The people listening to your speech are not critics. Most of them are just amazed that you are up there (and glad that they're not!) To them, you're like the host of a big party. They came hoping to have a good time. So give them one by taking care of them.
Read MoreBy breaking your teaching points down into questions and discussions that lead to your point, you can help the audience go on a journey of active discovery, instead of passive listening. The question-answer approach naturally builds in points for the audience to absorb and process your ideas. Your audience will be more engaged and, as a result, retain more information. They'll also have more fun along the way. And so will you.
Read MoreInstead of thinking of your adult audience members in your presentation as “students”, you should think of them as “participants”. Instead of thinking of yourself as a “teacher”, think of yourself as a “facilitator”. Your job is to draw out your participants' expertise and interest by establishing an environment that invites their ideas, opinions, and experiences.
Read MorePlaying to scale simply means making sure that the size of your physical and vocal expression matches the size of your room. In larger rooms, you have to make sure that the back rows are getting a life-size version of your speech. To do that, you're going to have to be a bit bigger than life-size.
Read MoreThis great article on Audience Analysis by Andrew Dlugan goes into a lot of detail about the kinds of questions to ask and answer that can help you hone your message in ways that fit your specific audience's expectations and needs. It's one of a series that explores the topic.
Read MorePublic speaking is the intersection of argument and art. It's the pushing of your ideas through your personality into a particular space and time with a particular group of people. But receptivity to your message can be affected positively or negatively by a host of elements that have nothing to do with your speech. We call those, "para-aesthetic" elements.
Read MoreA good public speech happens in the wonderful intersection between your ideas, your audience, and you. That “you” is super-important.
Read MoreYour approach to your audience can have many shapes, but in general it will fall into one of three types: concave, convex, or somewhere in-between. The one that works best for you can depend on many factors: your subject matter, your audience, and where you feel most comfortable.
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