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

August 24, 2020 / tomdowd / News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Research Your Material

I realize I am stating the obvious, but we are lucky to be surrounded
with so many tools, like the Internet, to research our material, and it
seems so natural to use these tools to strengthen our messages. The
benefits of research range from keeping your material current, to
ensuring that it is accurate and not trademarked by others. If you are a
frequent speaker on the same topic, ask yourself when you last updated
your material. Pay attention to your information, and keep it timely by
scanning relevant websites, news media, and books. I used to tell a
story about the word “chillax,” a made-up combination of “chill out”
and “relax.” Over time, I found that the impact waned as the use of the
word dwindled in popular culture. Besides keeping you and me up to
date, researching even simple facts may yield further information for
expanding your material or creating spinoffs to existing information.
As obvious as it is, don’t forget to use the tools that are at your disposal
to research your material to strengthen your message.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job, The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival), From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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Post from Transformation Tom- Keep a Notebook Nearby—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking

August 17, 2020 / tomdowd / Leadership, News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook = Keep a Notebook Nearby

Ask me what I had for dinner last night and there is a really good
chance I won’t remember. Not many of us can easily come up with what
we ate without really thinking about it. Now think of the greatest speech
idea you ever had, but can’t remember. How many times have you been
driving down the road or woken up in the middle of the night thinking,
“Wow, I need to remember that,” or, “I should do a speech on that,” or
some other iteration, then kept on driving or fell back to sleep and never
remembered what it was? The easiest way to solve that problem is with
a notebook or folder nearby. I keep a notebook on my nightstand and
a folder in my laptop bag, which is typically always near me. I simply
jot the idea down and toss the paper back. It can be one word or a short
sentence. Write down whatever is enough for you to remember. Notice I
didn’t say write out the entire speech. You can let the idea stew and grow
in your mind while it’s in the notebook or folder. The idea will continue
to nurture and develop itself over time. Go back to it when it is time, and
start outlining the message and content. You will be shocked how easily
the speech flows because your mind has been running in the background
with this topic, simply because you wrote it down.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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Post from Transformation Tom- Brainstorm: The Friends-and-Family Effect—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

August 10, 2020 / tomdowd / Leadership, News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook = Brainstorm: The Friends-and-Family Effect

Who knows you better, outside of yourself, than your friends,
family, and colleagues? When you are searching for topics or trying to
fine-tune a passionate presentation, invest time with the people closest
to you. Throw ideas against the wall and see if they stick. Use the close
relationships to ensure that the messages you want to convey truly
come across as intended. You should not fear feedback because of the
comfort in realizing that if this group of people can’t provide you with
the gift of their honest opinions, then who can? It is impossible to do
it alone.

I spent the first year and a half after joining Toastmasters practicing
my speeches in the car and in front of mirrors. Although both are
good tools, they can’t compare to the eyes of your spouse or significant
other staring back at you. I learned that if I could do it well in front of
my wife, then a couple hundred people would be easy. I finally shared
a competition speech with my wife right before I got in the car to drive
to the competition. The speech typically took six and a half minutes
to perform. For her, I did it in five minutes because of my anxiety,
since I really wanted to impress her. Within the speech, I had the line,
“Millions of dogs and cats”; instead, I said, “Millions of dogs and a
cat.” We laughed together after the speech. I knew she was a supporter
of my public speaking, but didn’t realize how much I could rely on
her. After I became more comfortable with my dependence on her, I
learned to have healthier dialogues regarding subjective feedback. In
another speech, I had the line, “My first legal adult beverage…,” and
my wife said it was too obscure and lacked the punch I wanted. She
suggested using, “My first beer….” I fought her on it until a friend suggested
the exact same line. Somehow, I had known she was right, but I
had refused to listen (I still have work to do in listening to my wife). I
have now become an open book to friends and family, especially to my
greatest supporter, my wife.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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Post from Transformation Tom- Avoid Side Comments—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

August 3, 2020 / tomdowd / News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Avoid Side Comments

Avoid side comments that may detract from your presentation.
Any comment not specific to your message takes attention away from
what you are trying to accomplish as a speaker. To an audience member,
side comments may be seen as a potential loss of focus, attention
given to someone or something that doesn’t need it, or a lack of confidence.

Let me give some examples:
Loss of focus: Asking someone to get the lights or asking, “Is my
microphone working?” can become your unintended introduction
once everyone is settled.
Lack of preparation: Asking if everyone received the packet of
information handed out may give an indication of a lack of preparation.
Why weren’t these packets handed out before the presentation? I
have learned that people will most often ask for something if they did
not get it.
Misdirected attention: When someone comes in late and you
acknowledge that person it takes away from the guests who were there
on time.
Lack of confidence or lost credibility: Avoid telling the world that
you lack confidence and avoid giving any indication that can lose your
audience’s trust. You can instantly lose credibility by saying that you
are nervous, that you are not ready, that this isn’t your line of expertise,
that you didn’t have much time to prepare, that you are long-winded,
that the audience may be bored with a section of the presentation, and
many other comments. All of these are real examples that are heard
often, especially with less-experienced speakers. If any of the previously
mentioned excuses are accurate, rally through them and don’t
announce them. More importantly, do all of the practice and preparation
possible to avoid the need to make side comments in the first
place.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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Post from Transformation Tom- Don’t Talk about Your Bad Day—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

July 27, 2020 / tomdowd / Leadership, News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Don’t Talk About Your Bad Day

