I got a kick out of reading Tim Ferriss's post on how he prepares for a public speaking gig. Ironically Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, could take up an entire four-hour work week with just his recommended prep alone.
Still, I appreciated his no-nonsense approach to getting things done, and in this post his candid admission, despite much acclaim and speaking opportunities, of not being a natural public speaker. I can totally relate. People who know me probably think that's disingenuous coming from me, an extrovert, a Gemini, a communicator. But it's true. Sure I love to talk, but talk in an organized, engaging manner? That takes practice.
Five years ago, if someone asked me if I had a strategy for public speaking, I would have said something about winging it and going with the flow. I am oddly more comfortable with being asked to share something off the top of my head than a practiced response with chunks of sound bites. Unfortunately for me these days that ain't realistic. So I did what I had to, built a speaking prep routine.
Over the past few years I've established best practices that work for me, and maybe for you:
Still, I appreciated his no-nonsense approach to getting things done, and in this post his candid admission, despite much acclaim and speaking opportunities, of not being a natural public speaker. I can totally relate. People who know me probably think that's disingenuous coming from me, an extrovert, a Gemini, a communicator. But it's true. Sure I love to talk, but talk in an organized, engaging manner? That takes practice.
Five years ago, if someone asked me if I had a strategy for public speaking, I would have said something about winging it and going with the flow. I am oddly more comfortable with being asked to share something off the top of my head than a practiced response with chunks of sound bites. Unfortunately for me these days that ain't realistic. So I did what I had to, built a speaking prep routine.
Over the past few years I've established best practices that work for me, and maybe for you:
1. Know thyself: The first rule of public speaking, in my book. Know what
makes you most comfortable, and if you can request a set-up that
facilitates it, ask for it.
For instance, I actually prefer a podium--yes I know that the real badasses prefer to walk around like Tony Robbins, keeping it real with no barrier between him and the audience. Perhaps my preference makes me a guarded speaker. But, I would argue, a guarded and EFFECTIVE speaker. I also prefer to hold a mike to wearing a lavalier, because I never wear lav-friendly clothes and the sound guy gets embarrassed trying to get the thing to clip to my flimsy blouse. And yes, I'll take a bottle of water, and an extra--a little necessity I opted for after running out of saliva during a long bout of speaking and croaking into a mike.
I don't think I'm a freak for having these preferences; I simply know that by having them there's less to worry about, and I can focus on my talk.
2. Forgive thyself: Having said the above, understand that unless you're, like, Steve Jobs, you probably won't have all of your technical preferences incorporated. All facilities differ. And when you find out that your situation is less than ideal, you must be prepared to intend to do the best you can while not getting too bent out of shape if it's not your best performance.
Recently I was a kickoff speaker at a business mixer. I remember thinking to myself when I was presented with the opportunity, "You mean people are going to be drinking, socializing, and supposedly listening to me all at the same time?" The situation seemed less than ideal.
Actually, it was worse. There was a mixup with the hotel venue, and they ended up having the event not in a meeting room but in the hotel bar lobby, amidst a group of completely disinterested patrons more intent on getting it on than hearing about the benefits of having a social media strategy. There were no microphones, just waiters passing drinks and coveted sliders. Still, a small group eaked their way to the front, seemingly interested in what I had to say, even with the din of revelers in the background. I just took a swig of my water and belted, hoping I didn't spit on anybody. It's ALL good practice.
3. Avoid memorizing verbatim: Instead I provide myself with a mental outline that I can reference, to ensure that I hit all the salient points without sounding unnatural.
But don't be so wedded to not memorizing so that you torture yourself. I am horrible about remembering things by rote. When I shot a series of video interviews I had to open and close with very specific language, to ensure the program sponsor was credited and that viewers would hear very specific instructions. For these parts I asked for cue cards so that I could read the words verbatim and not worry about memorizing them. In the end I ended up glancing at these cards and not needing to read them, they triggered in my mind the exact phrasing.
For public speaking that requires mention of very specific wording or facts, I have no problem with reading from notes verbatim when referencing them. It's better to sound a little bit canned than a little bit inaccurate. Just make sure you don't rely on reading your whole presentation.
4. Think storyteller, not actor. If I have a choice of format, I do not script myself; I just cannot pull off any prepared remarks as naturally. I know that I love to tell stories, so I integrate them where I can, not only because they engage listeners, but because they come much more easily to me; they are less "work" than simply relaying facts. The more I can make my talks back into a narrative, the better off I am. This isn't always possible when I'm talking about, say, social media marketing metrics, but I will often still find a way to narrate, rather than recite.
5. Watch the sarcasm or ironic remarks: This is one that I follow only 50 percent of the time but have to mention. I love being ironic. I think that public speaking itself is inherently funny and that you have to have fun with it to be effective and to entertain both audiences and yourself in the process. Problem is, those dang live bloggers and Tweeters: They love to crush what you say into your own sound bites that sometimes aren't accurate.
