Have more confidence when speaking!

Report to give at monthly meeting? HELP! Introducing guest speaker? YIKES! Wedding toast is up to you? UGH…Difficult conversation tomorrow?

Sound familiar? Breathe, with these helpful hacks.

• For visual learners, seeing the words is beneficial. Whatever works, works:

  • Outline

  • Essay

  • Mind map

  • POST-IT

    • Main points on POST-ITs

    • Arrange notes on window, mirror, sliding door in proper order

  • WALK AND TALK

    • Avoid mirrors – it’s distracting to watch yourself.

    • Pacing helps voice sound stronger: stand straight!

    • Relieves nervous energy, clears head.

    • Eventually, find center stage, center of the room, and head of the table.

      • Reduce pacing.

      • Natural gestures. (No prayerful hands!)

      • Glance a few seconds in all directions. Even back of room.

      • Watch speakers on YouTube.

      • Get a coach.

• KNOW YOUR FIRST LINE.

  • If all else fails, your first line won’t!

  • Builds confidence, frees mind.

  • Repeat ten times to brain-lock it.

  • During practice days, challenge yourself to recite the first line.

  • If I wake you at 3:00 a.m., you can tell me your first line!

• CELL PHONE SUPPORT

  • Walk or drive in public? Recite speech into phone. (Others assume it’s conversation.)

  • Record speech on phone.

    • Listen for fillers (uh, um, okay, well…, so)

    • Have someone else listen for pointers

  • TEAM LILY: I walk daily, practicing, while walking our dog. Good news/bad news:

    • (+) Passersby think it’s nice you talk to your dog.

    • (-) Unfortunately, dogs can’t critique you.

    • (+) Hey, it’s practice, right?

  • VEHICLE: Interruptions happen.

    • During errands, speech gets interrupted, when exiting car.

    • The practice is: you must resume your place when getting back in car!

Good…

• Walk!

• Talk!

• Luck!