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Post from Transformation Tom™- Control the Speaking Environment—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

November 30, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

control the speaking enviroment

 

 

 

 

 

 

You get to the venue, get out of your car, walk straight to the podium,
and begin your talk. I’m hoping this is not the typical way things happen
before a speaking event. The important point to consider is what
you, the speaker, are doing ahead of time to maximize a positive experience
by controlling the speaking environment. Are you giving yourself
ample time to gain a comfort level with the room so you feel in
control? Your confidence level will increase when you know that the
stage, the room, and the layout are to your satisfaction.

 

What about some of the other details that may need to be considered?
Do you know where the temperature gauges are and are you
able to control them? Will you have control of the lights and the seating?
When you have the chance to control the environment, you need
to do so. As previously mentioned about audio-visual aspects of your
presentation, you should check out the equipment, and you should
also understand the acoustics. Is there an echo, and will everyone be
able to hear you? When you walk around, do you find any parts of
the stage that creak and might distract the audience? What about the
lighting? Are bright lights blinding you? Is there a dimmer so that if
the lights have to go lower, the room is not too dark?

 

Have you walked around the room and absorbed the potential
views from all areas? I remember a speech competition in which there
was an odd, circular row of chairs around one side of the stage. This
forced the outlying audience members to strain to see around poles
if they wanted to see me when I was on certain parts of the stage, and
also impacted where I placed my props. Fortunately, this preparation
allowed me to know exactly where I would set up to ensure I maximized
the audience experience visually.

 

When you look out into the audience, what do you see? Are there
rows of seats, or are there tables? Is the seating conducive to your
needs? If you encourage note-taking, will tables be more useful? When
you interact with the audience, do you have them jumping out of their
seats? If so, how does this play into the current set-up? Will tables
cause more face-to-face side conversations that may take away from
your presentation? Each speaker has his or her own preference, but
you should set expectations ahead of time and get there early to make
sure the set-up is what you want. As important as it is to arrange ahead
of time with the organizer before the event, I have learned that things
will happen that leave you scrambling if you haven’t gotten there ahead
of time. When you control what you can with the environment, the
experience will be better for everyone.

 

 

 

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

  • Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
  • Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
  • Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
  • The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
  • From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
  • The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

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Post from Transformation Tom™- Interact with the Audience from the Beginning—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

November 23, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

interact with audience

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are more ways to start a speech than I can count. I previously
discussed the attention-grabbing opening, and one effective way to do
this is with an open-ended question for the audience to respond to,
such as “Have you ever found yourself in a situation like…?” or “Can
anyone give me an example when…?” Many speakers have an audience
respond to a question in unison, as a group response can be full
of energy if you have the right delivery and the right audience (e.g.,
size, demographics). For example, “When I say ____, you say _____.”
In these cases, the speaker is breaking the invisible wall that sometimes
gets built between speaker and audience. The key is to engage
the audience so that they feel like a part of the presentation. The success
of the presentation grows exponentially when the audience gets
into it from the very beginning, whether mentally or physically or by
having the speaker grab their attention.

 

Once you have their attention, you must maintain audience engagement
to keep the momentum as the presentation progresses. There are
several ways to ensure that your audience remains committed to your
message through their own involvement. Depending on the type of
presentation, you may want to provide key points or facts highlighted
on a handout for people to absorb and take away. Another way is to
provide a fill-in-the-blank answer sheet for your participants to complete
during the presentation to reinforce the message. People learn
in many ways; however, the more engagement you get early on in a
presentation, the greater the chance of information retention.

 

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

  • Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
  • Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
  • Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
  • The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
  • From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
  • The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

advice, anxiety, appeal, audience, author, book, breathe, business, business development, Business Training, change, choose your words, choose your words carefully, Coach, coaching, communication, Communications, Confidence, control, development, Dowd, fear, gestures, growth, Inspiration, intentions, interests, introduction, leadership, Management, Marketing, mental, Motivation, Networking, Personal, personal growth, physical, practice, preparation, prepare, professional advice, Professional Development, public-speaking, reiterate, relax, repeat, Résumé, Résumé Writing, speaker, speaking, speech, strength, success, tense, tension, Thomas, Thomas B Dowd, Thomas B Dowd III, Thomas Dowd, tom, Tom Dowd, training, transformation, transformation tom, transformationtom, visualize success

Post from Transformation Tom™- Use Pauses—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

November 16, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

use pauses

 

 

 

 

 

We often think more quickly than we speak. As a result, sometimes our thoughts outpace our intended words, which may result in
using filler words and phrases (e.g., “um,” “ah,” “ya know”). Before we have time to say our intended words, we may utter something of no
value that can create distractions for the audience if they are plentiful. As a speaker, we need to ensure the audience gets a chance to absorb
the intended content and to feel the intended effects. If an audience is hanging onto the words we are saying, imagine how impactful it is
to hold those words or sentences in suspense. The audience will anxiously wait for the next point and have a greater appreciation when it is
delivered. Let the audience take in what you have just said with a well-placed pause. Effective use of pauses allows for punchier delivery and
added emphasis for your keywords and points. Pauses will also allow for effective facial expressions or gestures that may garner more attention
than speaking straight through without pausing.

 

 

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

  • Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
  • Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
  • Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
  • The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
  • From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
  • The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

advice, anxiety, appeal, audience, author, book, breathe, business, business development, Business Training, change, choose your words, choose your words carefully, Coach, coaching, communication, Communications, Confidence, control, development, Dowd, fear, gestures, growth, Inspiration, intentions, interests, introduction, leadership, Management, Marketing, mental, Motivation, Networking, Personal, personal growth, physical, practice, preparation, prepare, professional advice, Professional Development, public-speaking, reiterate, relax, repeat, Résumé, Résumé Writing, speaker, speaking, speech, strength, success, tense, tension, Thomas, Thomas B Dowd, Thomas B Dowd III, Thomas Dowd, tom, Tom Dowd, training, transformation, transformation tom, transformationtom, visualize success

Post from Transformation Tom™- Test Your Speeches—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

November 9, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

test your speeches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As previously mentioned, friends and family are always great
sources of feedback for your speeches. However, nothing beats the
local flavor of a group of people who may not be as close to the subject
as your friends and family. I can’t thank enough the local support I
have received from Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Lions Clubs, and the
YMCA. These organizations present a great opportunity for the community
to see what you have to offer and also serve as a networking
prospect for future public-speaking opportunities. More importantly,
I can test out new material or tweak existing speeches and look for different
audience reactions. Testing this way allows me to receive feedback
that I would have never thought of myself—opinions that may be
diverse and valuable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

  • Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
  • Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
  • Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
  • The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
  • From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
  • The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

advice, anxiety, appeal, audience, author, book, breathe, business, business development, Business Training, change, choose your words, choose your words carefully, Coach, coaching, communication, Communications, Confidence, control, development, Dowd, fear, gestures, growth, Inspiration, intentions, interests, introduction, leadership, Management, Marketing, mental, Motivation, Networking, Personal, personal growth, physical, practice, preparation, prepare, professional advice, Professional Development, public-speaking, reiterate, relax, repeat, Résumé, Résumé Writing, speaker, speaking, speech, strength, success, tense, tension, Thomas, Thomas B Dowd, Thomas B Dowd III, Thomas Dowd, tom, Tom Dowd, training, transformation, transformation tom, transformationtom, visualize success

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