World Champion Evaluator evaluating like a champion

From Seth:

People are drawn to existing competitions like moths to a flame.  It’s precisely the wrong way to succeed.

I have seen this on many occasions in the Toastmasters speech contest.  The allure of fame that comes from being the World Champion of Public Speaking.  I have been guilty of it myself.  If your goal is to win that contest for the recognition, then you will likely become quite disapointed.

Enter the contest.  Have a blast.  Learn something about yourself and public speaking.  Winning is purely a bonus out of your control.

Posted under Public Speaking

Lessons from a dentist visit by Angela DeFinis.

• Self Awareness
• Creativity
• Anxiety
• Renewal
• Shine Every Time

Check out the article here.

Posted under Public Speaking

Here’s 7 tips on exactly how to speak at the drop of a hat.

I especially like #3.  As speakers, we need to focus on the audience much more.  Learn to do this with your prepared speeches and it will come easier with your impromptu speeches.

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When talented people write badly it’s generally for one of two reasons:

Either they’re blinded by an idea they feel compelled to prove or they’re driven by an emotion they must express.

When talented people write well, it is generally for this reason:

They’re moved by a desire to touch the audience.

~Robert McKee

What drives your speech? Is it a desire to touch your audience? If not, reconsider until it is.

Posted under Public Speaking

Great post from CopyBlogger on The Quentin Tarantino Guide to Creating Killer Content.  My favorite parts:

You’ve got to memorize what’s important so you can make the rest your own.

This is so true for speeches.  Trying to memorize your entire speech is going to be anxiety inducing.  You may pull it off, but the speech is unlikely to come across naturally.  How can it?  You are effectively reading from your notes, just no one can see them.

Instead, memorize a few key pieces.  The introduction and conclusion are good candidates, along with your key points and a couple of choice phrases.

The only way to do that is to keep saying it and saying it and saying it and saying it.

Practice is the key.  Not just practicing your speech, but practicing speaking in general, week in, week out.  Tell stories whenever you get a chance.  Each time is an opportunity to build on the last experience.

Check out the article, great advice for speech writing and also copywriting.

Posted under Public Speaking

It is generally thought that whitewashing with respect to feedback on a speech is bad.  I have even told you on this blog how to avoid giving whitewashes.

What if there was something good to be had from a whitewash?

When you deliver an evaluation with only praise, you are (contrary to popular belief) providing value:

• You practice your active listening skills.
• You tell the speaker what they did that was good (they may not know).
• You are telling everyone else in the room what to model.
• You are practicing public speaking with little preparation.
• You are providing the General Evaluator an opportunity to suggest something you may have missed.

The above does assume that you are specific with your whitewash.  I am not suggesting that you can get away with an evaluation where you say, “I loved your vocal variety and your wonderful gestures, and great storytelling.”

The typical sandwich evaluation is expected and very little attention paid to it.  A whitewash on the other hand gets everyone thinking about what the speaker could have done.  Having the audience actively thinking is a good thing!

On the flip side, an evaluation full of areas for improvement will also make the audience think.  This type of evaluation should be given to someone that can take it otherwise you risk alienating the speaker.

Often we as Toastmasters see a whitewash and think it is such a missed opportunity.  I believe the real opportunity missed is making the most of the situation.  Don’t be so quick to dismiss whitewashes.

Posted under Public Speaking

Debbie Fay has a thought provoking post about silence being a speaker’s most valuable tool.  While I don’t agree that it is the most valuable tool, I do believe that it is incredible effective.

In fact, when you stop speaking for 5 seconds an amazing thing happens; you get the audience’s FULL attention. They look up because there’s a LACK of sound coming from you. Honest to Pete.

I have found that silence allows you to capture your thoughts and the audience assumes that the silence is for dramatic effect.  In other words, don’t worry about why you are silent!

And yes, it does seem like an eternity.  Just ask a contest Toastmaster how long the minute of silence seems to be.  When we are silent we are forced to be in the moment instead of thinking about what is coming next.  Allow yourself the luxury to take everything in and relax.  You will become a much better speaker because of it.

Posted under Public Speaking

You have a speech to deliver tomorrow.  You knew this day was coming.  Now you have to crank out a speech.  And Quick!

If you have been in this position, you will know that the results can be less than optimal.  If you are lucky enough to get feedback, it will likely be that the content was rough.

While I don’t advocate creating speeches at the last minute (unless the goal is to stretch yourself), what can you do to create a good speech quickly?

Copyblogger has the answer.  SPEED writing:

• S: Select a topic
• P: Prepare your facts
• E: Establish a structure
• E: Eliminate distractions
• D: Dash to the finish

There’s some excellent advice that relates just as much to speech writing as it does to creating blog posts.  Specifically, writing a speech about one idea, and avoiding editing while you are writing.

I have heard way too many speeches that try to cram everything into the alloted time with one of 2 results.  Either the speech goes way over time or the speech is cut short.  Picking a single focused idea is key to managing your time and also getting your message across.  If say 10 things, you say nothing. (From Made to Stick I believe).  Example topics:

1. Psychology
2. Cognitive Psychology
3. How Cognitive Psychology helped me to…

Number 3 would be an acceptable topic.  Not only is the topic more focused, it also looks like it would be story-based which is always a good idea.

Often times, the structure of your speech only reveals itself after you have written it.  So, why try to edit it while you are putting down your original thoughts?  Just dump everything onto the page, and edit the structure and composition later.

Read the Copyblogger article before you create your next speech, even if you have plenty of time.  Let me know how it goes.

Posted under Public Speaking

Lisa has an excellent example of the best pause ever.  Notice how in the description, you can totally picture how the scene transpires and how the pause totally adds drama and humor.

Posted under Public Speaking

So often we seem to forget that there’s more to public speaking than mechanics.  I agree that it is useful to remove um’s and ah’s, to use expressive gestures, and to use variety in your voice.  But, if you master the mechanics, will your speech be successful?

No.  Not purely because of mechanics.

Yet another insightful post from Seth Godin on what it takes to be successful.  Yet again it applies just as well to public speaking.  Here’s the hierarchy:

1. Attitude
2. Approach
3. Goals
4. Strategy
5. Tactics
6. Execution

When you create your next speech, start with 1,2, and 3.  Write down your goals, approach, and attitude.  Refer to your answers while practicing your speech.  Hand them to your evaluator and have them compare your speech with your goals.  Share your approach.  Exhude your attitude in your delivery.

No doubt execution, tactics, and strategy are important, but they do not make a speech.  They polish it.

Make your next speech successful!

Posted under Public Speaking