“Passion is the thing that will help you create the highest expression of your talent”. – Larry Smith –
I love Einstein’s quote: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler”. In a way, that’s what inspired me to create what I now call the Wheel of Public Speaking, which at a glance gives you an idea about the four key elements you have to develop to become an outstanding presenter/public speaker/orator/Tedx Speaker…
Depending on where you wish to direct your public speaking efforts, there might be certain peculiarities, but regardless, you will need to work on the emotional connection you build with the audience, the content you deliver and how you deliver it through your body language and the way in which you manage your state before, during and after the presentation.
Master those four elements and you will become a memorable, persuasive and inspiring speaker at work, in front of a huge audience, at your best friend’s wedding; no matter the place, the stage will always be yours.
Every time we are in front of an audience and begin to communicate, the first thing that we are conveying at an unconscious level is our emotions.
Have you ever watched a speaker feeling uncomfortable and all of a sudden you are feeling very similar and even feel sorry for them? Or a sales presentation done by someone who doesn’t transmit that level of certainty and trust you need to, later on, invest in their product?
I can give you tons of examples. A more positive one, when the speaker is very energised and passionate about the topic and you end up replicating the same state and feelings.
The bottom line is that if we are going to speak, it’s important that we are mindful about our state before we get on the stage because it will make the difference between an amazing talk or presentation and a very lousy one.
If you now came and asked me, Jose, what would you recommend I do to create the emotional connection I intend for my talk or presentation? My answer would be, check out my training course on Udemy 😉, but initially, I would advise you to follow my 4-7 second rule:
Be passionate:
What is Passion?
Passion is the intense, positive feeling you get from pursuing activities that are deeply meaningful to you.
Besides, some people believe that pursuing something you are passionate about is the key to achieving success in any field.
So, are you passionate about your presentations or the topics you speak about? This can be a very good starting point. If your answer is no, would you like to be?
Picture for a moment, a passionate business person and another one that is the complete opposite. Who would prefer to work with/for? I know, the answer is quite obvious.
This is the reason why ‘passion’ is my number one, because it will be crucial in the process of building a strong emotional bond with the audience and this feeling will irradiate through your words and body language, trust me.
Be on the ball:
Know your subject and share it accordingly. Depending on how important it is, I invite you to memorise it and rehearse it so many times it gets printed on your unconscious, just like driving. There are of course other alternatives, like crafting compelling stories and using what comes up in the moment as you present, either alternative or a combination of them might work for you. Explore and find what suits your style best.
The key here is that the audience experiences a speaker/presenter that flows, knows the topic and delivers it in a way that leaves them at least a bit better off than before.
Being on the ball creates an instant connection in the first few seconds, mainly conveyed through body language. Then it’s important to keep this state as the talk/presentation continues.
Act and sound like an authority (Believe you are):
If you don’t believe in yourself, who will? Sure, this may be easier said than done. In my years of experience, there are many things you can do to build up your confidence and nothing gives greater results than getting out there and learning from feedback. It can be scary, uncomfortable and many more things but it’s the best way to grow and develop. If you are serious about becoming an outstanding presenter/public speaker, burst your bubble and engage with the cold world until you turn it warm or red hot. As Chris Anderson once said, “let’s go light a fire”.
When you believe you are an authority (because you know the stuff, you are not faking it) in the first few seconds the mind of your audience is unconsciously associating you with a figure of power/authority. When you are confident and behave and sound congruently with who you are, that’s who you become to your audience. Then you need to keep it up, otherwise it will turn into an illusion that quickly disappears.
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