“Imagine everyone in the audience with just underwear on,” we are told – but don’t imagine that will bring you all the confidence you need for a winning performance! Instead, just be sure you have ticked the list of the Top 6 Preparations for Successful Public Speaking below.

Just like a film set you can apply some of the stage setting, preparation and rehearsal to your ultimate role in the movie. Think of all the roles that go into making a film, now think of your role as the Lead Star. It takes a team and a methodical set up behind the scenes to make the magic happen. From the director and stage manager to the wardrobe mistress and speech coach, and of course practice practice practice.

Rehearsals

Prep 1 –  Physiology:   Speech coaches have specific exercises you can perform and practice with, warming up before you start. Sentences such as “Top of the tongue, teeth and lips to ensure you deliver with your vowels well rounded and consonants crisp and clear.”  To release stress jump up and down sway your arms from side to side, and let go of any tension and trapped emotion.
Prep 2 – Emotional connection:  Studies show that in presentations how we deliver in terms of voice and posture make up 93% of the impact of a speech. Only 7% is the actual words. Practice out loud as often as possible, if you can record yourself on a smart phone you will be able to direct yourself and write an ’emotions script’ to go with the words. This way you can pinpoint where you can evoke reaction and connection with the audience, enhancing through facial expressions or pauses for contemplation.
Prep 3 – Notes:   Ideally you should not be using any notes.  If you must, then use maybe ten keywords on one or more postcards. And make sure all the pages are numbered in case you drop them!  If you have written a script then, with repetition, you may find that the words will be committed to memory which will allow you to focus on delivery. In any case, the more you use a script the less likely you will be able to tailor your presentation to the reactions of your audience.  Whether you use a tablet or paper make sure it all looks professional and larger than normal print so you are not peering at it!

Stage Management/Costume

Prep 4 – Impression:   Plan your outfit ahead of time; every detail is important here, from the undergarments to the clothes on top; think about who your audience is, if you need to present authority then dress for the part.  You have to feel confident before you start speaking, one of the easiest ways is through your clothes.  When actors are reading for a part they often start with clothing as the character develops through the way the clothes make them feel; dressed up to the nines you may see physiological changes, straightening of the back, head held high: if you have a comfy sweater on you may relax and slick the shoulders.  I often find that drawing on a persona helps with delivery, think about who you admire and model your actions on how they would present.
Prep 5 – Environment:  Where possible visit the venue where you will be speaking.  An NLP exercise is to physically draw a timeline and walk through the paces of getting up from your chair walking to the front and turning to the audience. Or if that is not possible visualise yourself making these steps.   Breathing exercises also help, so you don’t forget to take a breath.

Break glass in case of Emergency
Prep 6 – Physiological problems:   If you find your heart begins to race, your hands are sweaty or your mind goes blank, this exercise when practiced will guarantee calmness and confidence when you need it:

Close your eyes relax your tongue, breath deeply from the diaphragm and allow the emotion to pass, next think about a time where you have felt great, amazing and happy…turn up the colours, give it sound if it’s a moving picture, watch it like a film where you are in the audience. Now make an “O” sign with your thumb and forefinger, feel those good feelings inside, and harness that feeling whilst feeling the pressure of your fingertips.
This is called an NLP anchor, by repeating this process you will be able to activate good thoughts and feelings at the moment you need it.

So now you’re ready!  Have fun and enjoy your presentation.

Helen Morris

“Captain Ian Fraser lost his sight at the Battle of the Somme in July 1916, after being shot through the eyes by a German sniper. A single gunshot had robbed him of one of his greatest passions: reading. “  RNIB – How Talking Books were born

Charities have had a bit of a hard time lately, not least being frowned upon for questionable fundraising methods pressuring vulnerable people into giving. Last year Gareth G. Morgan (Professor of Charity Studies and leader of the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research) at Sheffield Hallam University) gave his valedictory lecture ‘The End of Charity’ .  In it he referred to the “extraordinary combination of threats” charities faced, including the issues of underfunded organisation,  fundraising abuses and media criticism.  He ended his talk saying  “So, what is the end to which all charity is ultimately directed?  The answer is very simple: the end of charity is public benefit. If that is our focus, both in our fundraising and our operational work, and if that can be the focus of charity regulation, then we cannot go astray.”

Halina Jaroszewska and I have been working with the RNIB fundraising staff and if we wore hats we would be constantly taking them off in deference to those fabulous people.  We have discovered the ‘public benefit‘ that this charity gives. We recently spent a day with some of them in Birmingham where we were offering our knowledge and expertise on presentation and public speaking, and where we found ourselves learning and increasing our respect for those fundraisers. Our focus for the day was the RNIB Talking Books, which began in 1935 and revolutionised reading for people with sight loss.  With a collection of over 23,000 titles, and with over 30,000 listeners, this service brings a gift to each of those listeners.

Captain Fraser’s desire to get back to reading inspired him to record an entire talking book and he began working with the RNIB in 1918 exploring how new technology could develop this recording ability.  Today, the people we were privileged enough to work with last week are now able to promote the Talking Books as their Big Ask knowing the gift that is in those Books.

“It’s like having another voice in the house.  It helps break the silence and the loneliness” (Dennis, 66,  a Talking Books reader)  – a gift of reading, of company, of meaning, of knowing someone cares.

RNIB Talking Books

www.rnib.org.uk

Isla Baliszewska

To find out more about how Smart Coaching & Training can help with your presentation and public speaking needs please get in touch