Forbes.com asked 28 people - politics to religion for their best practices.
The tips -
1. Be sure you want to make something happen. Call it passion for your idea. I tell my students that the reason most people can't speak in public or otherwise is because they don't have anything o say.
2. Boil it down to its essence and hammer it home. The only thing worse than not having something to say is having far too much to say. Einstein once said, "Everything should be made as simple as possible. But, not simpler."
3. Humor - so, so advice. Jokes in the morning don't work. I knew a preacher once who
said if he took out his jokes he wouldn't have anything to say. 'Nuff said.4. Think entertaining - don't be boring, but there is no need to keep them rolling in the aisles either...less, your audience miss the point altogether.
5. Eye contact - don't talk to everyone, talk to each one.
6. Prepare - If the speaker is prepared, they will itch to get their message out.
Jeremiah the prophet once tried to shut himself up. However, the message felt to him 'like fire in his bones and he grew weary of holding it in."
What do you have to say?
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I really appreciate the Jeremiah reference, and the preacher reference. That takes me back to a very special place in my youth. Unfortunately, sometimes it is bitterly difficult to find a reason to even care about what you are speaking on. If it is a mandate for your work, or worse, if your task require you to take positions that you aren't committed to, this task becomes even more difficult. When this is the case, stepping back, trying to see an issue from all sides, and being able to empathize with, or at least comprehend what your audience thinks or believes can give great insight into what is the most important part of your message. If you can do this, you can usually find some small tangible piece of good that can be drawn from even tough, uncomfortable subjects.
-Sarah
Posted by: Sarah Michaels | September 17, 2007 12:15 PM | Permalink to Comment