The Top 3 Offenders of Public Speaking

We've all seen speakers who may have fantastic content, but we can't get past their nervous body language, the endless "um's" and "uh's," or a speech structure that has no focus and goes off on irrelevant tangents.

In public speaking, HOW we say WHAT we say is just as important as the message itself in captivating our audience.

Several years ago, while I was teaching a public speaking class to graduate students at university, one of my students was tasked with presenting a 5-minute speech. And of that time allotment, she spent a full 3 minutes scratching her shoulder -- loudly, consistently, and oh-so-awkwardly.

They were 3 excruciatingly long minutes, when you consider that any audience will be incapable of paying attention to even the most brilliant content if the speaker is doing something awkward or unnatural. As the other students looked at each other with a questioning, "Why is she doing that?" it was clear that her message was getting lost in the wilderness of irrelevance and audience distraction.

When she finished her speech and got her feedback, she was shocked -- SHOCKED -- to hear that she had been scratching her shoulder for that long. She had absolutely no idea that she was doing it at all.

Alas, it can happen to the best of us. It's remarkable how often we slip up, especially if we're not paying attention, or the adrenaline is running especially high under the high-pressure gaze of an audience.

So when you find yourself in the spotlight, how do you make sure you own it, maintain control over all the fidgeting, keep your audience's attention?

Here are the top three saboteurs of your speaking mojo and how to wrestle them into submission:

Top Offender #1: YOUR BODY

Your body is a wonderland, but it can be a distraction! Swaying like a palm tree in a hurricane, doing the "leg cross shuffle," flipping hair, playing with rings, and hands in pockets and playing with all the keys and change within – these are all audience attention-grabbers, and not in a good way.

The Fix: Stand tall, move with purpose, take those coins, keys and phone out of your pockets, leave your hair alone, and stop fidgeting with your rings, pointers, pens, knuckles, belt loops or anything else you can get your hands on.

Go the extra mile by seeking honest feedback from someone you respect or record yourself to provide added support at spotting any distracting moves.

Top Offender #2: YOUR MOUTH

Um, like, you probably totally know what I'm, uh, talking about, OK?

Filler words and warp-speed delivery are the culprits here. A few "ums" are okay, but a few times per minute can distract your audience out of the focus on your message.

It can also make you look like you're auditioning for a nervous babble contest.

Too many filler words will make you look nervous, and it is distracting both to you and your listeners. Assuming that you probably don't want to waste an opportunity in front of an important audience by filling it with these filler words' instead of your well-thought-out content, we need to take it seriously and get control of our words. .

And speaking of control, if your audience can't understand what you're saying because you talk too fast, you may lose them completely. And once you've lost them, it's exceedingly difficult to get them back.

The Fix: Embrace the pause. Take a breath. Sip some water. Resist the urge to fill every silence with a word or noise, so that you can give your audience a moment to reflect on, and digest, what you're saying.

Silence is golden -- and it will be helpful to both you AND your audience.

Top Offender #3: YOUR HEART

"Speaking from the heart" is a lovely concept, but it can lead you down a rabbit hole of rambling, where you can go off on tangents, go way over time, and lead to the dreaded "now where was I?" as you struggle to get back on your topic.

Sure, authenticity is vital, but your speech needs structure. It's about delivering value to your audience, not just monologuing.

Don't get me wrong, I think that outstanding speeches come from a place deep inside, based on vast experience, authenticity, and heart. But ultimately, the speech is not about you and your heart, it's about what message is most valuable to your audience.

You'll be showing the highest levels of respect to your audience when you plan out the journey that you're taking them on.

The Fix: Practice, practice, practice. It won't turn you into a robot, but it will boost your confidence and help you wrangle those butterflies flying around your stomach.

And sure, get your heart in on the action. Invite it to the speech creation process well in advance, when it has the time and space to weigh in on the matter.

Reflect on your content. Plan it. Practice it. And then -- share it!

Make the most of the time that you have when you're standing in front of an audience eager to hear your wisdom.

Take charge of your body, embrace feedback, make friends with the pause, show your heart the right way to get in on the action, and practice like a champ. Your audience will thank you for it, and you'll step into the spotlight with confidence and charisma.

Here's to nailing your next presentation!