Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Unconventional Advice

Every so often, we stumble upon some unorthodoxy that has the potential to shake up our speaking for the better, like this recent LifeHacker article.

    All I want for Christmas is a 2 dimensional reduction
  • Dribble Twice, Spin Once: Basketball fans will recognize the pre-shot patterns of basketball players to better focus themselves. Preceding our presentation, a similar routine can help shake some nerves and build confidence.
  • Death to Powerpoint: Slides often stymie our natural ability to express ourselves, so use Powerpoint with discretion.
  • Speak to Two People: Eye contact can rattle the new speaker, but focusing on two people in the room keeps things in perspective.
  • Embace Your Ums: Focus on your natural storytelling ability, and the audience will seemingly gloss over those pesky words.
  • Don't Memorize: Rehearsing can help us develop our flow, but memorization just renders us mechanical and inorganic.
  • Practice with Live Ammunition: Set yourself to speak publicly to capture a true simulation. With practice, we can feel accustomed to this arena and excel.
Twist things up with these tidbits of advice, and let us know how they end up working out!

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