Speak up! Speak out!

Dodie Gaudet
Bibliographic and Technical services
CMRLS

Some People fear public speaking more than death

" Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Preparation:
What do you want to accomplish?

Know the situation, the audience, the environment
Why are my listeners here?
What do they expect?

Do more research than you need
Helps build your interest in the topic
Helps build your confidence in knowledge of the topic
Allows you to choose the best/strongest material
Good foundation for Q&A

Use 3 x 5 cards

3 parts to Speech/Presentation
Opening-tell them what you're going to tell them
get listeners attention
Establish your credentials and why youcare about ths topic
Give the listener a reason for listening
Involve the audience
Body-tell them
Remember people can re-read but cannot re hear
Stick to 3-4 major points because people can't remember more hat that
transition from 1 point to another logically
be simple honest and clear
Speak with integrity and passion
eliminate jargon
paint picture with words
give specific example; tell a story
be relevant; speak to listeners wants and needs
use gimmicks judiciously consider all learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic



Closing-Tell them what you told them
end with advance notice
emphasize main ideas
end with conviction
end on time

Rehearse
visualize yourself giving the speech
visualize being successful
rehearse aloud 4 times- do 1 rehearsals close to the time of your talk-try to rehearse at same time of day you will be giving talk because energy level will be te same.
familiarize rather than memorize
visualize being successful
breathe gently and deeply

Overcoming Nervousness
be prepared know your materil, know you audience, practice
accentuate the positive
repeat affirmation
visualize being successful
breathe gently and deeply
Take care of your body
stay hydrated
avoid milk
avoid caffeine and alcohol
avoid overeating before speaking
eat a banana-lots of potassium- smooths out muscle contractions
be well rested
stay in good physical and mental health
arrive early and converse with audience members before the presentation so you'll have friends in the audience
If all of these fail- think about the worst thing that cold happen if your greatest fer is realized
brain freeze- index card
heckler-
unexpected question- be prepared know your stuff take a moment to think
something unbuttoned, unzipped- fist double check- of turn it around and make a joke about it
start off on wrong foot-too fast etc.- take a breath, try to think about what cold happen ad fix it beforehand.

Presentation
Stride up to the podium with confidence; avoid the lectern if possible

Podium-stand on a podium on a stage
Lectern-stand behind

Face- create rapport with the audience with a open face
smile, yur voice will follow your faces lead
make eye contact with audience, dwell on individuals rather than sweep around room
use appropriate facial expressions
Body
stand comfortably, but erect; sternum up- (make believe you have a rod going straight up you back from sternum to head.
walk around
let your bod move
the larger the audience the larger the gestures

Voice
pay attention to volume, rate, diction pitch ( if you talk softer, people pay attention)
vary emphasis and tone
pause for effect just before and after important points
repeat an important word or phrase
eliminate ahs and ums and other oral ticks
bite your tongue if your mouth gets dry

Use props when appropriate (Powerpoint, article, animal, etc)
use them effectively
practice with them
practice with a microphone

Handouts
give out in beginning so audience can take notes especially if informational

Dont spend time apologizing to your listeners
neve say yu are not prepared
acknowlede any problems that happen an continue.


WATCH THE AUDIENCE FOR SIGNALS; IF YOU ARE LOSING THEM MAKE A CHANGE OR END YOUR TALK.

Q & As- friendly

pause and think
repeat the question so everyone hears question, and understand questions
if yu don't know. say so
if possible get back to he to the peson
bekind to the asker, even if the questin is silly

Q & As- Hostile
pause and think
stay calm
DON'T repeat he question
DON'T get ddefensive
DONT repeat any negative words or phrases
Stress the psitive not the negative


Books n Public speakig
Carnigie, Dale Public Speaking and influency men inbusiness New York
Association Press 1935

Cook, Jeff scott The elelments of speechwriting and public speaking New York Macmillion 1989

Lustberg, Arch Winning when it really counts: quick easy stratigies for success in any speaking situation, New York Simon & Schuster 1988

websites:
www.tostmasters.org
Blogs:
Presenttion Zen
http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen
Articles:
The Toastmasters august 1999, Chambers, Cindy Podurgal, Anything wort doing is worth doing badly