Winston Churchill had this to say about leaders:
"I see it is said that leaders should keep their ears to the ground. All I can say is that the British nation will find it very hard to look up to the leaders who are detected in that somewhat ungainly posture."
Ungainly or not, Churchill knew a thing or two about leadership. Of course, he not only knew how to act like a leader, but to speak like one. (Download our cheat sheet on the "4 Characteristics of an Influential Speaker.") And Churchill's humorous remark aside, posture, along with other aspects of nonverbal communication, has a part to play in a leader's communication style.
This article discusses 5 essential techniques at which leaders must excel when they speak. Here are the five "fingers" to give your speaking performances for leadership, as it were, a hand:
1. Know Your Audience's Needs. Ordinary speakers deliver information; leaders match information with followers' needs and desires. Persuasion, enlightenment and inspiration require engaging not only the minds but the hearts of followers. Every leader knows that, ultimately, he or she is the least important person in the room. The desire to lead is the desire to serve. For a powerful example of the synthesis of listeners' needs and a leader's vision, look to Barack Obama's brilliant "Hope and Change" message of 2008.
2. The 3 Cs: Have a Clear, Concise, and Consistent Message. On November 19, 1863, at a ceremony at once civic, military, and spirtual, Edward Everett, the leading orator of the day, spoke for two hours in dedication of a Union cemetery during the American Civil War. The next speaker, President Abraham Lincoln, spoke for two minutes, uttering only ten sentences consisting of 271 words. And yet Lincoln's address is the one we remember: " . . . government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Clear, concise, consistent—the Gettysburg address might have been invented as an illustration of that description.
3. Develop a Powerful Voice. It is not only volume and projection, or even beautiful resonance, that matter when we consider a leader's powerful voice. Those things have importance. But greater by far are the uniqueness and courage embodied in that leader's voice. In Martin Luther King, Jr., we heard all those attributes, and one other as well: the power and cadence of the preaching tradition. Whatever raw talent you own in terms of vocal strength, pay careful attention to the honesty and trust that emerge from your own unique style. Therein lies real credibility, an attribute no leader can be without.
4. Use Effective Nonverbal Communication. Ever ask yourself why a dynamic leader's speeches burn themselves in your consciousness? What you hear, and your emotional response to it, certainly apply. But so does what you see. Leaders look and sound at ease and powerful at the same time. Note that the #4 technique here isn't written as "Use Effective Body Language," though movement and gesture are important. But so are the use of pauses and silence, timing, and an awareness of the nonverbal communication the audience is sending your way. A leader who was masterful in these terms was Ronald Reagan. Interestingly, Reagan wasn't much of an actor. But he honed his craft for the role of a lifetime as the American president, a part he played to perfection.
5. Be Action-Oriented. At the height of America's "space race" with the Soviet Union in May 1961, President John F. Kennedy spoke to a joint session of Congress, declaring: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth." Such a statement was audacious in the extreme considering how far behind the Soviets we lagged at the time. Yet we achieved that goal on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. We should follow Kennedy's lead in aiming for action from our audiences. It's one of the best ways—sometimes the only way—to measure the success of our speeches and presentations.
"What should I do with my hands?"
That's the question speech coaches are asked as much as any other by people who are self-conscious about speaking in public.
The answer is, not much.
Seriously.
Let me explain.
People figuratively—and sometimes literally—tie themselves up like pretzels worrying about how they should stand, move, and gesture as a speaker. They've heard that nonverbal communication and appropriate body language are part of effective public speaking techniques, but somehow they just can't get it right.
I once watched a judge standing in front of an audience settle himself into an odd position with his shoulders, arms, and hands all seemingly intertwined, because he'd apparently acquired those body parts in the moments immediately preceding his speech and hadn’t a clue what they were for.
During the 45 minutes or so that this distinguished jurist spoke, I didn’t pay the scantest attention to what he was saying. I just kept staring at him, conjuring up dark reasons why he’d gone to law school all those years ago.
Obviously, if your audience is acting like this because of the way you hold yourself when you speak, your influence is not going to be what you’d been hoping for.
So why do so many of us leave our normal physical expressiveness behind when we speak in front of others?
