Speaking of Your First Move...

"How do I get started?"

This is the question that invariably comes up from speakers I coach.

My answer is always the same:

"Well....what do you want to say?"

Reactions range from silence to confusion to quick lists of 3-10 topics to the scariest of all: "I can speak about anything!" As the old saying goes, if you can speak about anything, you really can speak about NOTHING with authority, creativity, and impact.

- If you don't know your message, you'll be hard-pressed to find an audience who wants to listen to you give it, regardless of how talented you are, much less get paid for speaking.

- If you don't know your message, it will never improve. You'll just keep saying whatever is at the forefront of your mind on the general topic.

- If you don't know your message, your audience will decide what it is for you, and it may not be the message you want. Or, more likely, they'll decide you don't have a message at all.

Even if you think you know your message, bouncing it off a coach can pay off. I've watched people's message transform in a matter of hours as they dig deeper than they thought they could, and honed their point into a stronger concept than they thought they had. There's a big difference between talking about web design, for example, and talking about WordPress for Stay-at-Home Moms.

Too Many Ideas?

Helping clients find and keep a message can be my biggest challenge as a coach. I've worked with clients who change their approach entirely between sessions, based on conversations with friends, spouses, web designers, other coaches, MLM opportunities, and even their accountants, and this can happen week to week to week.

Depending on the topic, your approach can vary considerably, which may drive you (and your coach) a little nuts. While it's challenging, it's also a necessary component to the process, as long as you understand you need a destination point. At some point, preferably before your first booked talk at your buddy's rotary club, you have to make a decision.

I'm not saying each speaker should only have one topic. But even if you're only giving the speech one time, knowing your message is crucial. But if you're starting out as a professional speaker, one topic is more than enough. Especially if you're learning all the other concepts - writing, editing, delivery, and marketing at the same time.

Finding your well-defined message is your first move as you prepare to Speak...and Deliver.

How to Perform Poetry for Kids Effectively, Seven Keys to Success

Capture the attention of your audience right from the beginning. Share some of your funniest poems first. That's the best way to interest kids or adults. If you can make your audience laugh right in the beginning of your show, you will be holding their attention in the palm of your hands.

Never talk to kids like they are "little kids." Always treat kids like they are "Tall." In their own minds, they aren't little kids. They usually know lots of smaller kids. If you treat them like a smaller version of a regular person, they will respect what you have to say.

Don't turn your presentation into a sermon. Kids don't want to listen to didactic poetry. They want to laugh, smile, and have a good time. After school, you want them to run home to their parents' arms and say "We had this funny poet in school today! He was so funny!"

If you want your audience to laugh or think twice about your poetry, your endings have to be excellent like the punch line of a good joke or a perfectly selected unexpected ending-serious, but fitting.

Kids need to know that it's okay if the poems they write or hear don't rhyme. Tell them that "It's no crime if poems don't rhyme." In other words, it's okay if a poem rhymes or not. Just let the refreshing breeze of your poetry spill over your audience.

In your poetry show, don't tell in your poems. I know that you have probably read or heard that many times before, but it's worth repeating. In number 5, I could have said "make your poetry interesting" but I didn't. Near the end I compared your poetry to a "refreshing breeze." Yes, showing is a better way to write and present poetry.

Let kids know that poetry can be humorous, serious or mysterious. In other words, poets have these three "tools" to grab the audience's attention in their poems. It all depends on what tool the poet thinks is best for the poem. And, of course, the poet can combine tools in a poem. Then give them a pungent example of a serious and a mysterious poem. Nonetheless, the real message for kids here is that poets are empowered by words when they write them and share them with an audience, and they empower the listeners by presenting their poems. It's a wonderful cycle that might help kids take off with words on their own.
Okay, this is bonus key "eight." When performing for kids, never let yourself get too nervous before you go out on stage or stand in front of them in the open cafeteria or gym. This tip is very important to remember: kids are very "forgiving" and they laugh easily. So if anything goes wrong with your props, your electronic equipment or the script that's inside your head to share, just go with the flow and adlib your way through any difficulty. It's perfectly okay if kids laugh at unplanned errors. They are laughing at the moment, not you. Kids understand mishaps. Sometimes their whole life seems like a mishap. Just take a deep breath and move along with your show.

