When people have been asked their biggest fear, the answer has frequently been speaking in public. We hold ourselves back, afraid to take to big step or put ourselves too far out in front of the crowd. If no one notices us, we can’t get hurt. However, the more often you speak, the more often you expose yourself to different venues, audiences, and circumstances, the stronger you become as a speaker.
While PRESENTING FOR HUMANS by Lisa Braithwaite, public speaking coach and trainer, is targeted for more formal programs, the stories and suggestions can apply in many situations. While that often refers to addressing a large group as a presenter or member of a panel, it can also apply to a short presentation at work, making a statement at a community or committee meeting, teaching a class, or thinking of to say on a first date.
The book addresses the question of how to make our words interesting and important enough to the listeners that they can use them in their own lives.
Each section of the eight chapters (Preparataion, Confidence, Fun, Connection, Service, Experience, Standing Out, and Mindset) stands alone. Readers can read all of them, in any order, or some of them and find useful tips. Each chapter opens with a short introduction telling the sources of the stories, which include tattoo artists, a school math book, food, sports figures, entertainers, a drag queen, and advertisements. Each section ends with self- reflection question. The book also includes downloadable worksheets and checklists.
Braithwaite begins with the importance of preparation. The better prepared a person is, the more likely it is that the experience will be positive for both the audience and the speaker. Connecting with the audience is the most important action. Know where they are and what they hope to gain during the time they are spending with you. Make them part of your presentation. But being so overly prepared that you become mechanical can lead to problems.
Other highlights include:
Using slides and power points to build your presentation, not substitute for it.
Making the experience fun for the audience and yourself increases its effectiveness. It can be appropriate in almost all situations. I have found that humor in a eulogy helps connect with the deceased as the real person he or she was..
Speaking from a place of genuine interest, intuition, and service.
If you feel insecure, change your attitude. Don’t let them overwhelm you and hold you back.
PRESENTING FOR HUMANS is well-written, well-organized, and covers a lot of areas concisely. Even though I have not done a lot of formal speaking, I found I could relate to a lot of it for many situations. ( )