by Edward J. Barks

From the Publication "Focus Management," May 1998

Face your fears. We all have them. Yours may involve death, taxes, or flying in an airplane. Or you may share the most common fear with your fellow Americans - speaking in public.

A whopping 41 percent of us admit that we cringe at the very thought of delivering a speech. Some people enjoy public speaking - I do. At Barks Communications, I make my living teaching people how to speak in public, how to deal with the media, and how to present winning legislative and regulatory testimony. The day I no longer enjoy public speaking is the day I need to look for a new line of work.

Let's talk solutions and how you can conquer the greatest fear of all Americans - delivering a speech - by focusing on three keys for great speechmaking: Preparation, presentation, and feedback.

Your preparation needs to begin long before you ever step behind a podium. The first thing you need to consider is when to say yes and when to say no. Is this a group of people you need or want to reach?

Next, you need to do some research, particularly if you are not familiar with the organization. Talk to colleagues, check out magazine articles, and visit the organization's web site. These insights allow you to speak to the audience's interests, not yours. In every set of remarks I give, I keep firmly in mind that my remarks are about the audience and not about me.

Then, of course, it's time to draft your speech. Once you have committed words to paper, review your text to be sure you have included some punch. Make your words memorable and quotable. Anecdotes are great, as are quotes and personal examples.

You've done a lot of work already - don't waste it now. Prepare yourself. Practice again and again, and do it aloud in front of family, friends, or a tape recorder and mirror. Practice is essential.

The second key to great speechmaking is presentation. How do you come across to your audience? The first rule here is, be true to your style. If, for instance, humor is not your strong point, don't try to become a comedian.

It is important to bear in mind that you are the expert. You have been invited to speak for a good reason. Someone important thinks you have something of tremendous value to share. So let your confidence show.

Let's look at physical presentation. Whenever possible, stand when you speak. You will find both your voice and your energy level will be stronger.

Now we'll examine the tools you have at your disposal. Video, audio, and speech are the three main compartments of your tool kit. We have already discussed your speech tools, i.e., what you say. So let's focus on the other two areas.

As for your video tools, let your entire body be animated from head to toe. Position yourself so that you can move easily and gracefully with a comfortable posture. And make solid eye contact.

Looking into the audio section of your tool kit, be sure to add some sizzle to your voice. Use some emotion. If you don't care passionately about your subject, your audience certainly won't give a darn.

Lastly in terms of presentation, know when to stop. It sounds simple, but it's not. When you've finished with your conclusion, muster the self-discipline to say thank you, take a few questions, and sit down.

The third and final key to great speechmaking is honestly assessing feedback. To make yourself a better speech maker, you need to critique frankly how you performed and take valid criticisms to heart. There are a number of ways to solicit feedback.

Number one, the audience will tell you. Perhaps not in words. But, after standing in front of an audience for 20 minutes, you should have a pretty good idea of what worked and what didn't.

There are other more formal ways to gauge how you've performed, such as handing out evaluation forms and asking the host organization how you did. Of course, the best indicator you have scored a bull's eye occurs when the organization asks you to return.

There you have it, the three keys to great speechmaking: Preparation - prepare your words and yourself. Presentation - show some energy, some spark. Feedback - Learn by asking how you've done. It's what we stress in our public speech training workshops at Barks Communications. Now go out and conquer that fear of public speaking!

Edward J. Barks, President of Barks Communications, is an expert in media, presentation skills, and testimony training. The firm also operates Barkscomm.com, the Internet's Communications Training Resource, at http://www.barkscomm.com/.

Ed invites you to subscribe to his free e-zine, Personal Trainer, at http://www.barkscomm.com/. He can be reached at (540) 955-0600 or by e-mail.

© Barks Communications 2003