Speaking in Blissful Ignorance
The reason, I think, has to do with context. We're usually quite comfortable with our physicality at work and in other everyday situations. But we suddenly become extremely self-conscious about our public speaking and presentation skills when we have to give a talk or lecture. Yet there’s absolutely no reason why this should be the case!
What we should aim for instead as speakers is a kind of blissful ignorance where our bodies are concerned. In other words, we should forget about our hands, feet, and other appendages for a perfectly simple reason: our audience members haven’t the slightest interest in them.
For our listeners as well as ourselves, it’s all a question of focus. If you are utterly focused on your message and getting it across, that’s all you’ll have time for at the lectern, boardroom table, or client's office. There’ll be no time whatsoever to regret the fact that you're not an Olympic gymnast with complete mastery over your body. If you’re engrossed in the critical points you're trying to convey, your gestures will naturally support what you’re saying.
And it’s exactly the same for your audience. When the engine of your speech is running smoothly, your listeners will hear that hum, and they’ll be with you all the way. (Of course, a repetitive gesture or odd stance will pull their attention away from your message, just as happened with me when I was listening to the judge.)
Gesture when You Can't Not Do So Any Longer
Believe it or not, the most natural position for a speaker from an audience’s perspective is with one’s arms hanging down neutrally at the sides. Your arms and hands can then be brought into play when a gesture is absolutely needed—in other words, when you positively can’t avoid it any longer. That gesture will look necessary and true to your audience.
Try it right now: Stand up, and let your arms hang neutrally at your sides. It may feel awkward at first, but it looks perfectly natural from the audience’s perspective. Now start to speak, bringing your hands up to make a gesture only when it feels exactly right to do so.
Therein lies the natural and supported hand movement.
So, here’s the General Rule to remember about hands and gestures:
Any movement that reinforces or amplifies what you're saying is okay, and any movement that attracts attention away from your message is not okay.
Keep this rule in mind, and you won’t find yourself pulling your nose every third sentence, or making uplifting hand gestures that seem to be saying, “I need to throw up, but nothing’s happening!”
Now, go forth and gesture naturally and appropriately.
In the spirit of making every PowerPoint presentation a tool of enlightenment rather than an instrument of torture, here are Four Golden Rules for Using PowerPoint. For additional tips for dynamic presentations, read our cheat sheet, "5 Rules for Succeeding with PowerPoint."
You'll notice that the rules you're about to read below spell G-I-V-E. In our obsession with content, we often forget that we “give” a speech! Your presentation, in other words, is truly a gift to your audience. Similarly, the 4 rules below will help you “give” your listeners helpful information instead of “giving” them a nervous breakdown.
Here we go:
(1) Give Your Audience Enough Time. Audiences become confused when a speaker shows a slide filled with information, then says something while the audience is reading the slide that's different from what's on the slide. Each person is then forced to ask himself or herself: “Do I read the written content or listen to what’s being said?”
Remember, it’s your job as presenter to give more than is on the slide, not simply to regurgitate it. But what you really should be doing is amplifying or building on the information. To do that, you need to let audience members read what you’re showing them before you start talking about it.
Don't forget that they’ve never seen this slide before and need time to absorb it. Give them that time. Let them look over the slide before you speak. By reading the slide silently to yourself, you’ll know exactly when you should start speaking. If you're now saying to yourself, "But I include too much information on my slides to do that, it would take too long" . . . I'm taking you straight out to the wood shed.
(2) Introduce Your Slides. This is a terrific way to create anticipation and interest in your upcoming slide. And that means a much more interested audience! Rather than simply clicking on a slide and launching into your discussion about what it says, use transitions to link what you’ve just been talking about to what’s coming up next. Obviously, your narrative--the story you're telling--will be the enticement that keeps the audience interested in what's about to be shown.
Here’s an example: “Okay, we’ve looked at our long-term goals in launching Super-Profitable-Thing II. We know we have a great product. But we need to create buzz in the marketplace before it hits the shelves. How can we do that?” And your next slide, titled, “Creating Some Buzz!” shows some of those ways. Now your presentation has a more logical structure and is easier to follow.
(3) Vary Your Pace. Audience members become anesthetized by an endless line of slides flashing by with regularity, like billboards on a dark highway. There's actually no reason why you should be falling into such a predictable rhythm. All slides are not created equal. Some are instantly absorbable (especially those with a strong visual image) and can come and go quickly; while others need more time to be discussed fully.
