Page 77 - PR COMMUNICATION AGE July - December 2020

back, and then read the finished Thou shalt not read thy you're reciting from a script, which can
review to you? Now imagine that injure your credibility, your
person recommending not a movie, speech. authenticity, and their respect for you
but a brilliant new marketing strategy, "Probably the worst of all public as an invited presenter.
a breakthrough vaccine delivery speaking sins is the temptation to
system, or a campaign to save the disappear into your notes and read, as Why risk forgetting something you
earth. As an interested human being, opposed to speak, to your audience. If memorized or bearing the
you want to hear them make that they wanted to be read to, you could've engagement handicaps of writing and
case live and in their own just sent them an email with your reading when there's a much easier,
spontaneously-generated words, not speech content." quicker, and more effective way to
read something created apart from prepare, practice, and present? For
you and without you in mind. Speaking spontaneously, with me, that better way consists of four
authentic conviction and awareness, basic steps:
Reading Builds a Barrier signals that you have something to say
- a point you feel so strongly about 1. Start with an Outline
Reading a speech word-for-word has
its own unique disadvantages. It that you're willing to express it Your grade school teachers were
reduces the amount of eye contact you personally and out loud. That sounds right: Every good communication
powerful, because it is.
have with an audience, whether in an starts with an outline - a roadmap
in-person meeting or on a Zoom call. that indicates the points you must
Reading also diminishes your ability to Some people insist on writing full hit on the way to your destination.
speak with personal conviction speeches to calm their public speaking The most effective outlines start
because, when you read a speech anxiety. After all, how can you mess up with a proposition (I'm selling you
when all you need to do is read 932
aloud, your mind is not focused on an idea), followed by points that
words in order, sprinkling in some
enlightening or inspiring your audience; support that proposition (I'm
it's focused on the task of reading emphasis and eye contact? But when showing you why the idea is
hundreds of carefully chosen words in you focus mostly on getting from the beneficial to you).
succession. It isn't easy to read words first word to the final 932nd, the whole The more you practice, the
point of public speaking is reduced to
and project fervency simultaneously, shorter that outline should
a robotic task.
but when you remove the script, you become as you realize you require
restore the human connection fewer and fewer reminders than
between the speaker and their Sacrificing audience impact to preserve you thought you needed.
audience and enable more emotional your comfort and security is not a
transmissions. sustainable approach. The best way to 2. Create Useful Notes
overcome public speaking fear is to
Eventually, your outline becomes
In more than 15 years of watching and embrace your purpose, not shrink from so small and concise you can fit it
training speakers, I've rarely seen it. on an index card. That's your
someone read a speech as compellingly notes. Your notes are your cheat
as someone who presents a live point. Memorization Is Asking for sheet, feeding you major points
Again, audiences typically zone out and essential details you might
when a presenter is reading, because Trouble otherwise forget. I often tell my
they feel cut out of the process of When you memorize something, you clients to construct their notes as
interpersonal communication. are still reading - now with the script they would a shopping list,
in your head instead of in your hands -
Even the TED Commandments - a list and the slightest memory failure can complete with bullets,
of do's and don'ts allegedly given to cause you to lose your place and throw abbreviations, and no complete
TED speakers - includes you off. Even small memory lapses and sentences.
Commandment #9: bobbles may reveal to your audience On a shopping list you don't write,

"You can only hold someone's hand for a moment, buta you can hold someone's heart for a lifetime."

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