How Would You Make Speak & Deliver Bigger..Faster...Stronger?

Speak & Deliver will be undergoing an upgrade over the next few days to ensure greater readability, and become more helpful to you in every way.

If you could add or subtract to this blog, what would you do? I don't have six millions dollars, but I believe we can make S&D Bigger, Faster, Stronger!

Please comment below with your ideas, or on Facebook.

Thank you,

Rich.

What to Do If You Fear Public Speaking More Than Death

Do you do any public speaking or training? If not, why? Is it because you believe there are people who are gifted in public speaking but not you? Or is it because you feel that you are not good enough in public speaking? Whatever reasons (and I call these excuses) you use to justify why you do not do any public speaking, I would still like to let you know that you can become an expert in public speaking if you choose to. Why? The short answer is that public speaking is a learnable skill.

There is a saying that no one is born smarter than the others. In fact, if you speak to anyone who is a practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, I believe he will tell you that if it is possible for the others, it is possible for you too.

Since public speaking is a learnable skill, I am going to share with you 4 tips that will help you to overcome fear in public speaking. Before I do that, I have to first acknowledge that the original ideas did not come from me. I did not invent or create anything new. Nevertheless, what is original here is my unique experience, which is what I am sharing in this article.

Tip No.1: Start small first

If you have not done any public speaking before, I can only imagine that you would freak out if I ask you to speak in front of a large group of people. There is no short cut in acquiring any skill. It takes time to practise and perfect the craft.

When I first started public speaking, I started with a small group of 5 to 10 people. The reason was that I had to create my identity as a public speaker, and this allowed me to form certain beliefs that I could become an excellent public speaker in future.

In addition, I am sure that we all make mistakes especially when we are considered beginners. Would you prefer to make mistakes in front of a smaller group or a large crowd?

After you get used to speaking to smaller groups, you can consider increasing the size of the group progressively. Take one step at a time.

Tip No.2: Control your mind

I must say that our mind has good intention for us at all times. It does not want us to feel awkward or uncomfortable whenever we are doing something new.

Here was what happened to me before. When I was on the stage, I was nervous and my inner voice suggested that I should leave the stage immediately. It did not look good on me as a speaker. Many years later, I have learnt from my mentor that I had the power to control my mind. With continuous practices, whenever my mind now suggests anything that is not useful to me in a particular situation, I will say to myself "thank you for sharing" or "shut up". Which one you should use will be entirely up to you. Both work well for me.

Tip No.3: Have a script in front of you

From my experience, part of the reasons why some of you may fear public speaking is that you are afraid of making mistakes when giving your speech. This is especially when the subject matter is highly technical in nature.

In my case, some of my trainings involve discussing complex financial products such as derivatives and options. How do I remember all the important details and make sure that my participants understand the subject matter? The secret is to have a script in front of me so that I can follow it closely. You can consider using cheat sheet too.

Tip No.4: Have a coach to give you feedback

My last tip is for you to engage a coach who will provide you with feedback on your training or public speaking engagement. Many years ago, I thought I delivered a great training. However, my participants did not feel the same. I did not know why because i did not seek help from anyone.

Over the years, I have learnt to be humble and get some experienced coaches to sit in during my training to provide me with feedback and suggested improvement. This allows me to identify my weaknesses so that I can improve my delivery next time.

As you have seen, there is no need to be afraid of public speaking. You just need more practices and you will eventually be able to deliver the topic you are passionate about in front of a large group of audience. I hope you find my sharing insightful and use these tips in practising your public speaking skill.