Invest yourself in your critical slides, and move more quickly through supporting slides. If possible, include other components in your talk besides PowerPoint to help break up the rate and tempo even more. Group activities, demonstrations, exercises, even a short survey are ways to achieve some variety, along with others you can think of related to your topic and purpose. Which brings us to the final Rule:
(4) Engage Your Audience. Find ways to step out of your PowerPoint show and actively invite responses from your listeners. This is especially important, of course, if your presentation is lengthy. One of the ideal ways to do this is by using the "B" button: B for "black." Here's how it works: when you're in the View mode, hitting "B" on your keyboard makes the screen go black (and pressing it again brings you back to where you were). Your audience has to look at you, and voila, engagement!
Even without the "B" button and with your slide still on the screen, however, you can ask a question, share a personal story, challenge or cajole your audience, hand out a visual aid, or include some other invitation to engagement. As your high school art teacher used to say, “You’re only limited by your imagination.”
What’s your relationship with the question-and-answer session that usually follows a speech or presentation? Perhaps you fit into one of these two camps concerning Q & A:
I Love It! — I relish the opportunity to finally engage the people in the room. Now at last we can have a real dialogue about my topic!
I Hate It! — I'm confident enough about my presentation. But I dread what follows, since I can’t anticipate the questions that will be coming my way!
Whichever of these two camps feels like home to you—even if neither of them does—remember that a Q & A session is a golden opportunity for persuasion and influence. You might even call it the perfect strategic tool for effective public speaking. See our cheat sheet "5 Ways to Captivate an Audience" for more on how to connect with and influence your listeners.
Speaking with Style and Grace
Q & A offers you a platform for stating your message again, an important part of an effective strategy. But it also gives you a chance to showcase yourself at your professional best. Anyone can give a good speech if they know their topic and they’ve prepared sufficiently. But few speakers can handle themselves with complete grace in the rough-and-tumble of audience reactions to their views and performance.
You need to be one of those speakers.
To understand how even challenging Q & A sessions work to a speaker's advantage, picture the following:
You’re an audience member who’s just listened to an excellent presentation by an authority on this topic. Now the speaker announces that he or she will take questions. Immediately, one of three things happens (or they all happen):
(1) An audience member asks a devilishly difficult and insightful question, one so good you wish you’d thought of it yourself;
(2) Someone stands up and begins pontificating at such length that you’re embarrassed for the speaker;
(3) The person right behind you starts attacking the speaker personally, while you attempt to dematerialize out of sheer embarrassment.
How this speaker responds in each of these scenarios depends upon many factors. These may include the topic and speaking situation; the speaker’s reputation and personality; the make-up of the audience; the level of intimacy of the talk, and so on.
One fact, however, remains constant: the person who handles himself with professionalism and aplomb in each of the three scenarios above will grow in stature and credibility with the audience.
The Unique Opportunity of Q & A
Like that speaker, you have a priceless opportunity during Q & A to shine in ways that your presentation—where you basically interact with no one—simply doesn’t allow you to do.
Let’s look at some of the specific opportunities for effective communication afforded by Q & A:
- It allows you to strongly reinforce or amplify your message.
- It’s your last chance to make a positive impression on your audience. (This is especially important if you’ve encountered difficulties in your presentation itself.)
- It allows you to provide essential information that a) wasn’t included in your presentation itself, or b) wasn’t sufficiently clear to the audience. And remember, if one person doesn’t understand something and asks you a question about it, there are probably more people who are also unclear but don't have the courage to speak up in public.
- It gives you the opportunity to issue your “call to action.”
So whether you’re a Q & A lover or hater, remember that the question-and-answer session isn’t just the tail-end of your presentation. It's a way to demonstrate truly effective communication skills. Best of all, it's a quiet but effective strategic tool for persuasion and continuing influence.
If you suffer from fear of public speaking, here's a question: Do you see yourself on a therapist's couch talking the whole thing out?
Talk therapy can be helpful in uncovering the root causes of social anxiety, and also to eliminate negative thinking in a process known as cognitive restructuring. But there's more to your stage fright than your brain. There's also your body. For more on physicality in speaking, see our Learning Guide, "How to Use Body Language and Gestures as a Speaker."
