Several years ago, I read a survey finding that stopped me in my tracks. When asked which they feared most, the respondents’ No. 1 choice—over snakes, spiders or even death—was public speaking.
But the more I thought about it, the more understandable this finding became. Few things are more embarrassing than making a major mistake before a large audience. It’s no wonder that, for most people, speaking is extremely stressful.
Business executives who speak as part of their job have an added pressure: high stakes. A great performance can mean positive press, greater prestige and even new business. A poor one can mean the opposite to all of the above. And, every so often, a very poor showing can even mean the loss of a job.
It’s no wonder then that executives, even those renowned for their nerves of steel, can get nerves of Jell-O when they think about an upcoming speech. And it’s often the job of communicators to help them prepare. Yet, while many communicators are old pros at developing a PR plan or new marketing communications program, they don’t have comparable expertise when it comes to prepping an executive for a speech or presentation. The solution is often to just get through it as best they can. But, depending on all the variables, this can be just as nerve-racking for the communicator as it is for the executive giving the speech.
What are some things you can do to help make your exec’s speech or presentation a success? Here are some ideas that have worked for me:
1. Think through what you want to do. The screenwriter Syd Field once said, “The hardest thing about writing is knowing what to write.” This applies, of course, to any form of communication, including public speaking. When I participate in the preparation process, I take executives through several steps that aim to build a strong content foundation. These include:
• Listing and prioritizing objectives;
• Learning as much as possible about the audience and what various people in it expect from the speaker;
• Determining the strongest possible central thought, or theme, for the speech; and
• Organizing the central thought for maximum effect.
2. Build in time to think. Good ideas and clear thoughts take time to develop. Make the presentation a priority and build time into the exec’s and your schedule to think about it. Jot down ideas and put them in writing. And, as you gather material, constantly test it against the central thought.
3. Be a merciless editor. A piece of information might be fascinating in its own right. But, if it doesn’t relate directly to the central thought, then it isn’t right for this presentation.
4. Don’t force humor or cleverness. People often feel great pressure to begin or end a presentation with an attention-getter such as a joke, funny anecdote, clever quote or startling fact. But no one is ever obligated to. The moral here is: Do what is right for the exec. Beginning with a good attention getter is fine, but don’t try to do something that’s not natural for them.
5. When using PowerPoint, keep it simple and graphically interesting. Rather than being an effective speaking aid, PowerPoint is often a major distraction. To make matters worse, many speakers design their graphics the same way engineers design microchips—cramming everything they can into every nanometer of available real estate. Ask your exec if she really needs to use PowerPoint. You’ll be amazed how often they don’t, especially if they are CEOs who fancy themselves big-picture people.
6. Plan to be brief. People are rarely criticized for not speaking long enough. If the exec is asked to speak for 20 minutes, plan for 15. Also, consider that many things—resounding applause, uproarious laughter, uncooperative technology—slow down a speaker. The difference between ending five minutes early and going five minutes over can seem like an eternity.
7. Prepare for questions. Craft a list of tough questions and answers so the exec is prepared for anything the audience might throw out.
8. Rehearse the exec at least twice. If possible, set up the final rehearsal at the conference the day before the exec is scheduled to speak. You’ll be amazed how much this will help the exec during the actual presentation.
Preparing executives for speeches and presentations is often difficult, frustrating work. But a successful payoff can be big for the executive, your brand and you. PRN
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This article was written by David Meuel, a corporate writer whose clients have included Visa International, eBay and Apple Computer. He can be reached at [email protected].