Career Q & A
How to Wow Them
Essential Tools for Effective Speaking
Interview by Robbie Miller Kaplan
author of How to Say It in Your Job Search
As the workplace becomes reliant on technology, there is a continual
need for professionals who communicate effectively. Savvy professionals
acquire these coveted skills and distinguish themselves from the
competition. Joan Detz, author of It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It: Ready-to-Use Advice for Presentations, Speeches, and Other Speaking Occasions, Large and Small
Q;
Before you even commit, how can you determine whether you should agree
to give a speech?
A: It takes a
lot time to prepare a good speech: time to do the research, time to
organize the material, time to write your remarks, time to produce the
audio-visual aids, time to rehearse, time to travel to the event, time
to appear at the engagement, time to follow-up appropriately. Before you
commit to any invitation, ask yourself: "Will this specific audience, at
this specific time, produce a significant return on my speaking
investment?" If not, delay this group until another time … or decline
the invitation completely.
Q;
What's the most important advice for a beginning speaker?
A: Get
training. Read books on speechwriting. Take a class on delivery skills.
Study good speakers. Identify the specific problems of bad speakers.
When you attend presentations, note what works and what doesn't. Look
for any opportunity to get coaching for your speeches. Welcome feedback.
Learn from your mistakes ... and resolve to improve your delivery each
time.
Q;
How can a speaker improve delivery by way of voice and appearance?
A: Break vocal
skills into three categories: volume, speed, and tone. Try to improve
your skills in each area. Volume: Do audiences have a hard time hearing
you? Speed: Do you talk too fast? Tone: Do you alienate audiences by
whining or complaining or being sarcastic? Identify your vocal problems,
then fix them ... one by one.
Q;
Many speakers get good reviews. Are there special techniques that will
help the good speaker elevate performance up a notch?
A: Good
speakers can become great speakers by improving the quality of their
research. Great speakers don't use dull statistics. Great speakers use
lively comparisons, real-life examples, clever definitions,
attention-getting statistics, anecdotes, quotations.
Q;
Stories are a great way to draw the participants in. What's the secret
in crafting effective stories?
A: Deliver each
story as a self-contained unit. Look at the audience as you tell the
story. Smile. Connect with the listeners by gesturing to them as you
tell the story, or nodding your head at appropriate points. Then, tie
your story into the theme of your speech. Use the story to reinforce a
key point or "sell" an important message.
Q;
How can a speaker best prepare to prevent problems, such as: poor
introductions, technical difficulties, or noisy distractions?
A: Prevent
problems by taking control of the process and taking full responsibility
for your success. For example, write your own introduction, exactly the
way you'd like to hear it. (CAN YOU SAY A FEW WORDS? offers a full
chapter on Introductions.) Check the AV equipment ahead of time. Arrange
the agenda and the location so you can avoid noisy times/places. In
short, leave nothing to chance. It's your presentation, and it's up to
you to make it look good.
Joan Detz is the author of How to Write and Give a Speech, Second Revised Edition: A Practical Guide For Executives, PR People, the Military, Fund-Raisers, Politicians, Educators, and Anyone Who Has to Make Every Word Count
