Education gave you a fear of public speaking

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Education gave you a fear of public speaking

You were taught the wrong things about public speaking. The teachers didn’t know what they were doing and based tips on textbooks that help people go from level 3-5 rather than level 0-1. That means you got lots of unhelpful advice that didn’t help you create positive speaking experiences.

On top of that, your class were probably a hard crowd to deliver your first speech or presentation to. If you did it poorly you got laughed at, if you did it well you got laughed at. Poor teaching and a tough crowd - a mix that creates a fear of public speaking.

You were taught to:

• Memorize a script

• Open with a joke

• Stand behind a podium

• Rely on PowerPoint

• Picture the audience naked (okay, that one might not have come from the teacher)

• Open with an agenda and finish with a summary.

This is all unhelpful advice. In fact it’s hurting your ability to speak well. Instead you should:

Unlearn what you know about public speaking

Public speaking is not just speaking on stage in front of lots of people. It is:

• Work meetings

• Ordering a coffee

• Asking for directions

There are levels, but it doesn’t have to start at the toughest challenge. In its most basic form public speaking is just a conversation and that is where you should start. Low pressure environments are best to build up your speaking skills. Success speaking builds the foundations you need to thrive in your next presentation.

Stop scripting

I used to script. It felt like the only way to know exactly what I was going to say. Until one time I forgot the next word. Memorizing a script meant I was so reliant on the next word that forgetting derailed the whole thing. One word is all it takes, so scripting is not worth the risk.

Instead, use this structure:

• Open

• Main point

• Story to land the main point

• Close

Use this for every key point. It is the nano speech which makes conversations relevant practice for presentations.

Don’t try comedy (unless you are a comedian)

If you open with a joke you put unnecessary pressure on yourself. If your audience don’t laugh, you lose them. As my good friend and co-author of Effortless Public Speaking, Derek Moore says, ‘Speaking is easy, comedy is hard’. You are making your presentation much harder by trying to add jokes.

Instead, open your presentation with:

• A story

• A shocking statistic

• A problem you are going to solve for your audience

These pieces are just as engaging as comedy, if not more so. The benefit: they carry less risk of losing your audience.

Don’t stand behind a podium

Maybe you were told its a place to rest your notes or to grab hold of when speaking, but it creates a physical barrier between you and your audience. This hurts your ability to connect with them.

If you are behind a podium it looks like you are hiding. Instead, be intentional about getting as close to your audience as possible. The closer proximity means you have the ability to connect on a deeper level.

Stop relying on PowerPoint

You know reading from the screen is bad, but it’s not your only bad habit. The worst thing you can do is make slides your prompt, instead you should create them for your audience.

If you need slides to be able to deliver your presentation, you are not prepared enough. You should be able to deliver without them. Think of your slides as visual aids for your audience to understand the message better, not as your prompt. If it’s not for the audience, remove it.

Actionable takeaways

• Reframe what public speaking is by using the nano speech in conversations. This makes a conversation relevant practice for presentations.

• Unlearn the things you were taught about public speaking. Advice should change as you grow in experience and confidence. There is no one size fits all for public speaking.

• Remove your reliance on PowerPoint. Turn it into a visual aid for your audience and stop using it as your prompt.

That's all for today!

As always feel free to reply to this email or reach out @liamsandford as I would love to hear your feedback.

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