Getting Out of Your Head and Into Your Body
When you speak in public, you aren't a talking head. You're a body moving (performing!) in space. Not only is that important concerning the visual and physical aspects of public speaking. It's a reminder that much is going on physiologically, especially in response to speaking fear. To both understand and conquer your fear of public speaking, you need to be on a physical wavelength as well as a mental one.
In other words, you need to get out of your head and into your body.
That just makes sense, doesn't it? If you could think your way out of speaking fear, wouldn't a book, a CD, or a few hours on the couch do the trick? Some of my clients work with me in conjunction with therapy sessions to overcome their anxiety, which is reasonable. But the fear that underlies stage fright not only isn't a rational process—it isn't mainly a thinking process. It's a gut-level response to what the mind perceives as a dangerous situation.
The Mind Thinks, and the Body Responds
When you perceive a situation as dangerous, certain physiological processes kick in instantly to help you escape that danger. That's the well-known "fight or flight response." In terms of public speaking anxiety, the body releases a pair of stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline prepares the body to fight the threat or to flee (if the danger is too great to fight); while cortisol assists in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats—in other words, to get you activated.
When the body experiences high levels of these hormones or undergoes long-term exposure to them, the effect is harmful rather than helpful. Even in the short-term, if the body's response to public speaking fear is strong enough, we experience the uncomfortable sensations of stage fright: shortness of breath, sweating, rapid heart rate, nausea, feeling hot or flushed, a shaky voice, etc.
Obviously, a strong physiological response like that can't be countered by thoughts alone. Diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, embodied cognition (moving to aid thinking), and physical exercise are all body-centered ways you can control and even overcome speaking fear.
Using Your Body to Help You and Your Audience
In addition to bodily awareness, are there ways you can use your body to be both calmer and more effective when speaking in public? Absolutely. Here are 3 techniques from the theater that work marvelously in this regard:
- Grounding. Being aware of simply setting your feet properly can help you feel more secure and confident. It also gives your audience the impression that you're a steadfast and steady speaker, increasing your credibility. Avoid the precarious stances of nervous speakers: feet touching or crossed, or leaning visibly on one hip. Place your feet armpit-width apart and maintain that stance. You'll look strong and you'll feel the power of the earth (or floor) beneath you. Quite an effective tool for gaining instant physical confidence!
- Move with Purpose. Many speakers move without purpose, either through nervousness or an attempt to be exciting. You've seen them: wanderers, strutters, swayers, and dancers. How much more effective to move when you have a reason to do so! Approach the screen to point out something on a slide; take a step toward a questioner; and definitely come "front-and-center" for your conclusion. Wouldn't moving in any of these purposeful ways feel more comfortable and appropriate for both you and your audience?
- Move to Specific Places to Aid Comprehension. Let's say I want to discuss three important aspects of the topic I'll be speaking on today. I begin with my introductory remarks. Then as I lead into my first main point, I move to Location A. My second main point finds me at Location B; and my third is delivered from Location C. (Understand that this may involve no more than a few steps, depending on the size of the stage.) "Placing" your points this way makes them easier for the audience to grasp logically. It can also boost retention of your three key points.
When you get your body into the act in these ways, you'll feel more in control and more purposeful as a speaker. As a result, your confidence should grow. You'll be using your awareness of your body, and the "exercise" of it, to reduce your anxiety about public speaking while becoming a more dynamic practitioner of the art.
It’s pretty obvious that what you say in a presentation matters more than the way you say it. Right?
If you believe that, try reading the following short passages aloud. Speak them first in a flat monotone, then with expression, as if this is the most important thing you’ll say all year:
- “You may have heard that this company is washed up . . . finished. But I’m here to tell you: Acme Industries is going to win back our share of the industry. And as our sales force, you’re the only people who can make that happen!”
- “The United States is absolutely committed to preventing genocide—in this region or anywhere in the world.”
- “I love you.”
Notice any differences in the meaning or strength of your message as you spoke neutrally or with emotion?
Now try reading aloud the short sentence below. Emphasize only the first word using punch and inflection. Now read the sentence aloud again, this time emphasizing the second word. Continue doing that until you’ve read the sentence aloud six times:
“I didn’t give them those documents.”
You conveyed six different messages by emphasizing just one word each time, didn't you?
Both of these exercises—using emotional coloration and emphasizing words within a sentence—demonstrate a critically important point in public speaking: Your voice is your most powerful tool for persuading and influencing listeners.
