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This past week, I moderated a 30-minute panel with four speakers.
After 20 years in network television, I’ve developed a system for preparing.
I researched each speaker and who would be in the audience, mapped out the topics I wanted to cover, and emailed the panelists a few questions in advance.
But that’s only half the work.
The most important thing you can do before speaking in public is practice out loud.
Whether you’re giving a toast, leading a meeting, or presenting an idea, knowing what you want to say and being able to say it naturally are two very different things.
This week, we’ll cover the basics of preparing for a short speech:
Effortless Takes Effort
When I work with clients who dread public speaking, I often hear one of two things:
“I’ll just read my notes.”
Or:
“I’ll wing it.”
I get it. Reading feels safe because the words are right there, and winging it feels easier because you don’t have to prepare.
But both can leave you focused on getting the words out rather than connecting with your audience.
The tips below will help you build fluency, your ability to express your ideas smoothly and naturally, so you can give more of your attention to the people listening.
Want to feel more communicate with more confidence?
This Week’s Tips: Prepare to Speak Naturally
1. Practice, Edit, Repeat
I recommend running through a three- to five-minute speech three times, editing as you go.
First, talk it through. As you practice aloud, you’ll hear where a sentence feels awkward, an explanation gets too long, or you stumble over your words.
Second, refine it. Rework those sections, cut unnecessary words, and simplify anything that doesn’t sound natural. Run through the revised version aloud.
Third, put it all together. Practice from start to finish to get comfortable with the flow.
2. Trade the Script for Bullet Points
Now for the part that might sound scary: Put away the script.
Once you feel comfortable with the material, switch to bullet points that capture your main ideas. Choose a few words that you know will jog your memory.
My issue with scripts is that they can lock you into a sequence. If you lose your place or skip a sentence, it can be hard to rewind or fast-forward because you’re searching for the exact words that come next.
Bullet points give you room to adjust based on the audience.
If someone looks confused, you can add an explanation. If a question comes up, you can answer it and return to your next point. If time is running short, you can move ahead without losing your main message.
3. Finish a Thought, Then Pause
When we get nervous, we tend to speak faster. We rush through our ideas because we want to get the experience over with.
But that makes it harder for the audience to follow and harder for us to collect our thoughts.
Use each bullet point as a cue to pause. Let’s say your notes have three bullets: results, problems, and plan.
Explain the results, then stop. Take an easy breath and glance at your next bullet before discussing the problems. Pause again before introducing the plan.
Practice this aloud: finish one idea, pause, find the next. Notice how that pause gives you a moment to choose what you want to say before you start speaking again.
This Week’s Funny
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