Master the Art of Public Speaking
BUSINESS
One super chill morning a few years ago, my sisters and I decided to binge watch one of our favourite reality TV shows; Keeping up with the Kardashians. In the episode, the ladies sit with Bill McGowan and Jen Fukui to get training on conducting themselves in an interview. The episode really stayed with me and so I shelved it somewhere in my mind. Then late 2021, when I had to do my first presentation as an insurance sales agent, I surfed the internet to find Bill McGowan's work and came across his Microsoft Research talk on Youtube. I believe that public speaking is a valuable skill that anyone should work on. Below are some of some of Bill’s guideline:
Prepare
NEVER convince yourself that you'll wing it, you won't. It doesn't matter how big or small your audience is, always be prepred. Thorough preparedness might just help you finish your presentation early. Know the first 2 to 3 minutes of your presentation backwards and forwards because these will help build your confidence and settle your nerves. If you can, familiarise yourself with the place before you start speaking. This will make it feel a little less foreign.
Eat, sleep, test
Make sure your equipment works. Try to get enough sleep the night before. You will be a little less nervous when you are well rested. Do not skip breakfast and most importantly, avoid dairy products; milk, yoghurt. Dairy will have you clearing your throat the whole time during a presentation.
Connect
Before your presentation, get to know the people you will be addressing, talk to them. This should give you a feel of the crowd, what things they'd like to hear. During the presentation, look in people's direction, not at the top of their heads and not at the wall behind them. But, be careful not to focus on those who seem uninterested. Instead, find friendly faces and land on them for a while, then move onto the next friendly face. Smile, even if you're nervous. Make it look like there's no place you'd rather be.
Recommended reading:
PITCH PERFECT: How to say it right the first time, every time. A book by Bill McGowan and Alisa Bowman. Bill McGowan, the Founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group, is a two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who has produced and reported for ABC News 20/20; CBS News 48 Hours, Dow Jones Television and MSNBC. Bill coaches clients on how to exude more confidence and command on television and in front of an audience.