No other presentation tool is capable of such infinite variety, for instance. And hardly anything in the way of content can match your voice for achieving subtle shades of meaning and intention.
Finding Your Honest Voice
So how can you achieve vocal expressiveness that will make your presentations more interesting, engaging, and influential?
Believe it or not, attaining a dynamic vocal presence is all about not doing something: trying to sound professional or working on becoming “an excellent public speaker.”
You’re already an effective speaker! Just listen to yourself in everyday situations when you’re actively engaged with what you’re talking about: the exciting movie you just saw, or the fascinating new person in your life.
In other words, when you're not self-conscious about speaking, you look and sound completely like yourself. Your voices take on the coloration and natural qualities that reflect both who you are and your commitment to what you’re talking about. And then you're interesting to listen to! It’s only when you become self-conscious that you try to sound different: professional, expert, business-like, and so on.
And that strategy never works. Audience members aren’t interested in hearing a polished speaker so much as they want to listen to someone who’s genuinely interesting. And that means you: the person, in fact, who is ideally suited to give this presentation.
Have a Talk Instead of Giving a Speech
How do you combine that honest voice of yours with presentation effectiveness? It’s as simple as can be: you only need to remember to be conversational. Talk to your listeners instead of trying to give a speech, and you’ll come across as an honest and trustworthy presenter who’s worth hearing.
Spend some time, then, in learning how effectively you use your voice. Train your ear to listen to how you say things, not merely the information you’re imparting. Record yourself talking with friends (when you’re activated and not self-conscious, remember?), and listen to the results. Ask colleagues what they think of your vocal delivery. Once you have more knowledge from “outside your own head,” start working on improving your problem areas.
If you use evaluation instruments following your presentations, include questions dealing specifically with speech and voice issues. And if you really want to reach the next level, find yourself a first-class speech coach, preferably someone with a background in acting.
You’ll be discovering what your listeners already know about whether you’re an effective vocal communicator. It’s “must have” information for anyone who speaks in public.
Recently, I coached a Marketing Director for a beverage company who said his job was “to convey facts and figures.“
After hearing that, I needed a stiff drink.
Actually, his viewpoint wasn’t surprising. And he quickly understood when I suggested that his real purpose was something quite different. His job as a speaker, I told him, was meeting the needs of his listeners and achieving lasting influence.
Whether the economic climate is tough or favorable, the distinction between conveying information and activating audiences is critical. Merely informing audiences becomes a serious error when they are depending upon your leadership to inspire them to succeed. For more on this, read our cheat sheet, "4 Characteristics of an Influential Speaker."
Many people approach public speaking with this belief that their primary task is to deliver information. That is never the case. Information, like all speech content, is only one tool a speaker uses to achieve his or her purpose. Let’s look a little more closely at how this natural tension of purpose vs. information plays out, and why your task as a leader is naturally much more of the former, and much less of the latter.
It’s Your Emotional Impact That Lasts
Audiences will remember their emotional response to you long after the information you deliver has faded from memory. The retention skills of audiences are notoriously shaky, and within a week, listeners will remember as little as 10% of the “critical” data you presented to them.
Yet if you touched them emotionally, they may remember you for a lifetime. Consider these examples:
- Who was your favorite teacher in elementary school? Why do you remember her fondly today? Was it because of her visionary grasp of geography?
- Who among the many speakers you’ve heard in your life do you consider extraordinary? What were the main points or facts in the speech that you found so impressive?
- On April 19, 1951, Gen. Douglas MacArthur delivered his farewell address to a joint session of Congress. MacArthur said that “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.” And no wonder this speech became one of the most famous in American history, given the General’s expert lesson on the medical needs of elderly combat veterans.
You see what I mean, don’t you?
Think carefully, then, of the purpose you’re trying to achieve in your presentation, and always consider carefully your audience’s demographics, experience, and needs. Then use any and every means at your disposal to achieve that purpose. Don’t just educate; move your audience. Don’t inform listeners; inspire them. To do so means creating an emotional connection. Even CFOs must put financial information into context for the C-suite, to help these executives process the information in terms of company goals and initiatives.
Delivery Skills Matter in Motivational Speaking
Studies have shown repeatedly that nonverbal communication equals or exceeds verbal content in achieving audience influence. Whatever your message, the skill of advocacy is critical in motivational speaking and leading listeners to action.