We have all had bad days, whether we are not feeling so hot,
didn’t sleep well, or forgot to pick up the bread our significant other
asked for (sorry, honey). These days happen. However, in the publicspeaking
forum, your audience most likely doesn’t care. In fact, you
are giving your credibility a backseat to the messages you want to send
if you start your presentation with, “Please give me sympathy, or at
least understand that I’m not giving you my ‘A’ game.” You shouldn’t
announce it or even show it in your non-verbal cues. You can’t afford
to lose your audience. Never start a speech with an apology. Make the
effort to muscle through whatever it is and set a better tone right from
the beginning. You may be surprised to find that the audience’s energy,
which you are helping to create, may just solve whatever problem you
were having anyway.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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Post from Transformation Tom- Make the Message Stick—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

July 20, 2020 / tomdowd / Leadership, News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Make The Message Stick

Audiences learn and retain information differently. My youngest
daughter can sit back and absorb a presentation without taking a
note and repeat back everything—and I mean everything—she heard.
Others, like me, are consummate note-takers. Still others may need
some type of visual or auditory stimulation to retain information. It is
important to understand this learning diversity when preparing your
presentation. Depending on the type of presentation, if possible provide
multiple options that work best for information retention by various
learning types.

As a speaker, you must have an engaged audience. You can capture
their attention by getting them involved, possibly by having them out
of their seats to complete an action, or asking open-ended questions
that need responses. Additionally, you can have the audience repeat
key points you want emphasized or remembered. For some learners,
you should provide handouts; many of these learners want something
to hold and read from or want to fill in the blanks. Providing
paper and a place to take notes makes a big difference to someone like
me. Finally, you have people who sit on their hands until they see a
visual on the screen or hear music in the background. It’s important to
account for these visual and auditory learners. More importantly, it’s
essential to show flexibility for different learners in your audience. The
message sticks more when you are conscientious about your audience’s
needs and learning types.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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Post from Transformation Tom- Reduce Personal Distractions—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

July 13, 2020 / tomdowd / News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook=Reduce Personal Distractions

Change jingling in the pocket or even a cell phone strapped to your
side can take the focus off you and distract the audience just enough to
miss your message. Work badges hanging from your side swaying back
and forth can have the same effect. Prior to speaking, remove lapel
pins and any badges (“Hello my name is…”), pagers and cell phones,
and any potentially swinging jewelry. The goal is to minimize the possibility
of distractions before it is too late. It seems so small, but any
distraction taking away from your message is important to address,
especially when the solutions are so simple.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook 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- Engage Your Audience—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

June 29, 2020 / tomdowd / News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Engage Your Audience

Engaging and connecting with your audience can be as easy as asking
questions. Rhetorical, closed-ended questions, such as “Have you
ever found yourself in a similar situation…?” will get the audience thinking
and heads potentially nodding. You can up the ante with more
thought-provoking questions, such as, “What if you found yourself with
one day left to live?” The audience instantly will start to relate by figuring
out what’s in it for them. It is imperative to find creative ways to make
the audience a part of the speech somehow by understanding how your
words relate to them. Asking thought-provoking open or closed-ended
questions allows the door to open to appeal to the audience wants and
needs, even when a direct audience response isn’t needed.
Conversely, you can interact with the audience by asking them
questions that need may require a reply. There is the obvious and often
overused question: “How’s everyone doing today?” Or you can ask
everyone to stand up and get involved somehow. All of these examples
avoid letting your audience be passive, and begins to make them a part
of the event. Be creative to engage your audience.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook 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- Work on Your “Um, Ya Know” Filler Words—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

June 22, 2020 / tomdowd / News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Work on Your “Um, Ya Know” Filler Words

As much as I might want to say I have never said “um,” “ah,” “ya
know,” and “to be honest with you,” I would be lying. Yes, “to be honest
with you” is another potentially distracting filler phrase that I have
used. We all unnecessarily fill silence and voids with non-descript
words that have little to no meaning. Even the word “awesome” has lost
its true meaning with its overuse. My recent favorite is with the habit
of many people ending their sentences with, “Right?” The painful, but
effective, solution to filler words is to become conscious of your saying
them. Whether you have some trusted listeners around you who will
count them or throw a hand up when you say them, or you become
conscious of your own usage, you will find that simply paying attention
to them and making a concerted effort to improve is all you need to
break the habit. We have a comfort level with the use of some of these
so-called words and phrases and have built a habit that has to be broken.
Just as you would do kicking any bad habit, exercise a strong will,
find a solid support system, and you will improve.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook 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- Be an Attentive Audience Yourself—Chapter “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide”

June 15, 2020 / tomdowd / News

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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Be an Attentive Audience Yourself

When you are an audience member, be a critical observer of the speaker. Watch the speaker’s body movement, gestures, and stage presence, and listen for voice inflections (changes in pitch and tone). What is the speaker doing right that is keeping your attention and engaging you? Even harder, what can be improved if he or she is losing your attention? Is there something distracting about the mannerisms, use of language, or lack of passion? Are you beginning to count the number of distracting filler words, such as “um,” “ah,” “you know,” and “like,” and is the speaker ending every sentence with “really?” and “right?!” Is the message obvious and carried through the presentation? Are there supporting stories? Is it believable? Has the speaker gained your trust and respect, and come across as genuine? You can focus on your own opportunities and target your observations of the speaker. For example, if you have trouble being concise put your critical-listening skills into play and see if the speaker is using an economy of words. You should also take notes for reference later. As a consummate observer, you will always be in learning mode, therefore in a constant state of improvement.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World (Honorable Mention at the 2012 New England Book Festival) and From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide (2013 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal Winner and 2013 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention). Audiobook version of “From Fear to Success” is also available! See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

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