Tips for Speakers
Part 1, from David Dempsey's book, "Legally Speaking":
- Avoid the fig leaf. Speakers often hold their hands in the fig leaf
position, seemingly protecting their crotches or behind. Neither position
conveys authority; both prohibit you from gesturing.
- Don't clasp your hands. Many speakers habitually wring their hands
or tightly clasp them at their stomachs. Such moves convey nervousness.
- Stop fiddling. Rattling coins in pockets is a problem for some. Others
can't stop playing with their eyeglasses or jewelry. Another common
distraction is buttoning or unbuttoning one's jacket.
- Keep your arms to your sides. Try not to clasp your arms across your
chest, as it will make you appear stern and inflexible. Hands on your
hips make you look bossy or prissy, not confident and credible. Let
your arms fall to your sides, where they're in a position to move naturally
as you become engrossed in sharing your message.
- Don't gesture repeatedly in the same manner. Add variety to your
gestures. If you use the same gesture again and again, it will seem
staged and lose impact. The audience's attention will begin to wander
because of this predictability.
- Eliminate choppy or frenetic gesturing. You should strive for gestures
that reflect your message, such as sweeping gestures if you are attempting
to show a vast expanse. If your gestures are uncontrolled or wild, they'll
distract from the speech.
- Make the gesture fit the emotion. If your intent is to convey anger
or disgust, a small, dismissive wave isn't an adequate gesture; it could
even undermine your credibility. Instead, pound your fist, wave your
arms or point at documents.
- Make gestures fit the space. Tiny constrained gestures might suffice
if you're speaking to a small group, but they'll be less effective in
a large auditorium or a hotel conference room. Expand your gestures
in a larger space and before a larger crowd so that they'll be visible.
Part 2, from David Dempsey's book, "Legally Speaking":
- Know your lectern options. You don't want to create a buffer between
you and the audience, Dempsey says, so standing behind a massive lectern
is a poor choice. The audience will only see your head and shoulders
and you will be unable to use any body language.
- Find out beforehand how to control room temperature. We all know
that if a room is too warm, the audience will become drowsy and inattentive.
If you can't control the temperature, find out who can.
- Know what type of microphone will be available. Will it be handheld
or hands-free? Will there be sufficient cord to permit you to move freely
about the room? You should know this going in to eliminate any awkwardness.
It is also suggested to arrive at least an hour early to test the microphone
and make necessary adjustments (this is applicable for laptops and other
presentation materials). If you find out you'll be holding a microphone,
rehearse your presentation as such. Use a pencil, a ruler or any other
object that will acclimate you to keeping the microphone near your face
throughout the presentation. If you can, videotape yourself as you practice.
- Find out who will introduce you. You'll want to control your introduction
to ensure that it creates a seamless transition into your presentation.
Never leave this crucial detail to chance. Provide notes to the appropriate
person well in advance of the speech and bring a backup copy in case
it gets lost.
- Know when you'll be speaking. A speech heavy on content is perfectly
acceptable in the morning when audiences are fresh and attentive, but
not at the end of the day or following a meal. Typically, a late-day
presentation would be kept light and more entertaining. If you're the
last speaker of the day, you might consider cutting portions of your
prepared presentation and focus on a few important points. Don't be
afraid to cut a one-hour presentation down to 15 minutes. And let your
audience know you're doing so; they'll appreciate your sensitivity and
be more inclined to tune in.
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