When you want to compel attention and help people change their thinking, use the element of mystery in your speaking. Mystery is a story that takes your listeners on a journey to solve a problem or improve a situation. The clue to a mystery is “Huh? Ahh!” Try saying these two sounds aloud. Make the sound “Huh?”…
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Public speaking clients ask me how they can “read” their audience. I tell them they must open to receive their audience members. Receiving is an experience of 1) seeing individuals in the audience, 2) making authentic connection one-to-one with them and 3) taking them in through soft-focus eye connection. Receiving is my way of expressing…
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There is something about public speaking, expressing oneself in groups, presenting or performing that triggers many people’s desire to look perfect. It seems we just can’t give ourselves permission to be imperfect and…. well, human. When we don’t feel safe to be genuinely who we are in front of others, we tense up the body…
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Imagine my thrill as I read respected author Seth Godin declare that any great presenter must have two qualities – respect from the audience and love for the audience! Take a look at his post at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/03/the-two-elements-of-a-great-presenter.html.. Then read my post at http://sz.self-expression.com/don%e2%80%99t-talk-to-strangers-how-caring-for-your-audience-helps-stage-fright-and-fear-of-public-speaking/ Love is a vibrational frequency that attracts. Love is not only the answer…
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Speaking to groups of people, sharing your ideas, insights and expertise can be a peak experience if you open to be yourself fully in front of others. I found myself humming the song “I Enjoy Being a Girl” yesterday. Who knows why that song was in my head? As I hummed, I began to think about…
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This blog post has nothing to do with public speaking and everything to do with opening the heart. Well, certainly opening the heart is needed to be great at speaking. Come to think of it, the heart pounding out of the chest that so many people experience in fear of public speaking is because those people…
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Our new President just spoke to the world. He began to reclaim our place in the world. He called on us all to fill ourselves with the spirit of service, to remember who we are as a nation that has withstood worse challenges than we face now and to begin anew the work of remaking…
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Andrew Dlugan at Six Minutes Public Speaking Blog has written a brilliant assessment of Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech. Check it out for excellent ideas on speech writing. This was the speech that was so persuasive that it has endured for decades.
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Many speakers allow their listeners to ask them questions, but not many ask questions of the audience. Ellen Finklestein of ellenfinklestein.com writes an excellent article about asking questions of your audience. I will let you read her article for yourself. At the end of her article she says it is important to plan your questions carefully. …
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Lots of people have gifts and talents that are excellent but they don’t shine. They are so full of self-judgment and self-criticism that they can’t experience their brilliance. They don’t shine because they don’t accept their gifts. Instead they place unrealistic expectations of perfection upon themselves. For instance, a technical professional shares her ideas with…
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