Improve your public speaking with these five habits.

When I was younger I knew I wanted to be in front of a crowd. One day I got the chance. At a local volunteer event with my church, I was chosen to say a few words, at age 16-ish, and failed miserably. I know you’re thinking…”you were sixteen!” I get it, but I was very hard on myself. I couldn’t get a coherent sentence out. This led to me sweating and my breathing became shorter. Crap, I failed.

It’s been many years since then (almost 20 actually) and I’m finally feeling like I’m figuring it out. Sure, I’ve had 13 years of military experience, and a few years of sales experience since that fateful day, but I can honestly say I figured out some things I could have benefited from that day.

Here they are:

1. Pause

Rushing is a significant problem while public speaking. Nervousness can manifest itself in this way. Even the “I need to get the hell outta this” thought can lead to us speaking very fast while public speaking. I’m guilty of this! It is important, however, to recognize the power we have when we pause. Have you ever noticed how interesting and tense a movie becomes when things go silent? It’s like the tension being built pulls us in more and more and all we want to do is know what happens next! This is what a pause can do for your speech.

Pausing also helps emphasize key ideas. Sometimes teachers might “footstep” when they want students to release a piece of information that is important to remember. The same is true for pausing. As an audience member, it can be difficult to follow along with a fast speaker. It’s boring and hard to digest. Pausing give the audience a chance to breathe and process the information they are getting so they can have a more enjoyable experience.

Clarity is another benefit of pausing while speaking Bec cause it helps us slow down and process what we are trying to say. Sometimes we write and outline or make notes of what we would like to say but best-laid plans often for out of the window when we stand up. Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” This is true for public speaking!

2. Breathe

The same nervous and anxiety that affects our ability to speak fast, slow, and pause is also affected by the amount of oxygen we take into our bodies. Did you know that high levels of oxygen in our bodies can reduce anxiety? This is why when people go through panic attacks or struggle with strong emotions, it’s important to take a deep breath. Breathing triggers relaxation, lowers your heart rate, and even helps you control adrenaline levels. And if there is one thing public speaking is good at, it’s pumping us with adrenaline. Once you become calm, you can deliver your message in a much smoother and more controlled way. I once read that your breath is like an anchor in the midst of the storm that is public speaking. Great quote! Now, take a breath before moving on to the next one!

3. Use Visual Aids

“Engagement is the key to success in today’s social media world!” This is one line I have heard over and over again. Until I started practicing it in my classroom, I was unaware of the power. I’m naturally an abstract thinker. According to Giant Worldwide 5 voices system, I’m a Creative/Pioneer, which means I tend to speak abstractly and see strategic ways to achieve goals. This also means it can be difficult to communicate ideas unless I put them on paper. Once I start to put something on paper it becomes easier to get buy-in from others.

Whether it's slides, props, or multimedia elements, visual aids help break the monotony of a speech and provide visual cues for better understanding. They can also help you stay on track and provide a framework for your presentation. However, it's important to strike a balance; visual aids should complement your speech, not overshadow it. Keep your visuals simple, appealing, and aligned with your message. Well-designed visual aids will elevate your presentation and leave a lasting impact on your audience.

Put it this way, instead of telling people something…show them. If you want to add a part to your speech where you emphasize how excited you were in a story you are telling about your summer vacation don’t tell them how excited you were, show them. You can use photos, make sounds, jump up and down, and bring a life vest or a pool noodle with you. These visuals will entice the audience and make sure they are more engaged. Plus… it’s tons of fun!

4. Watch Out for Non-Verbal Quirks

Body language, facial expressions, and gestures are key factors when communicating with others. Fidgeting, excessive hand movements, and even a lack of eye contact can undermine the message you’re trying to deliver. We should maintain an open and confident posture and make eye contact with all sections of the audience. Ok, I know this sounds like I’m saying we should stand as robots and repeat what’s on the teleprompter but what I’m saying is when your non-verbal cues align with your message, you create a stronger connection with your listeners and exude authenticity and confidence.

Receiving attention from a crowd is both frightening and stimulating for many success on both sides of this spectrum requires a lot of effort. A quick tip to reduce non-verbal quirks is to pick one you really want to work on and only focus on that one. for example, if you find you say uhm a lot while swaying back and forth and tapping your feet, choose to reduce tapping your feet first. Once you are able to make this change you can move on to the next quirk. And so on.

5. Practice: Become a Master

The importance of practice cannot be emphasized enough when it comes to public speaking. Like any skill, the more you practice, the better you become. Take every opportunity to speak in public, whether it's in front of a small group of colleagues at a local event, or a large venue with a few dozen spectators. All-size events are essential to help you practice volume, tone,

and pacing.

Another crucial tip is to practice your speeches aloud. I know, sounds weird, right? But focusing on articulation, pacing, the flow of your message in a loud volume helps create an environment that will mimic reality. You can even record yourself to analyze areas for improvement and seek feedback from trusted individuals. Trusted individuals….scary right?

Joining a public speaking club like Toastmasters or taking a course can also provide valuable opportunities for practice and constructive feedback. But the absolute best way is to…just get in there!

Conclusion:

Mastery over time can be achieved in many vocations, speech is nonexempt. I just wish I knew a lot of this stuff when I was younger.