The Fear Factor

The fear and dread linked to public speaking and oral presentations is staggering. Many people rank it as more fear-provoking than being in a burning building or on a sinking boat! Since we talk almost every hour that we are awake, just what is the big deal?

It boils down to being under-prepared or over-prepared. People who are not prepared are nervous that they will look like idiots. What is the old saying? ÒBetter to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.Ó Here are some pointers to help you with preparation:

• Narrow your scope and topic. It is hard to be an expert if you cover too much ground.
• Chunk your main points together. Put no more than 3 per 20 minutes.
• Think of questions the audience might have and weave this information into the content.
• Do your homework. Gather facts including quotes and statistics along with their sources. Be sure you only use these facts to support what you are saying, otherwise youÕll sound like an encyclopedia and will lose your audience.
• Practice giving your presentation out loud, preferably in front of a mirror or camera.

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Daredevil Divers of the Deep
Ben Cairns, M.A.

IÕll always remember the presentation ÒDaredevil Divers of the DeepÓ because twenty-five people were at a very real risk of being shot, and I was one of them. Steve (name changed to protect the guilty) decided to use a high powered deep sea diving spear gun in order to build interest and show how he armed his weapon underwater. Steve quickly whipped the large weapon from its hiding place and armed it. Then he swung it around the room, aiming it as if each audience member were one of the fish he was talking about killing. Several of us hit the floor, and he missed his mark.

Visual aids, when properly used, increase understanding, impact, and speaker credibility. They also help listeners to maintain attention, grasp concepts quickly, and remember what they have seen and heard. On top of all of that, good visual aids can make any presentation more persuasive. Over my several years as a public speaking instructor in the university environment, I have seen and heard some great examples of what to do and what NOT to do with visual aids. Here are some quick pointers for using a visual aid (VA) effectively:

Remember TO:
• Make it relevant.
• Make it simple.
• If written, make it legible and six lines or less.
• Make it large enough for all to see.
• Use color.
• Practice using your VA ahead of time.
• Check all equipment and logistics before your presentation.
• Make it tasteful and professionally finished.
• Be ready to not use your VA.

Remember TO AVOID:
• Facing away from the audience and talking to your VA.
• Standing in front of or blocking your VA.
• Using dangerous items or animals.
• Adding too much detail or information.
• Using a slide show that makes you a sideshow.
• Over-relying on your VA to carry your speech.
• Passing out handouts during your presentation.

Cold Feet

Remember the last time you had to speak to a large group of people? Unless you are a professional speaker, you probably had Òcold feet.Ó And even the professionals experience this.

Having Òcold feetÓ is a common expression used to reference a person who has a lack of confidence, a strong fear, or second thoughts about doing something. Standing up and talking in front of an audience can be one of the most dreaded things a person can do.

But what do chilled feet have to do with speaking? The answer may surprise you! This American expression dates back to the 1800Õs. During the Civil War, a soldier who eagerly wanted to be engaged in battle was said to be Òhot for action,Ó or quick to fight. Even today, we describe a person with a short temper as Òhot-headedÓ (but we will save that one for another article).

The thought of war is frightening. Even for highly trained soldiers, fear may cause them to run when fired upon. In moments of intense emotional stress (fear, shock, sadness...) blood is directed away from the extremities and to the major muscles. This reaction can cause a person to feel that their hands and feet have been chilled. So when someone is said to have Òcold feet,Ó they are apprehensive about going forward with the task at hand.

Although getting Òcold feetÓ starts in your mind, it also has physiological effects. The next time you have a speech to deliver, make sure you practice thoroughly and are comfortable with the material. This will make your speeches better and can prevent you from having cold feet!

Presentations as Easy as P.I.E.
Vincent Ivan Phipps, B.S.

Over half of the population of the United States is more comfortable talking in smaller, more intimate groups than in front of larger crowds. In corporate America, most likely you will be called upon at some point to deliver a speech in front of a group of people. You might have to give a presentation to a group of people whom you do not know. For most of us, even small, familiar audiences can make us nervous. Whether your speech is impromptu or thoroughly planned, make sure you have a main purpose.

