I thank Mr. Kong no end for this very instructive and informative article! Surely , many of our public speakers and even T&D pros will appreciate this simple set of public speaking tips! Enjoy reading...
BUSINESS MATTERS (BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE) By Francis J. Kong (The Philippine Star) Updated February 20, 2011 12:00 AM
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Let’s face it – the harsh reality is that, the way
you speak, present yourself, deliver a speech, do a presentation, or
even something as trivial as the way you handle yourself in company
meetings CAN have a big impact on your career.
Life is, indeed, not fair. This will explain why some jerks move up
the corporate ladder faster than others, even though they may know or
may be performing less than you do – just because they communicate well.
So why not develop your speaking skills? Add that to your other
competencies to help you move up – and keep on moving up – the corporate
ladder and achieve corporate career success.
Now some people just want to play things safe. They don’t offer their
opinion or comment. They don’t speak up for fear of being rejected or
ridiculed. They take on the role of a spectator, a passive onlooker
watching the world pass them by. At best, they give the impression that
they do not know what’s going on; at worst, they seem to just not care.
And then there are those who speak and speak even when it is not
appropriate. They crack green jokes here and there, or try dominate the
whole conversation or meeting. When these people open their mouth,
others frown and look away. They come off as insensitive, obnoxious,
overbearing loud-mouths whom people around them wish God would take
sooner than their appointed time.
There are ways to build our communications skills without become obnoxious. Here are some suggestions:
1. MAKE YOURSELF ATTRACTIVE.
People see you first before they hear you. Ooops! Let me rephrase
that: People see you first, and then decide whether they want to listen
to you or not.
The first seven seconds in the mind of your audience are the
critical seconds when they form quick judgment on whether you will be
worth their time or not. So wear appropriate clothes. Consult your
friends who have good fashion sense. You don’t have to sport an Armani
Suit (depends on your audience) to be impressive, but you need to appear
fresh, excited, neat, and for some guys I know – you may need to put
deodorant all over your body. You can look all good, but if you don’t
smell good, then everything will go downhill from there.
Another advice: if someone offers you a mint candy, accept it.
2. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
You may look good, smell good and even really be good, but if you are
not prepared then you lose credibility. Fumbling around with your
papers, frantically searching for the right slide in your mega-loaded
PowerPoint presentation, and then saying.....” Ah,.....I know it’s here
somewhere just give me some time to find it......” will turn your
audience off instantly.
Learn to do your presentation powerfully and efficiently –so
efficiently you can deliver it even during a case of power outage.
Backing up your slides with hard copies, for instance, just in case.
And then speak like an expert. You need to be an expert before they give you the promotions or the attention you want.
3. BE SHORT, BE SPECIFIC, BE DEEP.
You and I are now living in the Tweet-er Generation, where we’re given just 140 characters to say something substantial.
When you speak at meetings, concentrate on making your point as
succinctly as possible, while still being potent and thought-provoking.
Avoid redundant statements and unnecessary words. Go straight to the
point. Trying to be funny and cute are actually distractions from your
goal. Because everybody is time-starved. Everybody wants the meeting to
finish early so they can all go back to their work.
4. USE NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS.
Know the power of using the body as an effective communications tool.
a. Your posture should be up and straight.
b. Smile. This exudes confidence.
c. Make eye contact with everyone in the room.
d. Putting the hands on the table projects a person who has the authority and credibility to be listened to.
5. LEARN FROM PROFESSIONAL SINGERS.
Singers know when to belt and when to whisper. Their voice projects
their emotions. It’s the same thing with making presentations. Learn to
modulate your voice. Learn from other seasoned speakers. Watch how they
do it and find out what it is they do that captivates their audience.
But most important, work on your character. Jesus said the most
fundamental principle in public speaking: “Out of the overflow of the
heart, the mouth speaks.”
The medium IS the message whether you like it or not. So don’t just take care of your mouth, take care of your heart.
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