Do you trip over your words? This is one reason people fear or avoid public speaking. It doesn’t have to be that way. Everyone stumbles now and then. Here are seven ways to stop tripping over your words.
Q&A: How to Face a Firing Squad without Being Shot
My clients often fear the Question and Answer session. They feel anxious and unprepared because they don’t know what will be asked. They know their content but don’t know how to organize it in the moment. For some public speakers a Q&A session is akin to facing a firing squad.
Recently, I saw a news clip of a politician being grilled by a reporter. It was obvious that the agenda was to make him look bad. The reporter cited a litany of complaints and asked why these issues were not resolved. The politician jumped in and proceeded to answer the question. The reporter interrupted him and accused him of not letting her finish. He responded with “You asked me Why. I’m answering your question.”
She cut him off and continued to highlight issues and shortcomings.
The politician interjected, “Are you asking a question or giving a speech?” (He knew her agenda was to highlight the negative). He finished by explaining that he delegated the process to the experts who were better equipped to make decisions for their industry than the government.
He never lost control because he practiced positive public speaking principles for handling difficult audiences.
He listened but didn’t let the questioner ramble. He cut in and began to answer. Another alternative to interrupting is to say “What is the question?”
When she continued to dominate the platform with a soliloquy he challenged her. When a questioner won’t get to the point, the moderator or speaker can say, “Please be brief.” Or summarize, “What I understand your question to be is… “ and then answer the question.
He gave a clear explanation without apology or emotion. He confidently held his ground. It’s not effective to get angry with a questioner.
Not all questioners are hostile or have an underlying agenda. Some audience members simply have trouble getting to the point. So help them out and stay calm, cool, and collected.
The Q&A session is a forum for you to underscore your points, clarify your message, and provide information to the audience.
The next time you’re on the firing line use these tips to ricochet those heat seeking questions and emerge unsinged.
Communication and Public speaking is a vital component of executive presence. Diane DiResta coaches executives to be influential public speakers. Companies hire Diane to deliver keynote speeches, seminars and workshops to train their teams in effective communication and leadership skills. Contact Diane
Talk to the Teleprompter
Do you have trouble staying on message? Do you lose your train-of-thought? Do you remember an important point after your presentation is over? No worries. It’s the teleprompter to the rescue.
Teleprompters are no longer just for broadcasters. Today’s presenters need broadcasting skills and there are times when a teleprompter will serve you well. You can download teleprompter apps for your phone and computer that will enable you to write your presentation and read it while filming a video.
Video presentations are more important than ever-especially for interviews. Imagine how you’ll stand out on linkedin and other social media platforms when you share your expertise in a short video. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or work for a company, your ability to present yourself is essential to your success. You can create a video to build your brand, gain visibility, present an idea, pitch yourself as the ideal job candidate, or thank the interviewer afterwards.
Using a teleprompter will enable you to look your best and impress the audience. So here are a few tips when using a teleprompter.
Write for the ear, not for the eye. Use natural everyday language so that you sound like yourself. For example, use contractions to sound less formal. Use shorter, action words. Rehearse out loud. Does it sound like a speech or does it sound like you?
Format your script. Use bolding, highlighting, underlining, and capitals to emphasize certain words or phrases. Use a forward slash / to indicate a pause, and a double slash // to indicate a longer pause. Use a font that’s easy to see but not so large that it takes up the whole screen. Write out names or difficult words phonetically.
Frame yourself. Choose a simple, clean background that doesn’t compete with you and your message. Choose a head shot or waist shot to create more intimacy. A full body shot will look more formal and create more distance between you and your audience. Also, the words may be harder to read at a distance.
Master eye contact. The goal is to see the script but to appear as if you’re looking at the audience. This takes practice. Don’t move your eyes from left to right or you’ll look like you’re reading. Test your eye contact by doing several takes. Usually, looking at the top line will work. You’ll need to experiment to look natural. It shouldn’t be obvious that you’re using a teleprompter.
Adjust the speed. If the words fly by too fast, you’ll speed up and sound nervous. If the words scroll one at a time you’ll sound boringly slow. The average speaking rate is 150 words per minute. You’ll want to test the right speaking rate and also vary your intonation. The speed should allow enough time to pause. Marking up the script will help add color and energy to the voice.
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. It takes a lot of preparation and practice to master the teleprompter. When you do, you’ll sound natural without missing a beat.