HR Soapbox Blog

(Published August 31, 2009)

Last month, I offered a few practical tips on one important type of business communication: e-mail writing. Now, let's tackle another form of business communication, one that poses a huge hurdle for many professionals: public speaking.

Public speaking is supposedly most Americans' biggest fear in life, even bigger than their fear of dying. Well, that's just silly. If you'd honestly rather be dropped into a pit of hungry crocodiles than face a roomful of bored executives, then you've got bigger problems than I can help fix in a simple article.

But let's examine the comparison. Ask yourself what's the worst thing that can possibly happen in a public speaking situation. "I might die of embarrassment." Well, as a stage performer in my life outside the office, I can confidently report that, while a bout of stage fright may certainly make you feel like you're going to die right there on the spot, the condition is not actually fatal.

So, what are you really afraid of? Probably something along the lines of: looking bad, sounding stupid, making a fool of yourself. Great news: You can avoid these outcomes just by doing a little advance preparation. Start by changing the way you view public speaking: Rather than view it as an opportunity to make a fool out of yourself, view it as an opportunity to shine, to educate and inform your peers and superiors, to entertain and enlighten your audience.

Here are some more tips to help you get through — nay, maybe even enjoy — oral presentations. I hope they help!

• Write something out. Don't try to do a speech off-the-cuff or, at the other end of the spectrum, completely memorized. Even professional public speakers bring notes to refer to if/when necessary. Whether you write out complete sentences, use an outline, or jot down a list of bullet points is up to you. I like to use outlines or bullet points, so I don't end up reading my entire presentation aloud, which can be pretty boring for the audience.
  
  
• Prepare in advance. And by "prepare," I don't mean "fret over." I mean rehearse, over and over. Most people are uncomfortable with the sound of their own voice; you need to overcome this by getting used to the way you sound. This also gives you a good chance to trouble-shoot: If you find yourself tripping over the same phrase each time through, either keep practicing until it flows fluidly from your lips…or just rewrite the phrase so it's more speaker-friendly.
  
  
• Warm up right before your presentation. No, not by doing push-ups or jumping jacks (although if that helps, more power to you!). Warm up your voice and your tongue and your lips with lip rolls (blowing forcefully through your closed lips, kind of like a horse), tongue trills (rolled "r"s), and tongue twisters (my own standby: "Whether the weather is cold, whether the weather is hot, we'll be together whatever the weather, whether we like it or not," over-enunciated and said over and over as quickly as possible, having more and more fun with each repetition).
  
  
• Speak slowwwwly. You're nervous, you want to get this over with as quickly as possible, so you end up racing through your presentation and losing your audience.  Remember, your audience generally won't interject with a "huh?" or stop you with a quizzical glance the way someone would in a personal conversation. Help them follow you by speaking slowly…and clearly…and projecting loudly. Tip: Project your voice towards the very back corner of the room, even if your audience isn't all that far away.
  
  
• Picture the audience as an ally, not an enemy. You might not realize it, but the audience is generally rooting for you, not against you. Think of the many speeches, performances, etc., you've attended over the years. When did you ever attend one with the thought, "Wow, I really hope this doofus is gonna stink up the room!!!"? No, the audience is there hoping to enjoy whatever presentation or performance they're about to witness.
  
  If it helps to use that old trick of imagining the audience in their underwear so that they seem less intimidating, fine, use it. For me, I just picture them with their fingers crossed on my behalf, cheering me on silently. It works! (Alternate plan: If you're a really competitive person, or there really are some unfriendly colleagues in the audience who'd just love to see you fail, then go ahead and picture them all in togas, sharpening their knives, ready to pounce on you if you go up in flames…and then enjoy their keen disappointment as you triumph in the end!)

Eileen Mager
Writer