Volume 51 Issue 9 -- September 2013 : Career Corner

Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental.

Here are ten proven tips on how to control your butterflies and give better presentations:

Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won`t easily forget what to say.

Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.

Get to know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It`s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.

Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
 

Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. (“One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.

Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.

Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They`re rooting for you.

Don`t apologize for any nervousness or problem. The audience probably never noticed it.
Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.

Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you – as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. Toastmasters Gaborone club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.
One of the most important elements of leadership is the ability to motivate people.Without motivation, even the most skilled team of seasoned professionals is unlikely to achieve great things. A highly motivated group of talented people, on the other hand, can move mountains.
While it`s true that motivating people involves more than just changing the way you speak, here are some few ideas you can follow to help build team motivation with only your words and your voice:

Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious! Before you present your ideas, think about the aspects of the subject that you find the most interesting, and don`t be afraid to let that interest come through in your voice.
Use quotes, stories and anecdotes. Along with their obvious entertainment value, quotes and stories can lend authority to your topic and provide concrete examples that people can relate to.

Speak with confidence. Deliver your message loud and clear. Maintain eye contact with your listeners. Don`t mumble or slouch.

Say you and we, not I and me. Instead of telling people what you want them to do, present ways for them to work together to achieve their goals. Involve listeners in the success of the group.

Keep it simple. People aren`t motivated by what you say; they`re motivated by what they understand. The best way to ensure audience understanding is to break down complex ideas into simple components.
Over the past few months I have met a lot of young people who felt so hopeless about their public speaking skills as this greatly affected their self- confidence especially during job interviews or facilitating meetings at work.
As a member of Gaborone Toastmasters Club, I would encourage every person who is serious about improving their public speaking or leadership skills to join the local non-profit organization.  The benefits one will reap from joining the organization where leaders are made are clear communication, improved leadership skills, enhanced teamwork, Effective meetings, increased productivity at work and positive mentoring.  If you want to work towards becoming a world certified public speaker, then toastmasters is your answer.

With Toastmasters you are provided an opportunity to:
Gain speaking experience that related to specific career needs
Develop and practice leadership skills.
Sharpen your listening and evaluation skills.
Give regular impromptu talks on assigned topics.
Learn and practice techniques of effective public speaking.Prepare and deliver formal speeches on subjects of your own choice.Learn proper parliamentary procedures.
Preside over meetings.Gain personal confidence that will help when speaking to one or a thousand people.
Put Botswana on an international speaking.  platform by participating in Toastmasters International Annual speech Contest, “ The World Championship of Public Speaking”

The community, corporates, colleges, government agencies or religious entities can form their own toastmasters clubs to encourage and empower members towards their journey of becoming exceptional leaders.

Toastmasters Gaborone Club members meet every fortnight at Thornhill Primary School, the next September meeting is on the 17th and October meetings are on the 8th and 22nd.
 

“We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.”- Gaborone Toastmasters Club

If you need more information on how to get involved with toastmasters or help on career advising, writing a CV or cover letter, developing effective interview skills, creating a comprehensive LinkedIn profile, building and managing an effective networking plan and understanding and presenting your authentic personal brand you can contact me at ccbotswana@gmail.com. Ends

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