Posted by: intonatebangalore on: October 15, 2010
Unable to conquer your public speaking nervousness?? Letting that nervous fluttering get the better of you? Dreading the very thought of addressing that inevitable audience ? Incapacitated or inconfident in front of a group of people? Do you happen to be one among those whose nerves fret when you occupy stage and make a presentation or deliver a lecture- you become very conscious, feel incapacitated, your self esteem and confidence severely challenged?
If most of these answers is a definitive yes… then we have a training workshop that just could be a must for you! Or…
Need to prepare, research and build a meaningful and crisp speech? need to assemble your train of thought? Need to address your audience needs? Need to use impactful vocal dynamics to charm the audience? Have a hostile audience? How to make humour work ? How to speak up in meetings? How to give confident speeches on social occasions? How to master those microphone techniques?
If most of these answers ia definitive yes… again this training workshop will help! Or just need to get into an empowering state using some real Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)? The answer to that still remains the same!
Did you know that nearly everyone is finicky to some extent when it comes to public speaking? Such anxiety is actually normal , even natural and it should be confessed without shame. No matter how great your fears, you can learn simple techniques that will not only help you beat the fear but also help you to address an audience with confidence. To break forth, be heard and make a lasting positive impressions.
This workshop by Intonate takes you through the most useful speaking techniques in a very informal and interactive and inspiring environment where you will have loads of fun and have guaranteed takeaways to help you become a champion speaker.
Role play with Audience and feedbackWe all enjoy attending seminars, listening to fantastic orators… don’t we? For they are not just educative but also informative, instructing and entertaining. So often are we in awe of these people, looking upto them in pure admiration, and deep down in our hearts, yearn to see ourselves in their shoes.But it is not really so much of an uphill task as it sounds.
The factual truth is that greatly successful speakers are made, not born. All renowned speakers- Napoleon Hill, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincon, George Bernard Shaw, Margaret Thatcher and many many others all started small,low on confidence and capabilities,worked through their way up consistently and we can all see how far they made it.
The right attitude and approach in combination with sincere efforts in the required direction is what sets apart making all the difference. All you need to do is learn simple techniques-be open, be adaptive to learn, unlearn and relearn by shedding all inhibitions. This would enable voicing your choice,put the message accross convincingly,nevertheless making that objective yet emotional connect with your viewers and listeners. The only (and the best) way to overcome fear is to face it. And it undoubtedly applies to this field. Nervousness can be overcome and stage fear can be dissolved into nothing through raising the bar on your self esteem constantly.
Delve in with supreme confidence and sureness in your capabilities,empowered by faith, backed by belief. This would result in your bodily tensions being eased,quietening your anxiety,calming and relaxing you.Creative visualization, spirituality and meditation would definitely prove beneficial as the body ,mind and spirit are exercised and thereby rejuvenated, making you a productive achiever realizing your dreams. Thus your talk would be a bigger hit, as in a lot more effective when if well thought out, planned, paced and spaced out. Humor would definitely break the monotony and mundaneness. It would make an enjoyable session keeping your listeners attentive span all the more grounded, captivated.
How you say what you say is more important than what you say.Its a talented skill, one could gain mastery over, provided there is room for improved learning and further development, when it comes to humourous narrations.Here,at this point, I’d like to throw some light on the importance of the opening lines.As the ageold saying goes, ‘first impressions are the best’ - it needs to be powerfully expressed in an attractive and emphasizing manner.The body of the speech should be structured in a way as to smoothly gel and rhythmically flow toward a well planned and organized journey. Most of all,keep in mind to close in a way that goes on to linger in the memory of your audience long after the talk ended,making their inquisitiveness sprout and flower,hankering for more,wanting to come back to you every time. There would of course be people wanting to pull you downin the form of hostile audiences and persistent hecklers.Now its upto you alone,to see to it that the ball still remains in your court , unnerved, unmoved. Without losing your focused stream of thought,without distractedly swaying away from the topic,without letting their motives succeed, come out with flying colors, winning strides.
Body language and facial gestures too speak volumes. So,apart from being presentable, you need to present that aura,give out the positive vibrational energies that you are in full control of the situation-as in- I know why I am here, what I have to doand how best to do it. You need to take, that extra care, run that extra mile.Your pauses, moments of silence are also very much needed,as they let the idea behind the message sink in and allows your listeners to reflect upon and ponder.Even at social occassions,in the spirit of the festivities,keep it lighthearted and warm,not too elaborated,and more than just to the point.While introducing a speaker,highlight upon how the audience can be rewardingly benefitted by the session when it comes to the takeaway.Even if it is a debating scenario or handling a radio,press or television interview,the secret lies in the guest and the host having mutual respect for each other.
So there you are! Willing to try on these sure timetested tips and guidelines on your way to success? I’m sure you will. The world’s now your stage.
Let’s keep the mantra simple: You can if you think you can. If you think you can’t, you are right.
Posted by: intonatebangalore on: October 15, 2010
-John Baldoni (A Harvard Business Article)
This question came from Tonya in response to my previous post on developing your leadership pitch.
Here’s the quick answer, you walk to the microphone and you smile. You take a moment to size up the audience and then you say what you have to say briefly and to the point. Most importantly, as they advise running backs who score touchdowns, act like you have been there before. The great ones hand the ball back the referee; the wannabes whoop and holler.
At the microphone, remain calm. Why? Because you are in control! Your stomach may be churning and your palms may be sweaty, but you must realize the microphone is in your hands. This is a little secret that I share with people I coach: people have to listen to you. Whether you croon or wax eloquent, the audience is at your mercy.
You are the master of your destiny, or at least the next five minutes. When you keep that thought in mind, you will realize that yes, you can do this. You can speak in front of an audience and you will be okay.
Such behavior is how you cultivate your leadership presence, a topic I address in, Lead Your Boss, The Subtle Art of Managing Up. I define leadership presence as earned authority. You may have a title, but you need to earn the respect and trust of your coworkers. Presence is rooted in fundamental competence, and for anyone who aspires to lead, presence is essential. Developing this is a long process that goes far beyond speaking in public.
Some people confuse presence with charisma, but the two are not the same. The former is developed over time; the latter is what you are born with and is a matter of looks, charm, personality, and appeal. Charisma adds to presence, but you do not need to have movie-star looks to be a person of presence. An example of this was Mother Theresa.
Picture this petite woman in her white sari trimmed in blue. Old and wrinkled, Mother Theresa was never mistaken for royalty. Yet because of her lifetime of work in creating a religious order to care for the “poorest of the poor” in India, she had a radiant presence around her. Her conviction about her work was so strong that she could approach heads of state for funds to run her mission. She also had a wonderful sense of humor which added to her personal warmth.
No matter your looks or body type, you can have presence if you work on your ability to connect with others, from behind a microphone or otherwise. And don’t worry if you flub a word, or mispronounce a name. Correct yourself, smile, and keep moving. The audience is yours. So leverage your presence, and be the confident speaker you have always wanted to be.
Learn more about Public speaking: http://www.intonate.net/public_speaking.php
