The More Self-Aware You Are, The Better You Will Become!

Your Voice Matters! Everyone has a voice - it’s what you do with it that matters

I recently had the privilege of hosting the15th anniversary celebration of the establishment of Businesswomen Forum - Palestine.?The event brought together diverse stakeholders, including representatives from the private sector, the public sector, and international organizations.?I was overwhelmed with the warm reception and words of encouragement from the audience.

Why an emcee is important:

• Emcees bring a level of professionalism to events?
• Emcees deliver important details on how to make the most out of the event (participating in contests, where the food is, etc.)
• Emcees manage the energy of the crowd, timing, and flow of the program
• Emcees command the stage with confidence and gains the trust of the audience
• Emcees serve as an ally to the organizers, speakers/performers, and the audience

What a great emcee will do:

• Provide?smooth transitions between acts or speakers
• Empathize with the audience - have they been sitting too long? Does the program need to move along faster?
• Advise on the flow of the program/show - because I care deeply about the experience for the audience, if I note that the audience is listening to speakers for three hours straight, I will suggest a break; if logistically it makes sense for me to give away raffle prizes or do sponsor shout-outs at a particular point in the program, I will make that recommendation.
• Be the ‘hype (wo)man’ for the upcoming speakers or performers to the audience, and backstage in case stage fright creeps up on any of them
• Make it social - encourage attendees to network (if appropriate)
• Know when to jump in when needed - I’ve seen people freeze up on stage and it’s not pretty. Knowing when to jump in to give them a hand, or move the program along comes with practice, but everyone can ‘save a life’ out there on stage simply by listening and being an empathetic participant in the whole event experience.
• Provide comedic relief - I’m not talking about stand-up comedy, but help the audience have a good time occasionally, with a solid understanding of the?current?mood and energy of the room, and what direction it needs to move to next.
• Be adaptable to change during the program - because a live show is a live show, and the plan can change at the drop of a hat (or mic)
• Understand who is in the room and use the appropriate language and cultural references that will resonate with them. I LOVE using pop culture references, quoting popular music, and referring to memes when I emcee. They’re a great way to?engage?the audience make them feel like you’re speaking to them.

Tips & Tricks

With my professional experience in television, events, concerts, conferences and more, as an organizer and as an emcee, these are some tips on what has worked for me.

How I prepare to emcee large live events:?This includes concerts, conferences (and occasionally weddings -- for good friends only).

In advance of the event:

1. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!?The four words I cringe at the most (when wearing my event production hat) are “I’ll just wing it.” Please. Just. Don’t. Especially if it’s a long program, this is not what you want to do. You want to respect the people that have entrusted you with their event to prepare for?their big day
2. Pro-tip #1:?Experiment - when you watch yourself speak in a mirror (and more so on camera), you learn that speaking is a big picture thing, not just how you sound. Try standing a different way, using a different tone of voice. Figure out what works for you.
3. Pro-tip #2: Rehearse in the outfit you intend to speak in (or at least in the correct shoes - that makes a big difference for your body, especially if you’re female and opt for heels)
4. Pro-tip #3: Rehearse in front of a mirror, record your voice, record video, practice in front of other people. The more self-aware you are, the better you will become.
5. Use your own voice and make it conversational?- Don't just read,?converse. The best speakers are conversational in tone. Look at a picture of your husband or a friend and pretend you're have a conversation with them when rehearsing.
6. Get enough rest?(whatever that means for you) and Eat and drink right.
7. Visualize yourself on stage, mic in hand (or clipped on, whatever) - imagine what your opening remarks will be, how you will address the audience, what your body language will be like, the sound of your voice, etc. Oh, and you’ll want to actually?practice?to get used to actually doing it
8. Rehearse some more

Day of the event:

1. Eat and drink right?- I’ve got to protect my assets!
2. Arrive early, get familiar with the stage, rehearse/sound check if allowed
3. TEST THE MIC!!?Do you have a big voice? You may want to tell the audio technician that and he/she will adjust your audio levels accordingly. Oh, and you definitely want to make sure your mic actually has batteries.
4. Pro-tip #4: Watch out for your hair and what you wear (yes, really) - make sure that if you’re wearing the mic on your body that you have a pocket or pants to attach them to. You may look fab, but where the heck are you going to place that transmitter? I’ve also had situations where apparently my hair was on fleek but was rubbing against the mic. I didn’t hear this while giving my talk and unfortunately wasn’t able to use the video recording for my own purposes
5. Acquaint yourself?with all the speakers/performers and backstage crew to ensure a smooth and fun production
6. Remain cool, calm, collected, and channel energy for the stage in the right way to create a great experience for everyone involved (audience included).

Real Talk: My final words of advice

Especially in live events, anything can happen. I get through the day and curb the nerves by understanding, accepting, and acting upon the following:

• Technical issues can and will occur!?I’ve had background music completely cut out, I’ve had microphones screech feedback and completely die mid-sentence. Trust that the tech team will do their job to get you back online, but you may need to improv. The audience wants you to succeed, so they will be sympathetic so long as you keep your cool and don’t freak out.?Pro-tip #5: When you get mic’d up again and all is in working order, take a breath, pause, and pick up where you left off.
• Accept that what you had planned to say...doesn’t always come out the way you planned to say it.?I’ve stumbled over words, talked too quickly, mispronounced names, the whole gamut. If you’re actively listening to what you’re saying and are able to adjust to what just came out of your mouth, you’ll be able to finish that sentence with proper grammar (or even correct yourself gracefully)
• It’s not you, it’s them?- as an emcee, being empathetic towards the audience and putting yourself in their seats is critical in creating a stellar experience for them. Self-deprecating humor is a good tool, but people essentially want to get through with the program, not hear about your life story.
• Pro-tip #5:?You are not a robot. You have your own voice. Find a way to make those important messages sound authentic to YOU.?My #1 rule is to ensure that whatever comes out of my mouth represents who I am. People often say that I write the way I talk, and when I talk, it's very personable - that's because I'm not trying to be someone I'm not. Yes, you may have important sponsor messages to deliver; yes, you may have to read a lengthy bio for a speaker; but make sure that if it’s coming out of your mouth that it sounds like you are saying it, not just taking orders off a sheet of paper.

The voice is a beautiful instrument that is both unique and powerful, if you use it in the right way. Everyone has a voice - it’s what you do with it that matters. Whether it be sharing an idea worth spreading, giving a pep talk in the locker room, or standing on the world stage to fight for what we believe in, our voices are the most powerful tool we’ve got that no one can take away.?

I could write a much longer post, but I’d rather have a conversation with you. If you need an emcee for your upcoming conference, concert, or other fun event, I’d love to hear from you!

Keep it real,

Noura Samir Abdulhadi