Here's how you can assess your public speaking skills using video recordings.

You probably want to get good before you start recording yourself. But trust me, start recording yourself and you WILL get better, the more you do. But (and it's a big BUT), you HAVE to watch the recordings. And as every cell in your body that's responsible for cringing works overtime, watch for what you are doing right and all the areas where you have room for improvement.

- Set up a camera or smartphone to record your public speaking practice sessions. - Ensure the recording captures your entire body and facial expressions. - Speak naturally as if you were in front of an audience to get an accurate assessment.

Turn your camera on for improvement! Record yourself practicing your speech and analyze the recording to assess: Delivery: Pace, vocal variety, body language (are you engaging?) Content: Clarity, structure, flow of information (is it easy to follow?) Engagement: Eye contact, enthusiasm (are you connecting with the audience?) Identify areas for improvement and refine your skills for a more impactful presentation!

Am I the only one who finds watching myself a little cringe/uncomfortable? ???? Pardon me, I digress... ??Be mindful of body language and gestures. Being overly expressive with hand movements, for instance, can become distracting. ??Count the instances you have used filler words such as "uhmmm," "welllll,". Instead, use transitional words such as "in addition," "besides" and "because." ??Check your tonal variation and how that affects your clarity. ??Beware of knowledge bias; it can lead to undercommunication or the use of technical jargon. It is important to tailor your content to the audience's level of understanding. ??You're your own toughest critic so remember, be kind to yourself; every day is a chance to learn and improve.

- Watch the video recording and pay attention to the Content of your speech. - Evaluate the clarity and coherence of your message. - Take note of any areas where you can improve the structure or delivery of your speech.

Listen for your filler fallback - the sound you make or word you say when you're either thinking or transitioning to a new section. For a lot of folks its a word such as 'well' or 'anyway' but it can also be a sigh or a nervous laugh. Watching a recording of yourself can help you identify yours so that you can minimize or switch it up when needed or desired moving forward.

- Focus on your body language while watching the video recording. - Assess your posture, gestures, and eye contact with the imaginary audience. - Look for any nervous habits or distracting movements that may impact your presentatio

- Analyze the video recording by observing your Engagement as a speaker. - Note the level of enthusiasm and energy you bring to your speech. - Evaluate if you can maintain the audience's interest throughout the presentation.

Imagine sharing your video with trusted friends, colleagues, or mentors. These individuals can provide feedback on your performance that you might overlook. Their honest opinions can highlight areas for improvement and affirm your strengths. For instance, a colleague might notice subtle habits, like repetitive gestures or filler words, that you hadn't realized were distracting. Approaching feedback with an open mind and a willingness to learn is crucial. Each piece of criticism, even if initially uncomfortable, is a stepping stone toward mastery. Just as a sculptor sees the potential in a rough stone, constructive feedback can help you chip away imperfections and reveal your full potential as a speaker.

A mistake I often see is when people try to improve everything *at once*. That just doesn’t work. It’s much more effective to work on what you learn from the video one by one. Public Speaking is a journey and if you keep improving you’ll get there eventually.

I hated watching my recordings, but it sure helped me to improve! Watching my videos helped me to learn that as much as I THOUGHT I was using the appropriate tone, volume and pitch, pace and rhythm, and facial and hand gestures, I could always do more. What comes across is usually never what you think it is. It is usually less, and so you have to be willing to extend yourself even if it seems uncomfortable. You are more likely then to hit the sweet spot.