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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Be a Student of Yourself

Only you control the final touches you will make to the presentation.
After receiving feedback from anyone and everyone, don’t forget the most
important person to get feedback from: yourself. Be a student of yourself.
Use the simple tools of a mirror or a video camera to improve in all aspects
of speaking, whether it is speech content, delivery, stage usage, non-verbal
gestures, voice inflection, or the many other facets. Video is often difficult
for people to accept as a valuable tool, probably because it says so much. To
see, hear, and analyze ourselves is tough because most people are harder
on themselves than on anyone else, due to the pursuit of perfection.
Once you get past the uneasiness of watching yourself, you will
immediately see the benefits of video because you can rewind and
watch it multiple times for further reinforcement. More importantly,
you can target the feedback for yourself. When you review the video,
break it down by isolating certain aspects. For example, turn off the
sound. Because you no longer need your hearing senses for this part of
the exercise, you will make crucial observations about the non-verbal
and physical aspects of the speech that you might well have missed
otherwise. Invest time to be critical of yourself and you will be amazed
at how much you transform. The ability to study yourself drives home
the best in you because who knows you more than you?

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books Displacement Day:  When My Job was Looking for a Job (2014 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention), 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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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Practice—This is Not an Option

If you are giving a prepared speech, then ensure that it is prepared.
You can’t check over notes right before you go on to present and consider
that preparation. You should practice in front of family, friends,
cats, and dogs. Find anyone and anything to be in front of to ensure
that you have practiced more than just the words. You should practice
pacing, voice inflections, and places to pause, stage usage, and physical
aspects of the speech. There is too much left to chance without
preparation.

There is no such thing, in my opinion, as too much practice. There
is some risk of too much of a staged presentation, so you should use
caution to make sure your movements remain natural. However, practice
is required to get better. When practicing for speeches, if I am listening
to the radio in the car, I practice during commercials, or if I am
transitioning between tasks at work, I may find a few minutes to run
through a speech or presentation. The amount of positive feedback I
continue to receive about my obvious improvement in confidence and
skills is validation enough to keep practicing.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books Displacement Day:  When My Job was Looking for a Job (2014 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention), 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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“From Fear to Success” Audiobook= Be a Secret (or Not So Secret) Admirer

There are plenty of people we look up to. Whether it is a family
member or a historical figure, we get strength from the success of others.
The same should be said for people who speak well. If people you
know—from work, from an organization, or simply from crossing
paths—have a skill you want to work on, try to find an opportunity to
connect with them formally or informally. If you can seek them out as
a mentor or find ways to at least get some tips from them to improve
yourself, it will make you stronger. You don’t want to admire from afar
when it comes to improving your public-speaking skills. I have found
that successful people in the field tend to be open and supportive in
sharing suggestions. You should take in everything that will continue
your positive learning trajectory. Clearly, we should not go about it
independently. We need support and help along the way for our continued
growth.
I have connected with many great speakers who produce routine
newsletters, and have found formal and informal mentors who have
shared what they do well with me. These little things begin to add up
to a much greater success when we start to implement their feedback.
Even if you don’t know someone personally, are there other ways to
connect with him or her? Can you connect with the person through
LinkedIn or through other professional groups? Do you go online and
read well-known speeches and analyze them or even attend a webinar?
You can go to YouTube, Google, or other websites to find great
speeches and great speakers who can meet your needs. Do you take a
unique learning perspective to see the strengths of the speech structure
and purpose? Can you easily understand the intended message?
Finding individual speakers whom you can emulate and learn from
should inspire you to reach further and perfect your craft. Finding the
right connections and immersing yourself in their teaching can only
make your own presentations stronger.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books Displacement Day:  When My Job was Looking for a Job (2014 Paris Book Festival Honorable Mention), 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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“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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“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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“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