public, whether formally or informally, is an essential activity that requires effort. Yet, the majority of people expend no effort to improve their effectiveness as a speaker. Tragically, they are content to drift from one frustrating presentation to the next.
“Speaking in public, whether formally or informally, is an essential activity that requires effort.”
You can avoid sloth in a number of ways:
■Enroll in a public speaking course
■Read public speaking books
■Read public speaking blogs
■Join Toastmasters or another local speaking club
■Study great speakers
■Hire a speaking coach
(By reading this article, you’re making the effort to improve. Sloth has no claim on you!)
Failing to prepare for life by improving your speaking skills leads to a chain of excuses, characterized by… (come back tomorrow to find out..)
To becoming a better speaker!!
Fran
P.S. For more help in developing your public speaking skills, click here.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Public Speaking - The Key Is In The Body Language.
Most people have a fear of speaking to a large group. This is a totally normal apprehension. People may visualise the audience laughing at them, or shouting out. This is an extremely rare occurrence, unless you are a politician.
Most people listening to you are aware of the pressures you are under and would never change places with you.
These guidelines will help you to overcome your fears.
1. Know your subject. Read through your presentation beforehand. Read around the subject, so that you are confident that you know more than your audience, even after you have spoken. If you know your subject then you will come across in an interesting way and keep the attention of your audience.
2. Expect to do well. Your expectations are obvious in your body language. If your audience sees that you expect to do badly, you will do badly. Expectation is vital.
3. Look at your audience. Eye contact is vital if you are to judge their understanding so that you can change the pace of your delivery if necessary.
4. Use notes. You should never, never read your speech from a sheet.
5. Slow your speech down. This makes you appear more confident and enables your audience to take it in more easily. If you are talking slower, it is easier for your audience to maintain their attention, and momentary lapses in their concentration mean that they miss less.
6. Vary the tone and level of your voice. This maintains interest. You should speak clearly and project your voice, rather than shouting. Talking quietly in key segments means that your listeners will need to actively listen to those parts of your presentation.
7. Avoid excessive body movements and gestures. Hand gestures can be used for emphasis only.
8. Keep your hands and thumbs visible. Holding your hands out, with the thumbs uppermost is a very powerful dominance gesture. Watch politicians speaking, they all use this gesture.
9. Rejoice in the endorphin high that you will feel when it goes well.
For more information on public speaking, check out Toastmasters
To your success as a public speaker!!
Fran Watson
P.S. You can get a copy of over 800 speech topics here
Most people listening to you are aware of the pressures you are under and would never change places with you.
These guidelines will help you to overcome your fears.
1. Know your subject. Read through your presentation beforehand. Read around the subject, so that you are confident that you know more than your audience, even after you have spoken. If you know your subject then you will come across in an interesting way and keep the attention of your audience.
2. Expect to do well. Your expectations are obvious in your body language. If your audience sees that you expect to do badly, you will do badly. Expectation is vital.
3. Look at your audience. Eye contact is vital if you are to judge their understanding so that you can change the pace of your delivery if necessary.
4. Use notes. You should never, never read your speech from a sheet.
5. Slow your speech down. This makes you appear more confident and enables your audience to take it in more easily. If you are talking slower, it is easier for your audience to maintain their attention, and momentary lapses in their concentration mean that they miss less.
6. Vary the tone and level of your voice. This maintains interest. You should speak clearly and project your voice, rather than shouting. Talking quietly in key segments means that your listeners will need to actively listen to those parts of your presentation.
7. Avoid excessive body movements and gestures. Hand gestures can be used for emphasis only.
8. Keep your hands and thumbs visible. Holding your hands out, with the thumbs uppermost is a very powerful dominance gesture. Watch politicians speaking, they all use this gesture.
9. Rejoice in the endorphin high that you will feel when it goes well.
For more information on public speaking, check out Toastmasters
To your success as a public speaker!!
Fran Watson
P.S. You can get a copy of over 800 speech topics here
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Toastmasters Builds Leaders
How to Become an Ideal Leader
When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Toastmasters International recently went through a rebranding process and the new motto is "Toastmasters Where Leaders Are Made".
You may wonder... "what does public speaking have to do with leadership?", but communication is one of the skills a leader must have in order to lead. You also learn leadership in a club by taking on meeting roles such as Toastmaster and Table Topics Master or General Evaluator or Speech Evaluator.
If you haven't yet checked out Toastmasters, why not look for a club near you by going to the Toastmasters International website and click on "Find A Club".
I am a member of District 61 and you can find more information about our clubs here
Perhaps we will meet at a conference some time!
Please feel free to comment below.
Fran Watson
P.S. If you would like a list of over 800 speech topics, click here
P.P.S. Once you have received your list, you will also receive weekly tips on public speaking.
When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Toastmasters International recently went through a rebranding process and the new motto is "Toastmasters Where Leaders Are Made".
You may wonder... "what does public speaking have to do with leadership?", but communication is one of the skills a leader must have in order to lead. You also learn leadership in a club by taking on meeting roles such as Toastmaster and Table Topics Master or General Evaluator or Speech Evaluator.
If you haven't yet checked out Toastmasters, why not look for a club near you by going to the Toastmasters International website and click on "Find A Club".
I am a member of District 61 and you can find more information about our clubs here
Perhaps we will meet at a conference some time!
Please feel free to comment below.
Fran Watson
P.S. If you would like a list of over 800 speech topics, click here
P.P.S. Once you have received your list, you will also receive weekly tips on public speaking.
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