Effective Public Speaking
Cathy Gaston
Baton Rouge LA USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 37 No. 4, August-September 2001, p. 81
One of the most valuable
aspects of leadership is the skill and experience that we gain from
public speaking. Every month many of us have the opportunity to lead
Group discussions on some aspect of breastfeeding. While not a basic
responsibility, Leaders can also take opportunities to speak to outside
groups about breastfeeding. These speaking opportunities are a great
way to gain publicity for your Group and for La Leche League.
Whether you are speaking
to parents at a childbirth class or to a group of health care professionals,
the manner in which you deliver your speech is as important as the message
itself. Anyone can become nervous when speaking in front of a group
of people but there are some things you can do to make yourself more
comfortable and more confident. Remember, as an invited speaker, you
are publicizing breastfeeding, your Group, and LLL.
Speak with conviction. Believe
in what you say and let it show. Now this is fairly easy in LLL. We
all feel our message is important, otherwise, we probably wouldn't be
talking about it. How you feel about your topic comes across in your
delivery. Appearing confident, smiling, looking into your audience's
eyes, and standing up straight and tall lets your audience feel you
believe in what you say. This gives you more credibility and your message
will be more readily accepted.
Even if you are feeling shaky
and not very confident on the inside, smile. I was recently on a local
television show to publicize our Group's World Walk for Breastfeeding.
Later, one of the Group attendees asked me how I could be so calm and
cool while on TV. I had to think about it a few seconds because I did
not remember feeling very calm and cool, and answered, "I practiced."
Stand in front of a mirror and practice smiling and looking confident.
You might be surprised to find that you feel more at ease the next time
you are speaking in public.
Remember the audience wants
you to succeed. The people who are listening to you are there for one
purpose, to receive the information that you have to give them. They
are not there to judge you personally. While you may be feeling very
self-conscious of everything you consider to be a personal flaw, the
audience is generally taking the information you are giving and applying
it to themselves. They should be less conscious of you than of your
message. If you make a mistake of some kind, just keep smiling. Take
a moment to correct yourself or find your place and keep going.
Do not read your speech.
Your audience can read. What they need is to hear your important message
made in an extemporaneous style of delivery. Work from an outline. You
may want your outline to be extensive. No one expects you to have all
of your statistics memorized, but examples and anecdotes are much more
effectively received when given in a natural manner.
Speak slowly and conversationally.
Talking too fast often comes from the heightened emotion of nervousness.
Many speakers are not even aware of how rapidly they are talking; they
zip through their points so quickly, the audience hardly has time to
register what they are saying. If you are naturally a fast talker, you
may have to slow your speech down to a point that feels uncomfortably
slow for you. For the sake of Your audience, though, and the message
you are conveying, this is far superior to talking too fast.
Again, practice. Pacing yourself
so you speak slowly and naturally is a skill that can be learned by
everyone. Stand in front of a mirror the first time. Practice using
gestures. When you feel ready, give your talk to another Leader, your
husband, or simply record yourself if you cannot find anyone who can
listen. (Watching or listening to yourself on tape, however, is much
more painful than getting constructive criticism from a friend.)
Enjoy yourself. It is difficult
to do anything from which we do not derive some pleasure. Speaking in
public and feeling comfortable and confident will become easier and
more enjoyable the more you do it. Every Leader in our organization
has a vital message to convey. Leaders who speak to outside groups help
to spread our message to a wider audience. Hospitals, high schools,
nursing schools, childbirth classes, and service organizations are only
a few examples of groups that can benefit from hearing LLL's message
of optimum nutrition and mothering through breastfeeding. Being invited
to speak is often only a matter of making a call. Smile and let your
message be heard.
Enjoy yourself. It is difficult
to do anything from which we do not derive some pleasure. Speaking in
public and feeling comfortable and confident will become easier and
more enjoyable the more you do it. Every Leader in our organization
has a vital message to convey. Leaders who speak to outside groups help
to spread our message to a wider audience. Hospitals, high schools,
nursing schools, childbirth classes, and service organizations are only
a few examples of groups that can benefit from hearing LLL's message
of optimum nutrition and mothering through breastfeeding. Being invited
to speak is often only a matter of making a call. Smile and let your
message be heard.
Resources
Krannich, C. R.
101 Secrets of Highly Effective Speakers. Manassas Park, VA:
Impact Publications, 1998.
Slutsky, J. and Aun, M. The Toastmaster's International Guide to
Successful Speaking. Chicago, IL: Dearborn Financial Publishing
Inc., 1997.
Stuart, C. How to Be an Effective Speaker. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC
Publishing Group, 1993.
Cathy Gaston is a Leader
with the Baton Rouge Group, Louisiana, USA. She has been leading for
14 years. Cathy has five children and previously worked as a speech
coach. "Managing The Group" is edited by Deborah Wirtel. Send columns
and ideas to Deb at 4246 Robert Koch Hospital Road, St. Louis, Missouri,
63129, USA, or DebMomm at aol.com (email).
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:32:09 UTC 2007.
