In the public relations environment, anyone can be thrust into the public eye at a moment's notice and be called upon to speak to a live audience, appear on television or make
a positive impression via video conference. Since there is never a second chance to make a good first impression, it's important to have a strong sense of the impression that you
are making and/or want to make before the "call to action."
Surveys consistently show that public speaking is the number one fear among adults and that people are more afraid of speaking in public than they are of heights, insects and
even death! In this column, we'll examine how to conduct a self-critique that will result in the best first impression possible in any situation that calls you into the
spotlight.
Here are points to look for when critiquing your personal style. Did you have . . .
- A Strong Opening -- Did your opening statement grab the audience's attention? A rhetorical question, an anecdote, a summary of the facts or a quotation related to your
theme is an effective way to begin and lets the audience know that you will be a compelling speaker. - Direct Eye Contact -- Did you give the impression that you were looking at everyone? To make direct eye contact, talk to one person until you complete a point. Then move on to
look at another person. Use your eyes to "visit" with each person and be sure to "work the room" so that everyone in the audience feels included. For large groups, mentally divide
the audience into three sections and "visit" with different people in each section. Given the distance from the podium, you will capture several people in a section with one look
and keep everyone engaged. - Vocal Energy and Variety -- Did you speak in short, conversational sentences? Use punctuation marks as natural breathing points. Highlight key words in your notes as a
reminder to emphasize them. Women especially should work at lowering their pitch during these breathing points to ensure that they keep their voice at a good pitch for speaking.
Very often, when women get nervous, their voices get high and thin, taking away their authority. - Gestures and Facial Expression -- Did your hand and body movements add to your message rather than distract the audience? Use your hands and arms to communicate ideas such as
size, direction, emphasis and number. Keep your hands out of your pockets and away from your face and hair. Your facial expressions should reflect the tone of your message. - Fluency -- Did your words flow smoothly? Have you avoided non-words such as "um" or "ya know"? Substitute pauses for the non-words. Silence as a bridge between ideas is
necessary. It gives your audience a chance to catch up with you and "digest" what you've said and then be ready to receive more information. - Appropriate Language -- Have you avoided jargon, acronyms, "inside" jokes and off-color language? Learn to be a "power talker" and use words that convey action and intention.
Eliminate soft words like "probably," "maybe" and "hopefully." Substitute "we will," "we are certain," "there's no question" and avoid saying "I think" at the start of each
sentence as it robs you of authority. - Visuals -- Did you paint word pictures to help the audience visualize and retain your message? Were your visual aids large enough for everyone to see and simple enough to be
understood? Each slide should tell a story and have a strong take-away message. Avoid having full sentences; use bulleted, tightly edited points. - Knowledge of Audience -- Have you realistically analyzed the audience as to why they should be interested in what you have to say? Have you addressed their needs rather than
telling them only what you want them to hear? Did you stay within the time limit and within the audience's attention span? - Organization -- Were your remarks well organized with a beginning, middle and end? Did you have a verbal overview as a set-up to give the audience an idea of what is to come?
Did you use conversational linking phrases to move from one section to the next? Were your remarks in chronological, historical or logical sequence? - Strong Closing -- Have you provided a summary of the important points? Have you challenged the audience to take an action? Did you indicate your intention to take an action?
Did you end on a positive note?
Self Critiques
The best way to analyze and improve your speaking style is to rehearse with a coach using a video camera. If you don't have access to either, rehearse in front of a full-length
mirror using a tape recorder. Then take a good hard look at yourself in the third person as if you were in your own audience.
- First make a list of at least three things you like about yourself (e.g., being outgoing, energetic, knowledgeable). Then, when analyzing your tape or looking at yourself
in the mirror, look for these positive qualities. You will then have a "baseline" of things that work in your personal style and the confidence to know that you can stand in front
of a group and be well received. - Next make a list of what you would need to add to like the speaker even more.
- Then make another list of things you might want to eliminate from your personal style that are getting in the way of your message being received.
Joyce Newman, a New York-based media trainer and principal of The Newman Group, specializes in media training and customizes training sessions on presentation and speaking
skills. Contact her at 212/838-8371 or [email protected]. See http://www.newmangroup.com
for more information.