Much of this can't he helped. I've seen my talks misinterpreted or completely misquoted on blogs and Twitter. It happens. But if you are thinking of adding a joke that could be hard to grok in a Twitter stream, you may want to rethink it. Twitter is a generalizer's dream.
6. One from Ferriss' list that I thought to be extremely appropos: Concentrate on teaching.
7. Visualize: While back on the East Coast, I was commuting to the office by train with my twin sister, who teaches college history in New York City. I was working on a presentation I was to give later that day. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that she was gesturing silently. After some subtle observation I could see that she was, in fact, going over her presentation in her mind--every bit of it, from what she was saying to how she said it.
My sister is a wonderful presenter, always having facts ready to share. Clearly having the deep knowledge base of a professor helps, but even professors have to rehearse, and visualizing is the best form of rehearsing. You put yourself in front of a crowd and anticipate your reactions, your movements, and can then feel comfortable going through them again in real life. Note that I am not suggesting you memorize every word and gesture; but you do simulate the experience beforehand so that it is familiar to you.
I've streamlined my visualization process considerably. I go over my talk once or twice in my mind and I'm done. And it never goes exactly how I visualize it. But at least I know, when I opt to off-road a bit, when I still have important points to make. I have fewer instances when I leave a speaking engagement saying to myself, "I wish I hadn't forgotten to say ..."
8. Always prepare, even for panels and Q&A: There's always a little "Yay!" that goes off in my head when I'm asked to participate as a speaker somewhere, and I hear from the organizers, "No need to prepare a presentation." But don't think that sitting on a panel or Q&A session is a free pass from preparing.
If I'm not asked to meet with the moderator/interviewer beforehand, I will still ask to have a phone session or receive a list of prepared questions. And I don't memorize answers for them, but I do think of some important examples, back up facts, or important points of view I'd like to bring up. I will also double check my facts so that I'm current.
9. Prepare for the unexpected: Some interviewers go strictly by their notes, but some love to throw in some intrigue, including myself. If I see a conversation going in an interesting direction, I'll often go with that direction, even if I haven't prepared my panel for it. I never try to embarrass anyone, though sometimes I notice a panelist's eyes grow wide, as if to say, "Wait, that wasn't on the list." Oh, but that's what makes all of this such fun.
If you find yourself entering a situation that is unpracticed, great! Your audience can now extract even more value because they are getting more off-the-cuff information. In cases like these, I say, be open, but know your bottom-line boundaries. Obviously, if you cannot reveal sensitive company information or are being dragged into a mudslinging match it makes sense to back away. Know when to say with a smile, "I'd rather not say," or "I don't know," and leave it at that.
For instance, I actually prefer a podium--yes I know that the real badasses prefer to walk around like Tony Robbins, keeping it real with no barrier between him and the audience. Perhaps my preference makes me a guarded speaker. But, I would argue, a guarded and EFFECTIVE speaker. I also prefer to hold a mike to wearing a lavalier, because I never wear lav-friendly clothes and the sound guy gets embarrassed trying to get the thing to clip to my flimsy blouse. And yes, I'll take a bottle of water, and an extra--a little necessity I opted for after running out of saliva during a long bout of speaking and croaking into a mike.
I don't think I'm a freak for having these preferences; I simply know that by having them there's less to worry about, and I can focus on my talk.
2. Forgive thyself: Having said the above, understand that unless you're, like, Steve Jobs, you probably won't have all of your technical preferences incorporated. All facilities differ. And when you find out that your situation is less than ideal, you must be prepared to intend to do the best you can while not getting too bent out of shape if it's not your best performance.
Recently I was a kickoff speaker at a business mixer. I remember thinking to myself when I was presented with the opportunity, "You mean people are going to be drinking, socializing, and supposedly listening to me all at the same time?" The situation seemed less than ideal.
Actually, it was worse. There was a mixup with the hotel venue, and they ended up having the event not in a meeting room but in the hotel bar lobby, amidst a group of completely disinterested patrons more intent on getting it on than hearing about the benefits of having a social media strategy. There were no microphones, just waiters passing drinks and coveted sliders. Still, a small group eaked their way to the front, seemingly interested in what I had to say, even with the din of revelers in the background. I just took a swig of my water and belted, hoping I didn't spit on anybody. It's ALL good practice.
3. Avoid memorizing verbatim: Instead I provide myself with a mental outline that I can reference, to ensure that I hit all the salient points without sounding unnatural.
But don't be so wedded to not memorizing so that you torture yourself. I am horrible about remembering things by rote. When I shot a series of video interviews I had to open and close with very specific language, to ensure the program sponsor was credited and that viewers would hear very specific instructions. For these parts I asked for cue cards so that I could read the words verbatim and not worry about memorizing them. In the end I ended up glancing at these cards and not needing to read them, they triggered in my mind the exact phrasing.
