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Post from Transformation Tom™- Use Notes—or Don’t—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

December 28, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

Use Notes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can or should a speaker use notes—yes or no? The answer no one
wants to hear is, “It depends,” but that is the answer. The variables
include the location, the room set-up, and the length of the presentation.
If you are in a Toastmasters speech contest, for example, you will
always lose points for even potentially distracting the audience with
paper or note cards in your hands. If you are speaking from a lectern,
it makes sense to have notes to reference. Notice that I said “reference,”
not “read verbatim.” Even if you stand on the stage away from the lectern,
you can always slowly move back when you need to reference
some material or begin the transition to a new subject. Some speakers
like to use smaller note cards. Notecards are fine as long as they are
not too distracting or become a focal point. A lot of the reaction from
the audience is contingent on how much and how often you use your
notes. If you have a teleprompter, that is a different story, but it is still
important to give the impression to your audience that the words are
flowing and not being read.

Most speakers tend to shy away from full-size paper since it typically
makes noise when shuffled and can be cumbersome. I have
heard of having an outline on a poster board or flip chart visible to the
speaker but not to the audience (in the back of the room or off to the
side). In fact, although I mentioned above not to use notes if in a contest,
I once wrote a discreet keyword that I kept forgetting on a prop
(that could not be seen). Ironically, I never once referenced it in the
middle of the contest, but knowing it was there boosted my confidence
level. What’s important is that the audience gets your message without
the notes getting in the way. Never become fully dependent on, and
read directly from, your notes (if you use them). However, you may be
surprised to hear that most experienced speakers do use some form
of notes for presentations typically over ten minutes. If you have prepared
your presentation correctly, and you use your notes effectively,
the presentation becomes more about bringing messages, stories, and
facts alive than, “Did I say the exact words verbatim from the sheet or
notes in front of me?”

 

 

 

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™- Get Evaluated—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

December 21, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

Get Evaluated

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether it was anxiously waiting for my grades in school, my performance
assessments at work, or my formal speech evaluations with
Toastmasters, I have learned the value of the gift of feedback; it is a
constant process that should never stop. As a speaker, you need to get
evaluations from your audience. It is also important to get them immediately,
while they are fresh in people’s minds. You must have thick
skin because even the best speakers get critical feedback.

We should ask for evaluations because we care. We care about getting
better, and we care that our messages are getting through to the
audience simply and memorably. We should be looking for trends and
patterns. Be careful not to get locked into one comment or particular
score; however, take each comment and score as a learning opportunity,
and ask yourself what you did right and what can be improved.

If you videotaped the event, you can have a targeted approach to what
the evaluators may have been saying. If not, revisit in your mind what
sections of the presentation the evaluations may be referencing, and
take action to get better.

If I am not in a position for a formal evaluation, I still make it a habit
to ask attendees what they thought of the presentation afterward.
The questions shouldn’t be, “Did you like it?” They should be more
open-ended: “What was your favorite part?” and “If I could improve
one or two things, what would they be?” Your self-esteem should never
take a beating after an evaluation. However, your self-improvement
antennae should be perked up. Your payback comes in the form of an
even better presentation for your next audience.

 

 

 

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™- Find a Stage, Any Stage—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

December 14, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

find a stage

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether it is a big stage, little stage, or a small or large podium,
put yourself in a setting where you are looking out on a grand room or
audience. This is all about building your comfort and confidence level.
Continue to find different venues to do your presentations in, and try
not to get so comfortable with the same room and set-up for practice
time; you don’t want to get so comfortable in your practice routine and
location that you will get thrown off when you are not in it. A variety
of settings will get you more comfortable and enable you to present
anywhere in all types of settings. In addition to increased confidence
about presenting in different locations, you will start to get a feel for
your own preferences for seating and room layout.

 

Find a stage—any stage. This includes your car, your house, and anywhere
you feel there is a way to practice your presentation. On more
than one occasion people have looked strangely at me while I was walking
the dog, flying on an airplane, waiting in a long line, or driving down
the road, as they saw me practicing. Everywhere can and should be your
stage. I have even practiced in front of my dental hygienist in the waiting
room for my bi-annual cleaning. If you gained confidence to present
in front of strangers or in odd settings, imagine how good you will feel
when you are in a more contained environment.

 

 

 

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™- Minimize Distractions—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

December 7, 2020 / tomdowd / News
0

minimize distractions

 

 

 

 

 

 

As part of preparing with the organizer, you need to understand
the anticipated timing of your presentation. Will your performance be
during a meal, where glass and silverware will be clanking all around
you? As follow up to the control-your-environment section, this is a
critical detail to account for; if you know that a meal is immediately
before or after your speech, make every effort to avoid the time when
the food will be served. Wait staff moving around will inevitably distract
the audience.

 

Will you be speaking in a classroom or similar setting, where papers
may be shuffling throughout your talk? If you are in a classroom,
you do have some control by setting the appropriate expectations.
For example, you may let the audience know that you will stop and
announce when key notes should be taken. In some cases, you may
even announce that you will supply take-away notes after the session,
so that the audience can sit back and relax. Again, speaker preference
is important regarding what expectations you set with your audience.
Use what works best for you and the type of audience you are working
with. The key is to reduce the factors that can throw you off your game
by anticipating as many distractions ahead of time and taking the time
to mitigate or eliminate them.

 

 

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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