TEN TIPS FOR TALKING
 
1.  Know your objective.
      What is your purpose? Is it to inform or persuade? Is it both? If simply conveying information
       is your goal, make sure the audience knows what your topic is. If you are there to persuade   
       them, make sure they understand the benefits of what you are proposing.

       2.  Don't waste their time.
       If you feel you have only 30 minutes to talk about a topic you could spend three days on, edit  
       yourself. Pack as much value as you can into your talk. Use your most important material.

3.  The visual comes last.
       Don't worry about the visuals until you've organized your talk.

Let the charts and graphs support your talk, don't let them drive it.

4.  Make your visual aids VISUAL and AIDS.
      When people can't read the visual, it is a hindrance, not an aid. Make sure everyone can

read the visuals. Let your visuals support your message, not distract from it.

5.  Practice.
      Practice into a recording device. The first time through you'll be doing it for time and content.
      Then you will practice it again for delivery. Practice in five-minute segments, then listen to  
      the tape. You can find five-minute segments before work, at lunch and going home from work.

6.  Overcoming nervousness.
      Being nervous is natural. Getting comfortable with the material by practicing is one way to
      combat nervousness. Another tip is to greet people as they come in the door. Now you have a
      connection with them. Even with a large group, meeting six or seven people will relax you. If
      you can't meet anyone, look at the friendliest face in the room and start with that person.

7.  Eye contact.
      What is eye contact? Look at someone for the length of the sentence. Then switch to another
       person and do the same. You appear to be calm, natural and in control.

You will also be connecting with your audience.

8.  Speak from conviction.
       Listeners will feel whether or not you believe what you're saying. Don't be shy when you
       believe something you want to tell people. Let your enthusiasm come through your voice and
      don't hold back on your energy when speaking about your subject.

9.  Use your body.
      Unfocused and arbitrary movements will be distracting. Judicious body movements

which emphasize a point or draw the audience's eyes to a visual will be

powerful supporters of your message.

10. Give short answers.
      Answer a question as simply as possible. Then be quiet.

Don't get into trouble by saying something you shouldn't have said.

 
  Originally published in
Contingencies Magazine, May/June 2001