Getting Over The Fear of Public Speaking

June 9th, 2012 Posted in Blog

Snake Oil ~ Getting Over the Fear of Public Speaking

Search the Internet for “Fear of Public Speaking help” and you will get over 25 million hits. Many of those hits will promise to “cure” you.

Do you really want to be cured? And can you be?

Yes and no. We all want to give  presentations without nerves getting in our way. But the adrenaline created by those nerves are what rockets a presentation’s opening, keeps the middle intriguing, and allows for a powerful close.

There are many techniques and tricks to calming yourself.  But can anyone promise to cure someone else?

No.

It is in your hands. Sure, public speaking coaches, books, and videos have insight to offer that can work. However it is really up to you.

I call it the big leap. It is the moment in time when you want to do something so badly that you can taste it. You’ve decided to change your thinking and won’t let anything get in your way.

Then you use techniques like breath control, being in the present, and visualization to tamper down and harness the nerves. From there the content you create is the key to engaging your audience  →  good energy in the room makes you feel good. And delivering it with enthusiasm and dynamic body language will hit you a home run.

One more thing and perhaps the hardest element–the practice piece. No one has enough time. We can all say we are too busy. But this is the secret–those who commit to putting the time in are those who will present with confidence.

Are you ready to take the leap?

For those of you in Vancouver and the lower mainland I’m offering “Public Speaking Anxiety Buster” twice in mid-July and monthly thereafter. I’ve built it for those who are ready to take the leap. The workshop will be relaxed and fun–a time to try new things and a place where it is okay to make lots of  mistakes. Hope you’ll join us!

To Your Voice,

Janice π

cure all public speaking fear

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Three Public Speaking Tips to Ratchet Up Your Presentation Skills

July 9th, 2011 Posted in Blog

This is why I love what I do:

Every day I learn about what gets people out of bed in the morning. Their passions, dreams, innovations, and tenacity. How can life be better than that?

Often people who do amazing things want to share them. The best way to do that? Take the stage! Crow from rooftops and give others an opportunity to listen and be part of the vision.

Check out what Mike Matas is up to in this TED video – how cool is that?

What does Mike do right while presenting his innovative software?

1. He is humble and comfortable in his own skin. Notice his relaxed breathing and posture.

2. Mike jumps right in and captures us immediately. No long diatribe of the project’s history or who Mike is.

3. Mike tells us a story and leads us through the possibilities. My mind churns with what I could create – Mike lights the sparks.

Note what a brilliant facilitator Chris Anderson is. I had a few questions and realized that Mike had some holes in his presentation – Chris took to the stage and led Mike along to answer the questions that likely many audience members had. Chris was able to guide Mike to create a full circle presentation that would facilitate complete understanding of this very cool software.

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for this software to be available not only to publishers but for mainstream use. Oh, the possibilities!

To your voice,
Janice


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Five Best Public Speaking and Presentation Design Blogs

July 3rd, 2011 Posted in Blog

My go to public speaking and presentation resource treasure trove (aka learn from the experts – no need to rinse and repeat the mistake cycle):

Duarte Design: Nancy Duarte and her team generously share their deep and broad presentation knowledge. Nancy is the author of slide:ology and resonate – two go-to-guides for building professional presentations. The Duarte team showcase the subtle nuances that separate good speakers from excellent ones. Here’s my favourite post to date, which outlines the musicality of presentation content design.

The Eloquent Woman is written by Denise Graveline. Denise’s journalistic and communications background hone in on presentation and public speaking tips and techniques. I am always on the lookout for examples of powerful women speakers to share with my clients and Denise graciously has created a brilliant compilation.

The world’s your oyster at TED the amazing platform where ideas worth spreading are, well, spread. TED presentation’s span themes and styles. The site hosts the fabulous to the not so fabulous and is great fodder for discovering what works and doesn’t. All time fav – Evelyn Glennie, a deaf drummer, who champions the importance of listening. I’ve watched this clip over and over again.

IDEATRANSPLANT is the site for juicy and luscious presentation design. Jan Schultink, a presentation developer located in Israel, is the master of building slidedecks that connect message to emotion.

And last but certainly not least – Ana Foureaux Frazao of AnaFxFz creates gorgeous slidedecks – her graphic design smarts is impeccable. Ana created the PowerPoint (TM) for Guy Kawasaki’s “Enchantment“, which I saw in real life at the Art of Marketing Conference in Vancouver and will vouch for its awesomeness.

Enjoy and to your voice!

Janice

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Is Most Public Speaking Awful?

May 5th, 2011 Posted in Blog

Nick Morgan thinks so and I agree.

To Nick’s point we are living in a 360 multimedia world where the public expectation is to be entertained. The days of formal podium driven presentations have expired.

As Nick says, “We need to engage our audiences”.

How do we do that?

Seven Public Speaking Tips to Connect with Your Audience

  • Step away from the lecture
  • Use up a good portion of the stage real estate but move don’t pace
  • Or if you can, move into the audience
  • Look your audience members in the eye – connect
  • Ask your audience questions and if you don’t know the answer poll the audience
  • Consider using the Twitter backchannel to your advantage
  • Add a little drama – be your most vibrant self – if you don’t, the audience perception is you are dull as dishwater.

The theory and data is out there. We have access to information that will help us create powerful presentations. But in our humanness we often resort to status quo.

Yes, status quo is easy, but surprise – It’s Not Working!

This past week I attended three high calibre events. For the most part speakers did not engage, most lectured. The result…fingers flying on smart phones, whispered conversations with seat mates, some heads nodding off (although no drooling was observed) , and the worst blow of all to any presenter – people leaving.

My question to you, “At your next presentation will you engage your audience or bore them?”

Image attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67064023@N00/379246643/


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In Support of Fine Speakers and Facilitators

December 15th, 2010 Posted in Blog

Usually I don’t sign petitions. Why? Well I hate it when I look back and see that I had previously signed a petition and via an internet breadcrumb trail realize that the cause is not one I still believe in.

Yes, we do grow up don’t we?

But the CBC, or to the uninitiated the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is near and dear to my heart. Sage voices have kept me company during my previous career where I worked in a silo and appreciated the ample wisdom. Back in the day it was the booming voice of Peter Gzowski – I truly had a crush on the man but sadly never had the opportunity to meet him. My weekend mornings are now filled with the upbeat and articulate voice of Sheryl MacKay who has introduced me to emerging and established artists.

And then there is my heartthrob, Gian Ghomeshi, the host of Q. He is in the old Gzowski time slot and I’m sure that Peter is chuckling along with us at Gian’s wit and razor sharp interview style. [FYI Gian does craft and respond to tweets.] I had the pleasure of watching Gian masterfully interview an “Emerging Leaders” panel where he artfully questioned gender and race bias. He had some of Vancouver’s leaders squirming and them leaving with food for thought. Gian is not a politically correct, tow the line kinda guy.

I’m not a fan of fully government supported endeavours as IMHO it makes organizations flabby. But I don’t think the CBC is flabby, it gives me the dose of Canadiana that keeps my appreciation of the country I call home in check.

It appears that the CBC’s life is being threatened again. I’ve signed their petition below and know that I won’t regret the breadcrumbs this time. Will you?


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