State of Art Speaking Skills for Leaders
Some people seem to glow when they are given a microphone and are asked to give a speech, while others of us would much rather sprint as fast as possible in the opposite direction.
Speaking in front of a large crowd does not come naturally for anyone. To get better at it, you need to learn how to do it, prepare and practice, says Marjorie L. North, a speech pathologist and lecturer at Harvard University.
There is no one checklist that will turn you into a great leader when speaking straight away. It takes practice, preparation and it helps to get feedback, Marjorie says. But following these key principles is a good place to start in terms of becoming a better communicator in any situation.
Nervousness Is Normal. Practice and Prepare
Everyone feels some physiological reaction like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Remember, having these feelings does not mean you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you alert and ready to give your best performance.
The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Make sure to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, do a lot of practice. Get a friend to critique your performance or videotape yourself.
Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You
Before you begin to draft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much as you can about your audience. This will help you determine the words you will use, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement. Not many leaders are able to understand the different type of audience they have and be able to know how tolerate with them emotionally physically and psychologically. To overcome this shortcoming leaders can enroll in the course EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LEADERS at Finstock Evarsity College
Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose
Design the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first few seconds.
Seek Feedback and Adapt to It
Keep the focus on the audience. Measure their reactions, adjust your message and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.
Let Your Personality Come Through
Be yourself. Avoid being a talking head in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shows, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.
Use Effective Language
Inject a funny short story in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. A story provides a personal touch in a speech. At Finstock Evarsity we offer free course on communication. To enroll kindly click on the link provided below.
Basics in Communication skills
Do not Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline
Avoid reading from a script or a slide. Maintaining eye contact with the audience keeps the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline will jog your memory and keep you on task.
Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Avoid Nervous Gestures
Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not draw attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.
Grab Your Audience’s Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End
Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Quite a number of people do not. Instead, use an amazing statistic, an interesting anecdote or concise quotation. End your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.
Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely
Using too many audiovisual aids can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. Audiovisual aids should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.
Practice Does Not Make Perfect
Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.
Take public speaking classes at Finstock Evarsity College to build your skills and gain greater confidence. Follow the links below to apply.