For public speaking that requires mention of very specific wording or facts, I have no problem with reading from notes verbatim when referencing them. It's better to sound a little bit canned than a little bit inaccurate. Just make sure you don't rely on reading your whole presentation.
4. Think storyteller, not actor. If I have a choice of format, I do not script myself; I just cannot pull off any prepared remarks as naturally. I know that I love to tell stories, so I integrate them where I can, not only because they engage listeners, but because they come much more easily to me; they are less "work" than simply relaying facts. The more I can make my talks back into a narrative, the better off I am. This isn't always possible when I'm talking about, say, social media marketing metrics, but I will often still find a way to narrate, rather than recite.
5. Watch the sarcasm or ironic remarks: This is one that I follow only 50 percent of the time but have to mention. I love being ironic. I think that public speaking itself is inherently funny and that you have to have fun with it to be effective and to entertain both audiences and yourself in the process. Problem is, those dang live bloggers and Tweeters: They love to crush what you say into your own sound bites that sometimes aren't accurate.
Much of this can't he helped. I've seen my talks misinterpreted or completely misquoted on blogs and Twitter. It happens. But if you are thinking of adding a joke that could be hard to grok in a Twitter stream, you may want to rethink it. Twitter is a generalizer's dream.
6. One from Ferriss' list that I thought to be extremely appropos: Concentrate on teaching.
Says Ferriss:
Similarly, if I worry too much about how to be entertaining, or appealing, or engaging and all those other things we aspire to be as speakers, I'll lose a fundamental advantage of just being effective. It's true, some people are horrible speakers, but if I've learned something after their talks, I'll consider them time well spent. Unless you are a comedian or actress, skip the joke telling or forced attempts at charm or humor. As you get more experience, your personality will begin to emerge in your talks.I won’t focus on being a “public speaker”. I’ll focus on being a teacher from the stage. What I might lack in delivery, I’ll make up for with actionable takeaways.
7. Visualize: While back on the East Coast, I was commuting to the office by train with my twin sister, who teaches college history in New York City. I was working on a presentation I was to give later that day. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that she was gesturing silently. After some subtle observation I could see that she was, in fact, going over her presentation in her mind--every bit of it, from what she was saying to how she said it.
My sister is a wonderful presenter, always having facts ready to share. Clearly having the deep knowledge base of a professor helps, but even professors have to rehearse, and visualizing is the best form of rehearsing. You put yourself in front of a crowd and anticipate your reactions, your movements, and can then feel comfortable going through them again in real life. Note that I am not suggesting you memorize every word and gesture; but you do simulate the experience beforehand so that it is familiar to you.
I've streamlined my visualization process considerably. I go over my talk once or twice in my mind and I'm done. And it never goes exactly how I visualize it. But at least I know, when I opt to off-road a bit, when I still have important points to make. I have fewer instances when I leave a speaking engagement saying to myself, "I wish I hadn't forgotten to say ..."
8. Always prepare, even for panels and Q&A: There's always a little "Yay!" that goes off in my head when I'm asked to participate as a speaker somewhere, and I hear from the organizers, "No need to prepare a presentation." But don't think that sitting on a panel or Q&A session is a free pass from preparing.
If I'm not asked to meet with the moderator/interviewer beforehand, I will still ask to have a phone session or receive a list of prepared questions. And I don't memorize answers for them, but I do think of some important examples, back up facts, or important points of view I'd like to bring up. I will also double check my facts so that I'm current.
9. Prepare for the unexpected: Some interviewers go strictly by their notes, but some love to throw in some intrigue, including myself. If I see a conversation going in an interesting direction, I'll often go with that direction, even if I haven't prepared my panel for it. I never try to embarrass anyone, though sometimes I notice a panelist's eyes grow wide, as if to say, "Wait, that wasn't on the list." Oh, but that's what makes all of this such fun.
If you find yourself entering a situation that is unpracticed, great! Your audience can now extract even more value because they are getting more off-the-cuff information. In cases like these, I say, be open, but know your bottom-line boundaries. Obviously, if you cannot reveal sensitive company information or are being dragged into a mudslinging match it makes sense to back away. Know when to say with a smile, "I'd rather not say," or "I don't know," and leave it at that.
My business partner, Lisa Stone, is a fabulous public speaker. She's always got the party line down in her head, but she also throws examples and some flashes of hilarity into her talks and interviews. Once, in an interview with Samantha Ettus of the podcast show Obsessed, I saw her thrown completely off-guard. After asking questions that Lisa can pretty much answer in her sleep about our company, Samantha threw in a curve ball, "So how did you meet your (domestic) partner (Chris Carfi)?"
Lisa's good at the tough questions, but this was hardly one she was asked on Sandhill Road while we sought funding. She was visibly surprised, but she went with it, telling Samantha the story of how she met Chris online, with such unpracticed charm I still say it's the best interview she's ever given.
Behold the unexpected and understand that as much as people want to be educated and enlightened by a speaker, they love humans.
