Effective Speaking to serve others

Whether in person or in a virtual setting, I believe there are some universal speaking principles that can enhance any presentation or speech. Below are 7 tips that can better help you serve your audience or colleagues.

     They are:

1.    Focus on the audience. There is a temptation to worry about “how will I do or perform.” But I would encourage you to focus on your audience and their needs. Know what you want your audience to do immediately after hearing your presentation or speech. Keep the focus on the value that you will deliver to them. Remember we are presenting to better serve them.

2.    Speak with desire and passion. There is an old saying that still resonates as truth. That is, speak from the heart and be sincere about what you are saying. People somehow have an inherent ability to know if a person is sincere or just going through the motions.

3.    Know your material or topic well. Be sure that you have done the research and have the experience and knowledge about what you are presenting and the value that you are imparting to others.

4.    Smile. A smile is the universal language of our world. Look like the content matters to you – if the audience do not feel that it is important to you, it will be really hard for them to feel that it should be important for them.

5.    Relax.  Remember you are there to bring value and help others and not bring total attention to yourself. Take occasional pauses, do not be in a rush and remember to have fun!

6.    Practice. Rehearse your presentation or speech at least 12-24 hours before presenting. Practice with all the equipment you plan on using. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Use a timer or clock to ensure that you do not go over your allotted time.

7.    Visualize yourself successful. See yourself at the end of the presentation speech as fulfilling the purpose that you desired, visualize the applause and the value that you gave to others.

Keep leading!

Kent is a servant speaker and coach dedicated to helping individuals and organizations maximize positivity and productivity through his keynotes and workshops.