Determining your main purpose can make your speech easier for the listener to follow and easier for you to deliver. A speech that is easier to deliver allows you to sleep a lot better the night before, and be more confident the next morning!

If you experience tension or nervousness during your speech, think of something enjoyable and sweet, such as pie. Not the pie that you eat, but the acronym, P.I.E. P = Persuade; I = Inform; E = Entertain. Almost every speech will fall into one of these areas, or a combination of them. LetÕs look at each one in more detail.

Persuade: When giving a persuasive speech, you are trying to get your audience to agree with your point-of-view or to change their current opinion. Examples of persuasive speeches are:

CEO Corner: "If at first you don't succeed..."
Beverly Inman-Ebel, MA CCC-SLP

Being a professional speaker is a funny business. I donÕt mean strange or unusual, rather slap your leg and hold your stomach funny. When organizations pay me to speak at national meetings, they do not see the humor that has molded me into the keynote speaker that I am today. If you are ready for a chuckle, read on.

As the first speaker after breakfast, the technician clipped the lapel microphone onto my dress, placing the control box at the back of my neck. He assured me that although it was in the ÒonÓ position, no sound would be amplified until I was on stage. About a half hour later, forgetting all about the microphone, I decided to make a quick trip to the ladiesÕ room before speaking. After I left, the Chair of the organization went to the podium to conduct some business before my introduction. Therefore, the amplification system was activated and the sounds of the bathroom (use your imagination) were broadcast to everyone back in the convention room.

Another time I was on live television, giving an impromptu presentation regarding the virtues of donating money to your local public television station. One of the gifts contributors could receive was a dictionary of British slang. I spontaneously flipped open the book and gave the television audience a pop quiz. ÒDo you know what ÔtellyÕ means?Ó I asked before supplying the answer. I unmethodically opened the dictionary to another page and heard myself say over live TV, ÒDo you know what a spotted dick is?Ó! The bank of volunteer phone operators, the cameramen, and my co-host were howling. The producer was screaming in my ear via a hidden earpiece. The phones started ringing off the hook. And by the way, it means Ôcurrant pudding.Õ

I was once speaking to a relatively cozy audience in New York when I referred to an unnamed character in my story as a Òpoor schmuck.Ó I noticed immediately that my audience stiffened. Following the presentation, a Jewish couple approached me and scolded me for using a Yiddish word that I obviously had no idea of the meaning. (ÔSchmuckÕ refers to the male sex organ.)

Some time ago, I was asked to be on a distinguished panel. I arrived late due to jammed traffic and incorrect directions in an unfamiliar city. The meeting facilitator quietly met me in the back of the room and pointed to my assigned place on the riser to the far left. Practicing my walk that makes no sound, I climbed the portable metal steps and sneaked across the platform as someone was speaking. I managed to pull out my chair from the draped table without a sound. As I sat however, the fourth leg of the chair was hanging off the riser and the chair and I landed on the floor with deafening noise. Talk about making an entrance!

If I can make a living through speaking publicly after all of these disasters, surely you can enhance your career by getting up in front of people knowing that even the worst times will one day make you laugh. Step up. Speak out. Live your dreams!

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Ask The Experts

Dear TLC,
What suggestions are there for an employee that continues to cause trouble among his work partners and tries to make his boss look bad and lose his/her job?
Facility Manager

Dear Manager,
This employee may have different perceptions of what needs to happen and how it should happen. We recommend giving this person a serious dose of listening in a private session. Ask them an open question. You wonÕt like what you hear at first, so be prepared to avoid jumping in and talking. Nod your head, pause, say Òuh-huh.Ó Make sure you do not interrupt in any way. After he or she winds down, ask a few questions that begin with ÒhowÓ or ÒwhatÓ that might uncover this personÕs opinion towards the solutions.

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Y.E.S., You, the Effective Speaker is a multiple-day training that gives you the building blocks and time to practice and receive critiques on what will make you an effective speaker. This training can occur in a group or in individual coaching sessions. Call 1-888-BECAUSE for details.

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