One reason PowerPoint presentations so often fail, for instance, is that the presenter depends solely upon a slide deck to convey information. But that is first and foremost the speaker’s task, although PowerPoint may be one tool he or she uses to do so. Above that, a speaker’s job is to move an audience through force of will and to lift listeners on a wave of emotional drama.
To motivate your listeners, then, use all of these nonverbal tools:
- Stance
- Movement
- Gestures
- Eye contact
- Facial expression
- Proximity to your listeners
- Open hand and arm movements
- Welcoming gestures (for questioners and skeptics)
- Vocal energy and variety
- Pauses and silence
- Smiles
- Emotion that audiences can hear in your voice
In general, spend less time gathering material and more time practicing on your feet. Employ a video camera or a mirror. Use different gestures each time you practice, however, so your physical expression won’t become stale and over-rehearsed.
You Are the Message, So Make the Message Strong
As we’ve seen above, public speaking is never about merely conveying information. Instead, it is an exercise in leadership. Speakers either lead or they bore. One of the marvelous facts about speaking in public is that no matter the pedigree of your listeners, you are the leader in the room during the time of your presentation.
No leader succeeds merely by possessing the best information. True leaders use that information to motivate and activate employees and followers.
A danger exists, in fact, that because we accumulate information, and spend so much time massaging that information as we prepare for our speech, we believe the information is all-important. Equally harmful is forgetting that the audience will be hearing our content for the first time. So we rattle off our data—secure in the knowledge that, once adequately informed, an audience will use that information exactly as we’d like them to.
It never happens that way. We must tell our listeners how they should use our information. We must, that is, lead them to do so.
There is only one tool that allows you as speaker to accomplish this task: It is you—physically, emotionally, and in the ways you demonstrate leadership when you speak. In tough times or good times, you are the message. It’s a formula for succeeding as a speaker that goes far beyond “conveying facts and figures.”
Give your audiences the emotional connection and leadership they crave, and you’ll be delivering a powerful message indeed.
There is no such thing as public speaking.
Sound impossible? If you suffer from fear of public speaking, the claim must truly seem absurd. Yet it’s absolutely true.
Before I reveal the method in my madness, let's examine a simple yet inescapable fact: Each of us learns to dread this thing we call “public speaking.” Fear doesn’t emerge in a vacuum. And it doesn't grow stronger without our help.
Making Speaking Enjoyable
Speaking in public, then, becomes anxiety-provoking because we make it so. That's the case in part because we forget that it should be enjoyable, not painful. After all, the things we hope to achieve in a speech or presentation are the very same goals we aim for in interpersonal communication:
- We want to be heard.
- We want to connect with people.
- We’d like to help people if we can.
- We’re offering guidance or leadership.
- We want to express our emotions.
- We’d like to bring about positive outcomes in people’s lives.
In our professional lives too, speaking in meetings and to larger audiences has the same end-goals we'd aim for if we were talking one-on-one to stakeholders:
- We need to convey important information.
- We’re trying to solve a problem.
- We have a vision we want to share with others.
- Our product or service meets a need, and we want to tell people about it.
And in the enjoyable moments of our lives as well, we speak to communicate what matters most to us, as one human being to others:
- We wish to honor a person or an organization.
- It’s a special occasion, and we want to say something about it.
- We’d like to share something interesting or funny with our audience.
In all of these situations--personal, social, and professional--we’re trying to move people: to positively change the way they think, feel, or behave. And so we talk to them to make that happen.
Talking Works, "Giving a Speech" Doesn't
We talk—and that little word says it all. We don’t orate, declaim, rant, or recite. We have a conversation with someone who is listening, which is the most natural and effective way for one human being to communicate with a person or a group.
When we do this with family, friends, colleagues, and chums, we speak easily and naturally. Our voice, body language, personality, and sense of humor emerge effortlessly. It’s just us, sharing something we hope our listeners will find interesting.
But a change takes place when we speak in more formal settings. That’s when nervousness and self-consciousness really kick in. Suddenly, those individuals we talk to effortlessly become part of a huge creature: an AUDIENCE, with hundreds of eyes, hands, and feet.
