Unless you work in a cave banging sticks together, odds are,
part of your job involves talking to other people. Heck, you might even need to
run a meeting or two. Those of us who are really lucky get to do "public
speaking", which has been known to produce sweating and weak knees in
certain people. To combat this, and to work on other communication and
leadership skills, I joined Toastmasters about a year ago. It has been an
invaluable experience. Here are the top five public speaking tips that
beginners can start applying immediately. They are simple, obvious, easy to
remember, and practical.
1. Lose the notes (do I really need to say this?)
It may seem obvious, but your dependence on your speaking
notes is dragging you down. Having to refer to notes about what you are going
to say decreases your credibility, prevents you from making eye contact with
your audience, and limits your charisma and body language. Remember, you are
speaking because you are the expert. Know the topic, know what you are going to
say, and say it. The only exception to this rule is if you are reporting on
specific facts and numbers.
2. Lose the crutch words (“uhm”, "uh",
"like", "you know")
“Uhm”, and other crutch words, are verbal garbage. They
serve absolutely no purpose other than to make you sound dumb. Prevent these
crutch words from exiting your mouth and you’ll start sounding smarter
immediately. The smarter you sound, the more people will pay attention to what
you have to say. If you're unsure about what to say, be silent, collect your
thoughts, breath, and continue. It might take practice but it is well worth it.
3. Speak louder
The more power you give to your voice, the more authority
you will have, the clearer your words will be, and the easier you will be to
understand – all of which combine to make you more engaging and memorable.
