The 3 P’s of Authentic Speaking

Public Speaking has been a very intimidating pursuit for many. Experienced speakers have established countless forbidding guidelines that make many aspiring speakers cringed and at times, give up. The gurus have dictated their defined “rules” as if they are proven scientific facts: the way a speaker looks, the way a speaker moves, the way a speaker talks, and a million other pointers. These have made it so impossible for some potentially great speakers who may not fall within the common standards. I have seen some speakers with life-changing messages give up because their foreign accents, the way they look, their voices have been criticized so mercilessly that they withdraw from sharing their messages to audiences who may need their words of wisdom. We cannot all be Tony Robbins or Katy Couric. Following tips from experts isn’t bad at all, it may even be very helpful. But not if it sabotages the authentic you; take what applies to you and improve your skills within what is possible for you. We have our own unique style, and it might be just what the world needs to hear and see. Let’s simplify speaking by letting our authentic self with our authentic message shine through with these simple 3 P’s tips.

How’s Your Rapport?

One of the most important qualities of a good speaker, trainer, or presenter is the ability to establish rapport with her participants. This is the first thing that the trainer does even before the event gets started. So, how is your rapport?

From the SOUL

(Found a spoof of this article on the internet.  LOL!)

“When it comes to the requirements for pleasing an audience, all the knowledge and instruction and apparatus in the world is worth less than one ounce of soul.” – Ottawa Keyes

You may have seen the best techniques, gizmos, and eloquence employed by a presenter and something was missing. And you may have experienced listening to a presenter who wasn’t totally polished yet left you with a fullness and satisfaction from the time you spent with him.

It is sharing from the S-O-U-L that makes all the difference.

Edutainment

We have all been there.  Training sessions and seminars that are painful – montonous and drab – reminiscent of our long school days.  The information may have been superb but the delivery was unimaginative and uninteresting

These days, trainers and presenters are expected to not only educate, we are expected to deliver information in an entertaining way. It is a challenge we need to meet to succeed in our sessions.

Today’s audience is used to various media that is entertaining, content-filled, fast-paced, and diverse. Though we may be limited by our resources to deliver training that will match TiVo, You Tube, and Playstation quality, we can definitely add some features to our presentations that will add the entertainment value. The following are some suggestions you may want to try with your future engagements.

The Other Side of Talking

It was an impasse that didn’t need to be.  The black and white mentality, often times, leads to a win-lose situation.  The winner may feel empowered by the immediate triumph, leaving the loser feeling victimized and resentful.  A possibly good relationship (business or personal) lost.  The winner may never regain good graces from the loser, who may be in a position in the future to do him some good.  Is it really a “win” when one may isolate people and burn bridges in pursuit of his (and only his) interest?

“Seek first to understand, than to be understood” – Stephen Covey, Seven Habits of Higly Effective People