Now we’re no longer in an easy conversation with people. Instead, we’re GIVING A SPEECH; and in this arena of supreme danger and stage fright, we're hoping simply to survive!
What we’ve done, of course, is create an inner reality that’s much worse than the actual one. We sense danger when there really isn’t any. Is it any wonder that we race through our speech, fearful and uncomfortable, demonstrating at every moment how unpleasant it is to speak in front of others?
You Hold the Key to Your Own Success
Here’s the good news—the great news—about not only surviving but thriving in situations like this: You already know how to be a confident and dynamic public speaker. In fact, you’ve been using the exact skills, in just the right way, your whole life.
You just haven’t realized it.
So here’s the secret that’s not such a secret about reducing speaking anxiety:
“Public speaking” is nothing more than a conversation with more than one person.
If you happen to be standing up while giving your speech or presentation, then it’s simply a conversation on your feet.
In other words, you’re perfectly positioned to talk your way through your fear of public speaking. In fact, that’s the only way to do it! And here's more good news: To be good at speaking in public—to be fully confident and to enjoy it—you just have to speak as you would in a one-on-one conversation.
There’s never a need for you to become “better” than you would be while chatting with your friends. In fact, it’s the attempt to do so which makes you feel like you don’t look or sound like yourself. No wonder, because you don’t!
Talking—just talking—to people is what will make you come across at your absolute best. There really is nothing fancier or more scientific you need to know about speaking with confidence. When you speak like yourself rather than that "excellent speaker" you’d like to be, you maximize the talents you already have in abundance.
So congratulations on being an interesting person who has something to say. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Apologize more and you'll be sued less.
Physicians may have heard that advice, but still find it simplistic and hard to believe (and lawyers may loathe it altogether). Solid data backs up the claim, however: the University of Michigan Health System, for instance, requires physicians to "disclose their mistake, apologize, and when appropriate, compensate injured patients." After more than a decade of that policy, malpractice claims have dropped by 36%.
That's in a recent article by Dr. Kevin Pho in USA Today entitled "How Doctors Can Reduce Medical Errors, Lawsuits." Want more scientific evidence? A study published in Physician Executive in 2004 found that, "The most common cause of malpractice suits is failed communication with the patients and their families." These articles point to awareness--both data-driven and anecdotal--of the critical importance of improved doctor-patient communication. A keyword search of "good communication reduces medical malpractice," for instance, produced 4,770,000 results.
Yet incredibly, physicans and med-mal insurers continue to ignore easily implemented practical solutions to this problem, including speech coaching and training. Theater-based techniques especially are custom-made for the role-plays and simulations that will help doctors learn how to communicate more effectively with patients, while improving the bottom-line for medical insurers.
In addition to the doctor-patient relationship, here is a brief overview of four other areas in which healthcare communication is on life support and needs urgent care:
Presentations and Team Meetings
Physicians and other professionals in scientific disciplines inhabit a left-brained universe. Their inclination is to live in this world, and their training strongly reinforces their preference for data and metrics that will drive approaches and solutions. Informing and persuading listeners, however, is a messy business. Audiences can only perceive us and our message based on what we give them as raw materials; and often that perception is far afield from what we intend.
Even vital information can't live on its own: speakers must communicate the relevance and significance of that information. That's where skills in oral communication come in. The strongly left-brained speaker faces a chasm when speaking across physical space to reach and persuade audiences. The world of orality is a world of performance, and healthcare professionals need to learn how to negotiate its byways.
Internal Communication
The demands of providers in giving and administering care place enormous pressures on efficient communication. All organizations face challenges in achieving productive internal communication; yet the fast-paced environment of medical care rachets up the potential for missed opportunities to achieve a tight communication environment based on openness and trust.
Recently one of my clients, a nurse adminstrator of an ER well known in the arena of Boston healthcare, gave a presentation on the areas of training identified as most pressing for the group. Her expertise and experience were immediately apparent as she moved through her PowerPoint slides. Yet evident at once was an area not on those slides: the need to frame everything she was saying in terms of the group's needs, rather than the equipment and procedures she was discussing. Focusing on people rather than clinical and administrative tasks is both self-evident and difficult in the hospital environment. Yet for any institution to grow in terms of communication skills, that focus must always be kept in mind.
