Publicly Speaking

I first met Eric Feng at a TM conference in Hong Kong a couple of years ago. An impressive young man, he has now 'gone pro' and is running a successful speaking and training business in Singapore. He's a shining example of what TM can do. Here, I am reposting an entry from his blog 'cos I simply couldn't have said it better:

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Remember Pareto's Principle? Where 80% of the results comes from
20% of your effort. Or 80% of your revenue generated by 20% of your
customers. This principle works here in public speaking as well. If
you are tight for time, and you want to know what you can do
minimally to cause maximum results, this is it. The 20% work that
will make a huge positive difference in your upcoming speech or
presentation.

1. One Powerful Message

No point flooding your audience with too many messages as they
won't remember all of them anyway. Instead, you will have a better
chance of impacting them if you focus on just one message. Find
various ways (stories, demonstrations, quotes, analogies, visuals,
jokes, examples) to illustrate your message.

I would also suggest that you believe in the message. There must be
an inner drive/reason that is pushing you to deliver the message.
Else... it will merely be a public announcement. One way to create
drive/belief/enthusiasm in your speech is to ask yourself two
questions:

(i) How will the audience benefit from listening to my
speech/presentation?

(ii) Why is it important for them to hear it?

2. Be Authentic

Nothing beats speaking from the heart. Ask anyone and they will
tell you that sincerity wins it all. Ask yourself this question:
Why is it important for YOU to share this message with them?

To increase the authenticity of your speech, include stories of
your own. Audience love it when speakers share personal stories as
they create instant connection. As you open up to them, they too
will open up to you. DO NOT use stories from the internet or worse,
Chicken Soup for the Soul, for a very simple reason - they aren't
yours!

3. Strong Content

Not only must you have a strong message i.e. one that is obvious to
your audience, there must be some takeaway points. These takeaway
points got to be tangible and useful to them immediately. They
should also feel motivated to take some action. It could be to
start exercising or writing down their financial goals. At the end
of the day, your audience MUST take some action. Otherwise, it will
be a wasted speech.

Cheers,
Eric Feng
Your Public Speaking Coach
http://www.TakingTheStageNow.com/index1.html

Whilst it may sound like an oxymoron, we can all learn to prepare impromptu speeches.

You've heard it said before that 'an impromptu speech is a mini-speech with a beginning, middle and end'. That's true, but it doesn't go far enough. I prefer to think of an impromptu speech as a flight with a take-off, flight and landing. During the flight, the plane does not fly in a straight line. The captain has carefully plotted the course and follows it as far as possible. At the same time, the crew must be flexible and cope with unexpected weather conditions and the like.

The part that the simple 'beginning, middle and end' advice leaves out is the course of the flight, which is planned. This equates to your speech structure.

We've all heard (and given?) speeches without any obvious structure. They wander all around the houses without ever really arriving at a point. They lack structure.

The trick is to know a number of structures so well that you'll easily be able to recall the most appropriate structure to fit the topic.

If you'd rather not be giving such speeches in the future, check back next week when I'll share three such structures.

Donald Yee has done it again!

18 May, Shatin, Hong Kong: Donald Yee triumphed in both the International Speech Contest and the Table Topics contest. Beating contestants from Singapore, Thailand and Macau, Donald will go on to represent District 80 at the Inter-Disctrict Contest in Conneticut in August.

Also, thrilled that Brian Hodgson of Victoria Toastmasters took first runner-up!

Donald's speech delivered the message 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. I heard Donald do the same speech at Area level, I missed division but it was greatly improved by the time District came around.

Donald needs to deliver an entirely new speech for the Inter-district Contest. If he makes it through to the finals, he'll need another entirely new speech. Go Donald!!