How to handle a texting audience
January 14, 2010
A reader asked me this question:
Some of us who are 45+ are finding that younger people text and use computers during presentations to the point of rudeness. This happens even when others in the presentation give great evaluations. We think we’ll be seen as “old farts” if we ask them to disengage. How do we bridge this generation gap?
Strip the generation language from this question and this is a question about attention. [Read more]
How to propose a toast
December 15, 2009
Propose a toast: Image by Waldo Jaquith
Give the gift of public speaking this holiday season. It’s the time to show your love and appreciation for your family and friends. Here are some tips for proposing a toast:
1. Plan your toast in advance
New research suggests a way to reduce fear of public speaking
December 10, 2009
Earlier this morning Martin Shovel tweeted about new research hailed as a breakthrough by the Guardian News. It occurred to me that it might have some application to reducing the fear of public speaking. Then tonight the research was again reported in excited tones by BPS Research Digest and they actually used reducing the fear of public speaking as an example of the practical application of the research.
The research
In the research, people received an electric shock every time a blue square appeared on a computer screen. Unsurprisingly, they became concerned (skin sensors measured their sweatiness) every time the blue square appeared. In psychological terms they had a learnt fear.
Make a fool of yourself to reduce stage fright and be a more engaging speaker
December 9, 2009
At the New Media Atlanta conference this year, Chris Brogan was the last keynote of the day. He’d watched all day as the backchannel drowned in snark:
After watching speaker after speaker get slammed via the Backnoise application, I was terrified, because I’d be the last speaker on the stage. They’d said nearly nothing nice about anyone, and I read almost every word with that “don’t look away and things are going to go bad” feeling in my belly.
He could have chosen to play safe. Instead he started his keynote presentation with a rap song: [Read more]
8 tips to make your eye contact more powerful
December 2, 2009
Even a newbie at public speaking knows they should make eye contact.
But the term eye contact is rather vague. It can infer just making fleeting “contact” with a person then moving on. Don’t make eye contact – make “eye connection”. Eye connection means spending time with each person so that person feels like you’re just talking to them. Eye connection has two major benefits:
- People in your audience will feel that you have genuinely connected with them and that you care about their reaction.
- Because you’re talking to people as if you were in a one-on-one conversation, you’ll come across as conversational. That makes you easy to listen to and engaging.