Panel Discussions
Appearing on an industry panel is a golden opportunity to create a positive perception of you and your institution. It is often not exploited fully, however. Especially important are the opening remarks you will probably be invited to give. Here's why:
In the fall of last year, I attended a major healthcare symposium in Boston, sitting in on numerous keynotes and panel discussions. One panel stands out in my memory, and all because of the opening remarks. In the 2-3 minutes that each panel member spoke, I formed a clear impression of that panelist's level of expertise. But I also gained an insight into the sector of the healthcare environment each represented, and that person's communication style and (what I perceived to be) their agenda.
And how interesting it all was! The data each person offered to support their position were solid. But what entertained me most and has stayed with me were the personalities and conflicts on display. With an active moderator and audience members asking involved questions--typical of panel discussions--your speaking time as a panelist may be shorter than you anticipate. If that's the case, your opening remarks and the impression they convey about you and your institution are critical.
The Patient Experience
With Medicare imposing new standards of the patient experience through questionnaires, all aspects of what people experience in the healthcare environment will be under review. It is therefore all the more important that healthcare providers understand the perceptions that their actions and communication skills engender in the customer.
Physicians have a reputation for being notoriously bad communicators. Only some of this fault can be laid to too-tight exam room schedules and the burden of excessive paperwork. We might slightly misquote Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to say, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars/But in ourselves, that we are careless communicators."
This seems to me an especially urgent need in oncology, where the discussion of diagnoses and end-of-life care can be as grim as the information being imparted. Like many in our society, I have personally witnessed the clumsiness, callousness, and sheer lack of skill on the part of caregivers discussing cancer in terms of diagnoses and prognoses. Associations of oncologists have cited the need for improved communication in this area. But often, little is done to back up this lip service with practical training and assessments.
Citations:
usatoday.com January 18, 2012
Eastaugh SR, Physician Exec. 2004 May-Jun;30(3):36-8.
Want to deliver a memorable presentation or pitch? You should! After all, when you speak to persuade or bring in business, it should be an exciting experience for you and your listeners.
And if the stars align, your well-delivered presentation or sales talk could be a turning point in your career. Or your organization’s success. Or not least of all, your sense of personal accomplishment.
Boy Scouts Are Always Prepared . . . How About You?
But like all great achievements, the nuts-and-bolts preparation you do beforehand is what will ensure your success. In that spirit, here are three pieces of practical advice for getting ready with your presentation, sales pitch, or talk.
There’s one bit of wisdom I’d like to share with you first, though. It’s the best advice I ever heard for becoming a more accomplished presenter:
Acquire as much speaking experience as possible.
Take every opportunity that comes your way to speak in public, even if (or especially if) that's a nerve-racking proposition for you. That’s the only way to gain control over your fear. Also, you'll reach that state of mind in which speaking in front of others is both a pleasurable and productive activity for you.
Now, the practical advice:
1. Prepare solid briefing materials: Take a page from diplomats and politicians and put together a briefing book. Ask yourself these questions as you compile your information:
- Are my materials memorable (for me and my audience)?
- Have I anticipated questions and objections?
- Does each of my main points “headline” the information to come?
- Is my information well laid out and visually highlighted for my benefit?
2. Plan your practice sessions: A good strategy for your practice sessions can be just as helpful as visualizing success in your presentation itself. Here’s how to go about it:
- Timing: Begin sooner rather than later: Give yourself sufficient time!
- Emphasis: Be clear on what you’re focusing on. For instance, are you looking for feedback on your content? story? logic and evidence? strength of your testimonials? level of audience interaction? visual components? anything else?
- Setting: Go from rough-and-ready settings to as close an approximation as you can manage of the real situation, venue, and audience.
- Post-Performance Feedback: Define for yourself what you’ll consider a success. And let subordinates and colleagues know that you expect and welcome criticism.
- Rehearse 3 to 5 times: Less than three times is almost winging it. If you rehearse more than 5 times, however, you’ll run the risks of a) becoming stale; and b) memorizing movements and consciously repeating them, which will make you look mechanical.
3. Have an out-of-body experience: Videotape yourself. Or use a tape recorder if you need work on your voice. Watch, listen, and work on the rough spots. It’s as simple as that.
Whether it's speaking at a business meeting, delivering a sales presentation, or practicing your stump speech, you need to hear and see yourself as others experience you. The modern miracle of electronic equipment allows you to do that. Make use of it!