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A few things from my own experience: 1. Don't "give a speech". Instead, talk to a bunch of people that are interested in what you have to say. The distinction
by CWuestefeld 16y ago
A few things from my own experience:
1. Don't "give a speech". Instead, talk to a bunch of people that are interested in what you have to say. The distinction really matters, at least to me.
2. As others have noted. Don't drag your audience into PowerPoint Hell. At least look through the basics of "Presentation Zen". You need to be the focal point, not the screen.
3. Too late for you, but for anybody else with concerns about public speaking: you're going to need to do it sooner or later. Prepare now by joining your local Toastmaster chapter, and get the training and experience you need ahead of time.
- astrodust 16y agoI don't think you need to go to Toastmasters or your local improv comedy group to learn how to talk. You just need to do it often. Talk to everyone. People in elevators. Coffee shops. Your workplace. Anywhere you can find people you can engage with.
- CWuestefeld 16y agoSure. But with Toastmasters, there are projects that force you to concentrate of other factors, such as structuring your speech or persuasion. And there are people watching your speech with a critical eye (which I mean in a positive sense), ready to give you tips about problems you may not even be aware of.
- Poiesis 16y agoSure, there are other ways to get better. But Toastmasters exists to do exactly this, and has a good track record at it. You don't need to join a club to get help though. Shoot an email to a local club and ask to give a guest talk. They'll evaluate you and you'll get tons of constructive, actionable feedback you can use to improve.
- PStamatiou 16y ago> 1. Don't "give a speech". Instead, talk to a bunch of people that are interested in what you have to say. The distinction really matters, at least to me. That definitely rings true with me. Having a conversation puts my mind into another mode entirely.