Page 44 - midJersey Business - March 2015

Your Business

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in whatever time you
the more convincing you will be. Believe that you
PREPARE YOURSELF have. Larry had to present at the next
they’re interested and want to hear your FINALLY, DON’T RAISE AN ALARM might faint or somehow not survive

weekly department head meeting in message. Start with a smile. Smiling dis- the speech. The audience will not
two days, but, if it’s an impromptu speech, arms people and makes them think you hear a word you say. They will be waiting

don’t start with an apology. Try a dash of know what you’re doing. As you take your for something to happen—to you. For
humor to break the ice like, “Thank you place from which you will speak, make a Larry, the solution might be to ind a way

very much for the warm reception—which sweeping gaze of the entire room. Look at to laugh at himself right at the beginning.
I so richly deserve and so seldom get.” The the tops of people’s heads, and they will Something like, “This reminds me of the

best one-liners make fun of the deliverer, actually feel that you’re looking at them. guy who was asked how he controlled
not the listeners.
You’ll avoid the distraction of eye contact.
a man-eating lion by whispering in the

25lion’s ear as he was about to devour him.
how you might look by understand- His answer: ‘I just told him, as soon as

IMAGINE IN ADVANCE in front of people and practice so INSPIRE YOUR LISTENERS ing who they are and where their you’ve inished your dinner, you’ll be
that your eyes are not continually
interests lie. If your message is
asked to say a few words.’”

cast down. You can’t practice too much.
based strictly on your
In fact, it is the best way to drown out the own needs, it will be much

gremlins. When you rehearse with your more diicult to connect
It doesn’t seem to matter if a job

notes, practice breathing. Take in a com- with the audience. Some
is on the line or if it’s the low-
fortable breath, speak, pause, and breathe speakers start with an
stakes company picnic and you’re
again. Check your posture. Are your observation about the
shoulders hunched forward into a protec- group or ask a question,
introducing the entertainment,

tive position? Breathing is easier when
like: “How many people
the chest is lifted because it allows the spent more than an hour
most people feel a strike of fear

diaphragm (the horizontal muscle above on the highway to get
in the chest when they know they
the stomach) to expand freely. If you have here tonight?” Quickly,
have to stand up in front of a
been given time to prepare and make people will begin to feel
notes, be sure they are in large print and a that you’re interested in
crowd and speak.

handy format. Poor lighting at the podium them more than yourself.
when you inally arrive up front with notes If your message is aimed

in hand is one of the least expected but at convincing an audience to buy or to Even the greatest orators and speech-
most frequent situations encountered by consider a product, try to distill the mes- makers all started in the same place,

speakers. Fortunately, Larry took time to sage into its smallest size, the key point, learning how to put one foot after the

type up the highlights of what he wanted in less than one minute. For example, if other as they made their way down the
to say and enlarged the font. Finally, he you’re selling timeshares to busy people, aisle, behind the curtain, up to the stage,

cut the pages in half and pasted them on perhaps a key point might be: “What’s and utter the irst line. Turning such a for-
numbered index cards.
the easiest way to take a vacation?” Then, midable fear into something convincing

3elaborate and practice delivering the and manageable that can help your career
and speak clearly. Ask message in longer and longer forms. This is a great accomplishment.

TAKE YOUR TIME the audience if they can hear you will help you zero in on what you really As Larry worked on his presentation
before you launch into your speech.
want to say.
and remembered his angst in junior high,

Don’t rush. It takes one or two sentences 6
he thought about his gremlins and how he
for people to get used to the sound of your might make them work for him rather than

voice and understand your diction.
SHOW THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU’RE COMPOSED
and passionate about your subject.
against him. He imagined grabbing them
Tell them that you’re happy to be of his shoulder and stuing them under his
4
the audience there even if you feel nervous. It’s normal arm as he walked to the podium, saying,
TAKE A MOMENT TO SCAN and thank them for the opportu- to experience jitters when you know you “C’mon you guys. You’re going with me!”

nity to speak. While you’re scan- have speak in front of others.
ning, think about who they are and what Larry even became nervous when he

might be interesting for them. Identify had to say his name and introduce him- Ruth W. Crocker, PhD, is an author, writing consultant, and expert on
recovery from trauma and personal tragedy. Her book, Those Who Remain:
one important point you wish to make self around a meeting table. He had to
that will relate to this particular audi- remind himself that many people feel the Remembrance and Reunion After War, describes her experience following
her husband’s death in Vietnam and how she found resources for healing.
ence. They need to see the value in what same way when the spotlight is suddenly
you are going to say, and the simpler it is,
turned on them.
She’s available for workshops, readings, and public speaking. For more
info, visit www.ruthwcrocker.com.

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