Does the thought of public speaking have you quaking in your boots? Looking for a pile of sand to stick your head in? Or are you just interested in taking your public speaking skills to the next level?
Well baby, I'm packing heat and I'm here to help you. I have two degrees in communication and I taught public speaking to undergraduates at the University of New Mexico for five years. Here are my best and favorite free resources to help you learn a new trick or two. And remember, you can always book a 1-on-1 coaching session with me!
Well baby, I'm packing heat and I'm here to help you. I have two degrees in communication and I taught public speaking to undergraduates at the University of New Mexico for five years. Here are my best and favorite free resources to help you learn a new trick or two. And remember, you can always book a 1-on-1 coaching session with me!
Articles
Looking for some new ideas? Not sure where to begin on your quest to become a better public speaker? Read this article for some simple, creative tips.
Oh hell yeah it is! Seduce your audience. Give your audience what they want. Leave them wanting more. Read this article to find out how.
Before you even begin to think about how to begin your speech you need to take a few moments to really think about and get to know your audience. Here's why . . . and how. It's also one of the key reasons Why Most Presentations Fail. (pssst! there's also a free accompanying worksheet!)
The majority of us will at some time or another be asked to speak at a special occasion. A wedding. A funeral. A birthday dinner. Speaking in front of a small, intimate, well-known crowd may be comforting to you or it may scare the bejeezus out of you. Read this article for my tips on special occasion speaking.
That presentation in front of your boss got you a little nervous? Check out this article for some tips to deliver a fantastic, calm, articulated presentation when it counts the most.
Books
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This book is fabulous. It's got the nitty gritty on what to do when things actually go wrong DURING your speech as well as tips on how to avoid common flubs. I nearly made this the text book for my Fall 2010 Public Speaking class and my students loved the lecture I did off of Berkun's chapters "What to do if your speech sucks" and "The science of not boring people." I highly recommend this book to speakers of all levels but those who actually speak regularly will get the most out of it. Find it on Amazon here.
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I haven't read this entire book but it's a good one to flip through and gather interesting tidbits on why we humans say "um" and commit other slips of the tongue. One of the most common bits of public speaking advice given is: don't say "um." It's well-intentioned advice, for sure. But it's also impractical and wrong! Yep. I used this book in combination with Confessions of a Public Speaker to teach my students more about the practical use of "um" which actually helped them not be so uptight about accidentally using the word; which, surprise, surprise, resulted in them using the word less than they did before the lecture. Once you understand that "um" means something and serves a purpose it's easier to not abuse the word; this book makes that very clear. Find it on Amazon here.
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This is the text book I teach out of at the University of New Mexico. It's description on Amazon reads: The goals of invitational rhetoric are to clarify ideas and to create an environment in which growth and change can occur for both audience and speaker. Speakers can facilitate the exchange of ideas by creating conditions of freedom, safety, value, and openness . . . This ideal environment increases the possibilities of achieving mutual understanding. While I personally like the book (it was written by a UNM professor) I had to supplement it a lot for my students. It's a great book for people looking to avoid rhetoric around "conquering and converting" your audience but is a little too new-agey for most college freshmen. Highly recommend it if you're looking for an alternative to mainstream methods of teaching public speaking but I feel it's better suited for a more mature/I-already-know-who-I-am audience. Most of my freshmen were bored with the text and couldn't relate to it. But most of my freshmen haven't dealt with hierarchy or power systems (yet) either. Find it on Amazon here.
Video
I supplement my lectures with these videos. They're often funny, poignant and teach my students something about public speaking while being great examples of public speaking in and of themselves
Feeling like Ricky Bobby in the above video? Read my article What To Do With Your Body While Giving A Speech
Visual Aids
If I have to sit through another PowerPoint . . . If you're looking for something different to make your presentation stand out and remembered as unique try Prezi, the zooming presentation editor. And be sure to read my article PowerPoint is Dead and Prezi is Queen.
Analyzing Speeches Makes You a Better Speaker
Below are some of my favorite speeches/presentations to have my students analyze. Be sure to read my How to Critique a Speech article on exactly how to analyze a video of a presentation in order to make your own speeches rock! And don't forget to download the accompanying free worksheet!
